Treat yourself with a glass of sparkling iced tea this summer
When it comes to beverages, you can never get enough of the tea. The possibility of preparing tea in different variants is the primary reason why people prefer this beverage over others. There are plenty of ways in which you can twist the tea, and iced tea is the most classic version that never gets old. It is a cold beverage prepared with tea leaves, water and ice. However, there are other variations to it. Over the years, people have found endless ways to make iced tea.
One of the coolest ways to prepare iced tea is a sparkling iced tea. Whether it is a pool party or you just want to chill in a summer afternoon in your home, the sparkling iced tea is a perfect beverage companion. There is nothing complicated in the recipe; it is prepared with iced tea and sparkling water making it an ideal summer drink. You can twist the recipe by adding black tea, green tea, pomegranate tea, etc.
In this article, we are going to discuss more about sparkling iced tea and how you can prepare it.
The Basics of Sparkling Iced Tea
It is made like a normal iced tea; all you need to do is make a strong brew which is different from an everyday iced tea. Next, you have to allow the tea to cool down for a bit. Carbonated water is the main ingredient in this recipe. You need to add ice in order to dilute the tea that will subtle the flavours. You need to add both tea and carbonated water in a 50/50 ratio. Carbonated water can be of your choices like club soda, seltzer, or anything citrus. For garnishing purposes, you can use ice cubes and lemon wedges.
You can deviate the recipe by adding fruity elements into it. Some people prefer using different teas to give a different kick to iced tea. It totally depends on your choice of how you want your tea. As it is a summer drink using cooling and watery ingredients is the best way to make this beverage recipe successful.
How To Make It Sparkle?
The reason it is called sparkling iced tea is due to the use of carbonated water. If you want to make the tea more sparkly, you can try making it with green tea that already has creamy vanilla, bergamot, lemon, etc. that makes a perfect potion for a summer drink. Additionally, when you are steeping the tea, you can add honey as a natural sweetener.
It would help if you also concentrated on the choice of carbonate water that brings a difference to the flavour. A lemon seltzer is an acceptable option; be open to the experiments so you can differentiate between the good and the bad. To make it more sparkly and pleasing to the eyes, use a lemon slice and basil leaves for garnishing. You can prepare a summer cocktail with this simple recipe. It all depends on your imagination and expertise to experiment with the drinks.
How To Prepare Sparkling Iced Tea?
You have learned the basics of a sparkling iced tea, now it’s time to get into the recipe and prepare it in your kitchen. The formula is so easy and refreshing, and it hardly takes any time to get ready. Hence, sparkling iced tea makes a go-to drink during the summers. If you want to add colour and refreshment to your summer days, it is the best drink that you can prepare. Without further ado, let’s get started with the recipe:
Ingredients:
● Freshly brewed tea of your choice – 3 cups
● The sparkling water of your choice – 3 cups
● Honey for natural sweetening
Directions:
● The first step is to prepare a healthy tea for the iced tea. If you are choosing green tea, make sure to add more leaves to give a stronger flavour.
● Now steep the tea for a few minutes. Steeping is important to get the flavours of leaves infused. Adding ginger will also give a striking flavour to the tea.
● You also need to add the ice cubes to subtle the flavours of the tea. Make sure to add small ice cubes so that the water does not subdue the tea flavour.
● The next step is to stir the sparkling water with the tea. It is the time where you can add the sweetener (honey).
● Take tall glasses and pour the sparkling iced tea in it. Add some more ice cubes for a chilling effect. You can garnish the beverage with mint leaves, lemon wedges or basil.
Note: You can also create natural syrup sweetener for your iced tea. It is the best way to add a sweetening effect to the beverage. Just heat 8 ounces of water on medium heat, add a cup of granulated sugar and keep stirring until it gets mixed. When the sugar is dissolved completely, you can transfer it to a container and store it in the refrigerator.
The Bottom Line
There are plenty of ways in which you can treat your taste buds and refresh your senses during summer, and iced tea is one of the best means. It is a perfect summer beverage that you will never get enough of. There are different ways in which you can prepare iced tea; sparkling iced tea is one of the tasty versions. It is made with carbonated water; iced tea and you can also add fruity elements to give a twist to the recipe. The flavour of this tea depends on the type of tea leaves and carbonated water you use.
In this article, we have mentioned the details about sparkling iced tea. If you are feeling low and dehydrated in summer noon, it is a go-to drink that you can easily prepare at home. All the ingredients are easily available in your kitchen, and you don’t need to do anything complicated in preparing glasses of this amazing iced tea.