Name: Ginger-Pomegranate Iced Black Tea
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea; 3 cups boiling water; 1 cup ice water; 2/3 cup pomegranate juice; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 1/2-2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger; Lime wedge

Why This Recipe Works

For brisk and refreshing iced tea with spicy fruitiness, we paired tart pomegranate juice with zingy ginger. We started by brewing tea with boiling water to extract the aromatic compounds from the leaves. Then we cooled the extraction with ice water, pomegranate juice, and ginger but did not strain it. By steeping the tea for an hour at this lower temperature, we could draw more flavor from the leaves without pulling out too many bitter compounds.

Before You Begin

You can substitute decaffeinated tea if desired. Two tea bags such as Twinings or Lipton can be substituted for the loose-leaf tea. Your ice water should be half ice and half water. If you prefer a more pronounced ginger flavor, add the full 2 tablespoons of grated ginger. For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount.

Instructions

Place tea in medium bowl. Add boiling water and steep for 4 minutes. Add ice water, pomegranate juice, sugar, and ginger. Stir tea with wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved. Let steep for 1 hour. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into pitcher (or strain into second bowl and transfer to pitcher). Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

To serve, pour into ice-filled glasses. Garnish each serving with lime wedge.