Hard Iced Tea

[Firstnten]

Okay Firstnten, let me see if I'm smellin' what you're steppin' in:

Add teabags to boil kettle, add 6 gallons of water. Bring to boil, let the mix sit for 2 hours. Add 10lbs sugar, bring back to boil, chill and pitch yeast?

I'd love to see that picture if you wouldn't mind. Does it taste bitter due to such a long, hot steep?

No do not boil twice. Also I added yeast nutrient.

 

[HSM]

I haven't tried this yet but am going to throw together a gallon test batch today.

As a tea drinker, I can't imagine any benefit to steeping for 2hrs. 5 minutes is usually the max and after that you are only extracting additional tannins.

So my batch will only steep 5 minutes... and loose leaf, there are no tea bags in my house! (tea snob!)

 

[SueMac]

I haven't tried this yet but am going to throw together a gallon test batch today.

As a tea drinker, I can't imagine any benefit to steeping for 2hrs. 5 minutes is usually the max and after that you are only extracting additional tannins.

So my batch will only steep 5 minutes... and loose leaf, there are no tea bags in my house! (tea snob!)

Perhaps loose leaf tea makes a huge difference but if you check back on pages 1 and 2 of this topic, you'll find someone steeped their tea only for a hour and the tea taste was lost... May be the brand or may be not enough tea...Just thought I'd point it out if you haven't already started.

 

[Firstnten]

Perhaps loose leaf tea makes a huge difference but if you check back on pages 1 and 2 of this topic, you'll find someone steeped their tea only for a hour and the tea taste was lost... May be the brand or may be not enough tea...Just thought I'd point it out if you haven't already started.

I did some research and it seems that he's right in the Tannic acid increase, but I also read that different teas and the age of the tea are factors as well.

Also I thought this was interesting in regard to antioxidants:

Scientists found that volunteers who drank tea that had been brewed for five minutes had blood antioxidant levels which were 60% higher than those who consumed a one-minute infusion.

All i can say is that brewing it for the time I have has worked so far and I have not detected an over powering bitter taste, and once back sweetened and served on ice IMO I couldn't tell it was 13% ABV.

 

[HSM]

13%! Wow.

I made a gallon test run using a loose ceylon tea at double strength brewed for 5 minutes. Very dark and smells great.

Sweetened with 1 1/2 lbs of corn sugar and used some moncharet (sp?) yeast I had. It's bubbling away.

 

[SueMac]

13%! Wow.

I made a gallon test run using a loose ceylon tea at double strength brewed for 5 minutes. Very dark and smells great.

Sweetened with 1 1/2 lbs of corn sugar and used some moncharet (sp?) yeast I had. It's bubbling away.

What was your SG? Did you add any yeast nutrient?

 

[SueMac]

After very vigorous fermentation, checked SG last night and down to .994. Racked to carboy and took a taste. UGH! Nasty stuff! No tea taste whatsover! So...

New Plan:
According to Firstnten's recipe, I was down by 10 teabags. So, racked off a pint from the carboy and now steeping 14 more teags (4 extra for good luck?!) for 2 hours. To that I'll add: 1 can lemonade, 1 cup sugar and 3 crushed vitamin c tablets (as ascorbic acid to avoid oxidizing because I'm not sure how quickly this will be consumed).
To the carboy of tea:
First: 3 crushed Campden Tablets. Stir well.
Second: 1 1/2 tsp Potassium Sorbate. Stir well.
Third: Additional tea/lemonade/sugar. Stir well. (Top up with additional water, if needed or I may add something else.)
Degas for 5 minutes.
Let stand for at least 2 more weeks. Then taste again.
Thoughts? Comments? (Small window of opportunity). Thanks!

Bottled yesterday. Tasted okay but not a lot of tea flavor, sooooooooo...
I "cheated" and added about a cup and half Lipton Diet Iced Tea with lemon that I had on hand. I took a one liter bottle, racked hard iced tea to about 1/2 bottle and then using a funnel, added 3/4 cup iced tea mix, shook bottle and then added rest and shook well. Little foamy. Added to bucket. Tasted good so bottled. Friends enjoyed!
Next try I may use regular tea (not decaf) and perhaps a higher end tea as well. Live and learn but have fun doing it!!!

 

[johnyrrr]

I had to add a half a jar of instant tea and 3 frozen lemonade containers as well as sugar to get some taste back to it. I think I used montrochet yeast and that helped contribute to the nasty flavor. I will try a different yeast and maybe less sugar so it might taste better next time. its almost all gone though.:cross:

 

[SueMac]

I had to add a half a jar of instant tea and 3 frozen lemonade containers as well as sugar to get some taste back to it. I think I used montrochet yeast and that helped contribute to the nasty flavor. I will try a different yeast and maybe less sugar so it might taste better next time. its almost all gone though.:cross:

I'm saving it for a friend...Regretfully, I didn't take the final gravity - it's not high in alcohol but then the person I made it for wouldn't want it that way...I may fortify some with vodka. I may make some more once this is gone...Keep posting recipes and tweaks! FYI: I used Red Star Champagne yeast. I may use that again or some Nottingham or Windsor. We'll see...