Drinks,  Sweet

Iced Sweet Tea made with Wild Maine Blueberry Black Tea

May 19, 2021 /
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Spring is here! In Maine, we have what Mainers call “False Spring”, where it is no longer cold and the sun is shining, but after about a week it snows again. But here we are! False Spring is behind us. The days are full of sunshine, lovely sea breezes, and iced sweet tea.

I know that sweet tea did not originate in New England; it is a southern staple. Luckily, a wonderful local tea business called Bar Harbor Tea Company makes a Wild Maine Blueberry Black Tea that takes this beverage to the next level.

The finished tea complete with lemon and some chocolate mint from my garden.

Bar Harbor is on Mt. Desert Island, which is also the home of Acadia National Park. If you haven’t been, I highly recommend it. We went there in October of 2019, and I think about it often. Bar Harbor is a beautiful town full of quaint little shops and stunning ocean views. One of those shops is the Bar Harbor Tea Company storefront. The shop is small, but packed to the brim with an assortment of handmade tea blends (loose leaf and bagged), cups, teapots and an assortment of tea-related accessories.

Me in Acadia National Park on Mt. Desert Island. October 2019.

I like to make my own teas and blends, so I’m a little picky. But when I tried their tea, and I was very impressed. I tend to stay away from blueberry-flavored things because, as a Mainer, I dislike the flavor of fake blueberry. This tea though, uses dried Maine blueberries, and that wonderful flavor really shines through. The next logical step is making it into a sweet tea for a get-together, or a hot summer day.

If you want to try this tea yourself, you can head on over to: https://www.barharbortea.com.

Tips and tricks for making a perfect sweet tea:

Baking Soda: Baking soda does amazing things for your tea. It helps neutralize the tannins in black tea. Tannins can sometimes create that bitter taste that turns people off from drinking tea in the first place. Most tannins are released when tea is improperly brewed. This happens when using water that is too hot, or letting the tea steep too long. Even if you properly brew your tea, there can still be some unwanted bitterness because tea naturally releases tannins (no matter what). This trick works for black and green tea and gives you a smooth cup every time.

Straining your tea: Once your tea is done steeping in the boiling water, the recipe says to strain it. I strain mine through a very fine sieve or some cheesecloth. Make sure not to press the excess tea out of the bags. Let the tea release from your tea leaves or tea bags naturally, and do not press or squeeze them. Pressing or squeezing the bags will also release more tannins and will make your tea very bitter.

Type of tea: Any type of black tea will work for this recipe. Like stated above, I used Wild Blueberry Black Tea but I have also used: English Breakfast, Earl Grey and Lady Grey. Feel free to use whatever black tea floats your boat, or whatever you have hiding in the back of your cupboard.

Scroll down for the recipe on how to make your own Iced Sweet Tea made with Blueberry Black Tea.

Iced Sweet Tea made with Wild Maine Blueberry Black Tea

I know that sweet tea did not originate in New England, and that it is a southern staple. Luckily, a wonderful local tea business called Bar Harbor Tea Company makes a Maine blueberry black tea that takes this beverage to the next level.
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Course Drinks

Ingredients
  

  • 7-8 Black Tea Bags I used the Wild Blueberry Black Tea, but any black tea will work. If using loose tea, you will need a scant 1/4 cup of tea.
  • 2 Cups Water
  • 1 Pinch Baking Soda
  • 3/4 Cup Sugar
  • 6 Cups Cold Water
  • Lemon Slices For garnish- optional
  • Mint Sprigs For garnish- optional

Instructions
 

  • Place two cups of water into a small sauce pan. Sprinkle the baking soda into the water, and bring the water to a boil.
  • Once the water boils, take the pot off of the heat and add in the tea bags. Let steep for 15 minutes.
  • Once steeped, strain the tea bags out and discard them. Do not sqeeze them. See notes.
  • Add the 3/4 cup of sugar to the hot tea and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Place your tea mixuture into a large pitcher and add in the six cups of water.
  • Add ice, sit back and sip.

Notes

Baking Soda: Baking soda does amazing things for your tea. It helps nutralize the tannins in black tea. Tannins can sometimes make tea have that off-putting bitter taste. Most tannins are released when the tea is improperly brewed. This happens when using water that is too hot, or letting the tea steep too long. Even if you brew your tea properly, there can still be some unwanted bitterness because tea naturally releases tannins, no matter what. This trick works for black and green tea and gives you a smooth cup every time.
Straining your tea: Once your tea is done steeping in the boiling water, the recipe says to strain it. I strain mine through a very fine sieve or some cheesecloth. Make sure not to press the excess tea out of the bags. Let the tea release from your tea leaves or tea bags naturally, and do not press or squeeze them. Pressing or squeezing the bags will also release more tannins and will make your tea very bitter.

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