amethystmtn

I've been making tea at home forever. I used to use lipton tea bags. I'd brew the tea to my liking and just add sugar. I tried the baking soda thing and did not like the taste. If I put it in the fridge it turned cloudy and tasted bad. If I left it on the counter top it would stay clear and have good taste for 3 days. Never made it past 3 days.

About a month ago I started buying loose leaf tea at Teavana. Depending on what you buy it can cost more than lipton. But the flavors and quality of the tea are so worth it. Some teas, like white jasmine can be brewed more than once without loosing flavor.
With all of these teas I can keep it out or refridgerate and the taste stays good and does not go cloudy.
I also learned to brew the different types of tea at the correct temp. Amazing difference in taste quality.
I only add sugar and will never go back to grocery store tea.
Hope you get your tea sorted out.

Geri B

I use the cold brew by Lipton for Summer iced tea......I myself prefer either lemon water or cucumber water......

fayep

That's what I do also -- because that's the way my Mom made it. The soda keeps it from getting cloudy and I can go into the third day on my pitcher of tea. (I keep it in the fridge.) My grandson tells me I make the best tea in the world -- and I kind of like my tea, too.
And, of course, a scoopful of sugar is necessary!

I put my pinch of soda into the boiler when the tea bags start to boil. The soda will make it "rise or fluff up" so that's when I turn off the stove eye.

Faye

Onetomatoplant

Do you cover it? Maybe seal it with something like press n' seal? It might be picking up "flavors" from your fridge.

oldtnquiltinglady

I guess I am not any kind of a tea expert--I run a pitcher full of hot water, put in three or four small Lipton tea bags and let them set for an hour. Squeeze them out, add a cup full of sugar, and my tea is the best in middle TN (ask my grandkids); and if accidentally left out on the counter overnight, it is still good, and not cloudy. Keeps good in the refrigerator three or four days if no GKs come over.

Ruby the Quilter

Thanks for the ideas. Will try them. Knew I would get help here!

Friday1961

It's my conviction that if you sweeten the tea and keep it in the refrigerator overnight or longer, it will be sweeter. Sometimes very sweet.

tesspug

Make sure you store your tea in a glass container. The acid in the tea will take on a strange taste if it is in plastic. The baking soda will counteract the acid in the tea. But it is a salt so it will have a salt taste.

Lisa_wanna_b_quilter

I'll bet Oldquiltinglady's tea would taster wonderful to me! That is pretty much how I make it. We never leave ours out. It goes right into the refrigerator. I've never had a gallon of tea last for 24 hours so I don't know about tea tasting old. Ours is never old because we drink it so much.

I've also never heard of baking soda to keep tea fresh. This board knows the most amazing things.

kuntryquilter

I use just a pinch of baking soda. It not only makes is darker but also takes the bitter taste away. I make a gallon at a time & never add sugar to my tea when storing in the refrigerator. I have been told by many people that I make the best tea they have ever tasted.
I also add a pinch of salt to my brewed coffee, salt takes the bitter taste out of coffee.