A Slice of Sunshine: Iced Tea with Citrus

Tea, ice and a flash of fresh citrus. Nothing complicated—just a brilliantly refreshing way to take your favourite blend in a completely different direction.

Orange brings juicy sweetness, lemon keeps things bright and lime adds a sharper little kick. Citrus can lift black, green, fruity and botanical teas without flattening all the lovely flavours underneath.

Choose your fruit, fill the glass and prepare to feel unreasonably pleased with yourself.

How to make it

1. Add your chosen tea to 150ml of water heated to the temperature recommended on the pack. Brew for the recommended time.
2. Remove the teabags or strain the leaves. If you’d like a sweeter drink, stir in a little sugar or honey while the tea is still hot.
3. Fill a sturdy, heatproof glass with plenty of ice and tuck in a couple of thin citrus slices.
4. Pour the freshly brewed tea slowly over the ice. It will chill almost instantly, accompanied by a deeply satisfying clink.
5. Squeeze in a small citrus wedge, stir and taste. Add another squeeze if you want a brighter finish.
6. Add a final slice or twist of peel, then drink immediately while the ice is still earning its keep.

Why brew it stronger?

Ice doesn’t just chill your tea; it melts into it.

Using twice the usual amount of tea in less water creates a concentrated brew that keeps plenty of flavour as it cools. Use more tea rather than leaving it to brew for longer: extra leaves create more flavour, while extra time can create bitterness.

Nobody invited bitterness.

Choose your citrus

Different citrus fruits take the drink in slightly different directions.

Orange
Juicy, fragrant and gently sweet. A natural partner for black tea, Earl Grey and fruity blends.

Lemon
Clean and bright, with enough sharpness to wake up green, black and botanical teas.

Lime
Livelier and more aromatic, with a sharper finish that works brilliantly with fresh, energising blends.

Clementine or satsuma
Softer and sweeter than orange, making them an easy option when you want less acidity.

Blood orange
Bold, colourful and slightly deeper in flavour. Use it when it’s in season—or whenever the fruit bowl is feeling theatrical.

Choose your finishing move

Add slices when you want the citrus to infuse gently as you drink. Give a wedge a squeeze for a brighter, juicier flavour, or twist a strip of peel over the glass to release fragrant citrus oils without adding much sharpness.

You can use one approach or combine them. Just go gently with the peel, as too much white pith can add bitterness.

The citrus is there to lift the tea, not launch a hostile takeover.

Teas that love citrus

Billy’s Brew + orange
Orange gives this smooth, full-flavoured black tea a fresh and juicy lift. It’s simple, satisfying and proof that an everyday brew doesn’t always need milk.

Earl Great + orange
Bergamot already brings the citrus; fresh orange turns it up. It also works beautifully with the blend’s juicy berry flavour, creating an iced tea that tastes bright, fragrant and just a little bit fancy.

Maximum Velocitea + lime
A squeeze of lime gives this lively brew an even fresher, sharper edge. Serve it over plenty of ice for a bright, invigorating drink with serious get-up-and-go.

Strong tea. Plenty of ice. A flash of citrus. Sometimes the simplest serves are the ones you keep making.