Cucumber Mint Green Iced Tea Without the Bitterness
Cucumber and mint make a light June iced tea without covering up the green tea underneath. Brew the tea first, chill it quickly, and give the cucumber a short infusion in the cold pitcher. The mint goes in near the end, so you can taste it before it becomes the dominant flavor.
For four glasses
- 4 plain green tea bags
- 2 cups hot water, about 175 F, and 2 cups cold water
- 1/3 English cucumber, rinsed and thinly sliced
- 8 fresh mint leaves, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, optional
- Ice
Brew, chill, and infuse
- Pour the hot water over the tea bags in a heatproof container and steep for 2 minutes, or follow the lower end of the brewing time on the package. Lift the bags out without squeezing. Stir in the cold water.
- Transfer to a pitcher and refrigerate until cold. For faster cooling, set the brewing container in a bowl of ice water and stir the tea, keeping the bath water out.
- Add the cucumber and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Gently bruise the mint between your palms, add it, and steep for another 5 minutes. Taste and strain out the cucumber and mint once the flavor suits you.
- Add the lime juice, if using, and serve over ice. Keep any remaining tea covered and refrigerated and drink it the next day.
When the tea tastes off
Bitterness usually starts at the brewing stage. A small splash of cold water in each glass can soften it, but next time use cooler water or steep the bags for 30 seconds less. If you want a stronger tea without a longer steep, use an extra bag in the same amount of hot water.
If the cucumber tastes unusually bitter on its own, use a different one. If the tea simply tastes too vegetal, strain it and blend it with a little plain chilled green tea. For a sweeter pitcher, stir in simple syrup a tablespoon at a time; granulated sugar is harder to dissolve once the tea is cold. Add the syrup before the ice so you can judge the sweetness before the drink dilutes.
