Cornelia Bean’s Best Summer Sips
Iced tea and coffee make great summer drinks. Set some up for backyard parties, picnics with friends, and for cooling off at the lake. Brewing your own from home allows you to cut back (or completely cut out) extra sugars, giving you full control over the flavour and health benefits of each brew. Better still, you can experiment with adding fresh fruits or herbal mix-ins to craft unique mocktails and cocktails for guests of all ages. Coffee lovers need not feel left out with bold cold brewed coffee that can be enjoy all summer long.
TEA
We recommend two methods for brewing your iced teas to bring out their most flavourful (and healthful) potential.
Hot Tea Concentrate Iced Tea
Steep a hot fruit “tea” concentrate by increasing the quantity of loose tea and reducing the amount of water to make a brew that can be poured over ice. Add 1 tablespoon of fruit tea for every cup of water to the Tea and Coffee Brewer for paperless straining and easy dispensing. The Wall Infuser mug can serve double duty as both tea vessel and mocktail or cocktail glass, filtering out herbal mix-ins with its built in glass strainer. Fruit tisanes and herbal teas are ideal candidates for this method of brewing because they can handle longer steeping times at hotter temperatures. Try our fruity favourites Tangerine Ginger, Raspberry Drop, Lake of the Woods, or the nutty Night Market. Here are a few more exciting iced drinks to try as well!
Refreshing and relaxing iced tea with juicy pomegranate, raspberry and papaya bits is enhanced with a splash of sparking water, topped with fresh raspberries as garnish.
Thirst-quenching hibiscus compliments passion fruit and orange to makes a great afternoon mocktail with a splash of OJ in a pitcher filled with fresh orange slices.
Butterfly Pea Flower Lemonade
Mix a summery colour-changing concoction from butterfly pea flower tea concentrate with lemonade and watch as your brew changes from deep purple to bright pink with the added citrus. This drink is a hit with kids and adults alike. Serve over ice.
Cold Brew Iced Tea
Alternatively, we recommend brewing your black and green teas in the filter bottle with cold water to steep overnight to enjoy your favourite blends without it turning tannic or bitter. For best results use the same proportions as hot tea (ie. 1 teaspoon per cup), or add 1 tablespoons of looseleaf tea to a Cold Brew Iced Tea Filter Bottle, and cover with cold water in the fridge overnight to make 750ml of iced tea. Here is another creative idea to try at home!
This floral, full bodied bergamot black tea is transformed with equal parts lemonade to craft a delicious and unique Arnold Palmer.
COFFEE
Cold Brew Coffee
It doesn’t get any simpler. Cold brew coffee is easy to make and delicious. We recommend our lighter roasts for the cold brew method, such as the Kenya AA, Rio Azul, or perhaps the Kona Blend. Too dark and the cold brew takes on a bitter taste. Try 3 to 4 tablespoons of your favourite medium ground coffee in the Cold Brew Coffee Filter Bottle for a smooth, rich brew suitable for any coffee aficionado.
Whatever your method of choice don’t be shy to mix it up! Experiment with unique ingredients, choose two or more teas to blend to create something new, or keep it simple to enjoy the best iced tea and coffee brews summer has to offer.