PORCH SWING PUNCH {iced tea}

Bright and beautiful hibiscus cooled with refreshing mint.  A flavor and color burst in your glass! Simple yet so complex. This brew was a top seller and crowd favorite for many summers in our teashop.  

Health notes: This one is our ultimate hydrate and refresh tonic. Hibiscus is noted for its incredible power to help the body hydrate offering loads of easily absorbed essential vitamins and minerals. It's known as a "refrigerant" in the herbal world taking note of its ability to cool an overheated system.   It is also noted as very helpful in stabilizing mast cell and histamine activation. Peppermint and Spearmint leaves bring a cool refreshing finish. The mints also offer extra circulatory support allowing the body’s cooling mechanism to work even more effectively for a truly refreshing cup of iced tea. Imagine setting on your porch swing on a steamy summer day sipping this iced cold beverage and staying cool as a cucumber.

ALL ORGANIC INGREDIENTS:

Hibiscus Flowers, Peppermint + Spearmint Leaves.

{ CAFFEINE FREE }

Full package is 10 large teabags (3 steeps per bag)

Small package is 3 large teabags (3 steeps per bag)

Loose Leaf offers about 7 Tb or 21 teaspoons.  This makes approximately 2 quarts per oz of loose leaf.  

Iced Tea Brewing Directions per quart:

Steep 2 tea bags (or 4 Tb loose tea blend in a large steeping bag) in 1/2 quart of 190º water for 15 minutes minimum (longer steep times will add strength). Cover while steeping. Remove tea bags when desired strength is reached. Add 3 Tb sugar (or to taste). Stir. Add 1/2 quart cold water. Stir and pour over iced glasses to enjoy. Can refrigerate up to 3 days to enjoy later. Garnish ideas: Fresh orange wedges or fresh cucumber wheels with mint sprigs.

Iced Tea brewing Directions per 16oz glass:

Steep 1 tea bag or 2Tb loose tea blend in approximately 4oz 195º water for 10-30 minutes. Cover while steeping. Remove tea leaves, add 1Tb sugar (to taste), stir, fill with 8oz cold water and pour over 16oz glass filled with ice. Should fill a 16oz glass, if not, add more water and enjoy!

Sun Tea Instructions:

Place 2 teabags or 4TB in a quart jar (32oz) and cover with filtered/distilled/pure water, filling the jar completely.  Cap, shake well, and place in direct sunlight allowing the sun to provide natural heat and infusion into the water.  Time equals strength of brew.  I like a minimum of a 4 hour steep. This one very much needs sweetened- simply fill another jar with 1 cup of sugar and 1.5 cups of water.  Cap, shake well,  and place into the sun as well.  This will be your simple syrup to sweeten the tea as you like. 

Once the sun steep is complete, simply strain the tea or remove the tea bags. To enjoy, pour over ice leaving room for sweetener to taste.  Can save in fridge for up to 3 days.  

Note: Some say that this method is not safe for those with severely compromised immune systems.