Iced Tea - Page 2

etothepii · 17-Oct-07, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiftGirl

Back when I bought my Hamilton Beach iced tea maker, I looked at reviews of the Mr. Coffee, and the reviews were not good. Many people said the pitchers crack and leak. But the older Mr. Coffee was made of better plastic and doesn't seem to have the same problems as the newer one.

You probably shouldn't take advice from a guy who can't spell excellent.

I hadn't heard that about Mr. Coffee. I guess ours is about 3 or 4 years old ... haven't had a problem with the pitcher, though.

**LiftGirl** · 18-Oct-07, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etothepii

I hadn't heard that about Mr. Coffee. I guess ours is about 3 or 4 years old ... haven't had a problem with the pitcher, though.

I think yours is one of the older ones made from a more durable plastic. I went to a friend's house and she has a mr. coffee. She can't remember how old it is, but the plastic felt totally different from the newer one I looked at that Wal-Mart had out of the box. The newer one felt much flimsier than my friend's.

**Doc2029** · 18-Oct-07, 11:19 AM

Maybe I am strange but I've always liked my Tea hot or iced and coffee with nothing in but tea or coffee. IMHO if you need sugar/spenda and cream etc, then you don't like coffee or tea you like cream and sugar! And with some people you might as well just have a Moutian Dew with all the sugar they put in it!

Merrida · 18-Oct-07, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orkydoc

IMHO if you need sugar/spenda and cream etc, then you don't like coffee or tea you like cream and sugar! And with some people you might as well just have a Moutian Dew with all the sugar they put in it!

That reminds me of the movie Office Space, when Michael Bolton goes to Chochki's with Peter and Samir,....to anyone who's seen it, have you ever noticed throughout the entire scene, Bolton is unloading packet after packet of sugar in his "coffee" (aka: sludge).

**Firehawk** · 18-Oct-07, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiftGirl

Kinda like those people who go to McD's and order a supersize big mac value meal with a diet coke?

Before i ever started to diet, i used to go to MCD and order 3 super sized combo meals with 3 chocolate shakes and eat all except for 1 shake at one time.

ANd I do do fries...yum!

Merrida · 19-Oct-07, 09:54 AM

Maybe my palate is less discerning. I've tried various combos of iced tea, still sticking to makig it cold. I combine various flavored herbal teas,...sometimes I'll put in a few chunks of ginger,...a 1/4 of a lemon, squeezed with pieces floating. I get very unique (but often non-reproducable) flavored teas,....the base is always green and white tea.

What am I missing by not using these machines you guys are talking about?

What if I boil the water to make my tea and THEN put in the fridge in my container? Would that amount to the same thing?

**.V.** · 19-Oct-07, 10:52 AM

The iced tea maker is like the automatic drip coffe pots. Except some of them have an ice pitcher in the bottom so that the tea is already cold when it's done making.

Personally, I like my tea sweet. And although I'm using splenda now, being a southern boy, I simply can't get away from syrupy sweet tea. And that means it's sweetened while hot then refrigerated.

Of course my green tea is drank hot while I'm sitting up chatting online all night when I should be sleeping.

Merrida · 19-Oct-07, 11:05 AM

So does it make the tea hot then automatically cool it?

I figure I can do that with a kettle, make the tea, and let it cool and then refrigerate. I've never heard of an iced tea maker before. I like iced tea and drink it in the winter or summer.

But maybe I'm missing something by not enjoying the luxury of a nice hot cup of green tea before bed.....

**LiftGirl** · 19-Oct-07, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merrida

What am I missing by not using these machines you guys are talking about?

What if I boil the water to make my tea and THEN put in the fridge in my container? Would that amount to the same thing?

The machines just for those of us that are lazy and drink a fair amount of tea

Actually, when I make it just one quart at a time to take it to work, I use hot or boiling water, make it four times as strong, then pour it over ice and add water up to one quart.

If it tastes good to you made cold, then just keep doing whatever is easiest. I'm not sure why I can taste a difference, but I can.

**.V.** · 19-Oct-07, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merrida

So does it make the tea hot then automatically cool it?

But maybe I'm missing something by not enjoying the luxury of a nice hot cup of green tea before bed.....

The only difference between the way you and I do it vs the way they do it is the iced tea makers have ice in the pitcher to cool the hot tea as it drips down into the pitcher.

Personally, I just brew my tea. Sweeten it to my taste while hot, and put it in a pitcher. When I'm sitting up all night I just pour a cup when I need it. Once what's left over cools, I just put the pitcher in the fridge so that there is some good cold tea to drink the next day.

Oh yeah, nothing as relaxing as some nice hot tea before bed. I choose decaf anyway, so keeping me awake isn't an issue. Of course good conversation and hot tea may have the opposite effect and be a little too...invigorating, leading to sleep loss. It just depends on the company you keep I guess.

Merrida · 19-Oct-07, 11:41 AM

Liftgirl,....I getchya. I am just trying to understand what they do because I've never heard of them, and if they make a better brew it may well be worth the investment. The only things I drink throughout the day is the home made iced tea I make like this and water....and because it's only those 2, I ask because if what you guys are talking about could mean the difference between "seems okay to me iced tea" and "wow this is great iced tea," I want to learn more. Do you always use herbal, or blend teas, have to buy special "tea bag pods".....?

Definitely with a cup of hot tea (vs. ice) it is much more relaxing, much more soothing and comforting sipping slowly and savoring. Iced tea I drink swiftly,.....hot tea is for lingering moments.....

**LiftGirl** · 19-Oct-07, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merrida

Liftgirl,....I getchya. I am just trying to understand what they do because I've never heard of them, and if they make a better brew it may well be worth the investment. The only things I drink throughout the day is the home made iced tea I make like this and water....and because it's only those 2, I ask because if what you guys are talking about could mean the difference between "seems okay to me iced tea" and "wow this is great iced tea," I want to learn more. Do you always use herbal, or blend teas, have to buy special "tea bag pods".....?

Basically, iced tea makers work like a coffee pot, except instead of the little glass carafe, the hot tea runs into a plastic pitcher you can fill with ice. Uses a lot of ice, but gives you cold tea right away. And Andy, you can put sugar or splenda or whatever right into the brew basket with the tea, and you have sweet tea. The hot water dissolves the sweetener and carries it right down into the pitcher. I used to do that when I still drank it with a touch of Splenda.

The one I bought cost about $20. You can use any tea, no need to buy anything special. Mine has a mesh filter, so you can use bags or loose without using a paper filter. I believe the Mr Coffee needs a paper filter if you use loose tea.

I've used it for greens, whites, blacks, herbals and reds, both loose and bagged.

Of course you can always boil water on the stove; I am just lazy

Merrida · 19-Oct-07, 04:31 PM

Liftgirl, it doesn't sound like the machine is a lazy way out, but maybe a more effective way because while you mentioned tasting a difference,....but if I'm not mistaken, some herbs, especially if you're not growing them or they aren't fresh, there's something about the hot water that releases their benefits (and if we herbal tea drinkers dink our tea for taste or, as with chamomile or valerian, to relax if anxious),...I think the heat has an effect of releasing the ingredients. So you bring up yet another valid point --- something I may not be betting the benefit from,.....-->

--> such as when the only time I, too, drink hot tea would be late at night to relax and mellow out.

Thanks, - gave me stuff to think about.

**LiftGirl** · 22-Oct-07, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merrida

Liftgirl, it doesn't sound like the machine is a lazy way out, but maybe a more effective way because while you mentioned tasting a difference,....but if I'm not mistaken, some herbs, especially if you're not growing them or they aren't fresh, there's something about the hot water that releases their benefits (and if we herbal tea drinkers dink our tea for taste or, as with chamomile or valerian, to relax if anxious),...I think the heat has an effect of releasing the ingredients. So you bring up yet another valid point --- something I may not be betting the benefit from,.....-->

Sorry to say I'm not very knowledgable in the area of herbs, etc. If I drink herbal tea, it's because I want a hot cup of something without caffeine or because I'm tired of water and want something cold and naturally sugar-free.

My point was, you don't have to get a machine; you can boil water on the stove, make the tea extra strong, then pour it over ice cubes to make iced tea. That is what I meant by the lazy way out. But, realistically, the easier it is to make, the more likely you are to drink it.