For more information on the issue of mountaintop removal, please visit www.KFTC.org

This special edition Mountain Dream blend is now available in each of our 7 Louisville locations.  Each bag is $13.50
and $5 of the sale price will be donated directly to KFTC.

Time and again I've spoken to Heine customers who are frustrated with the iced tea that they've created at home.  It seems that even though we are Southerners- and some would argue that sweet tea is in our blood- we've been settling for bad iced tea for most of our lives.  In addition, most of us can't seem to succeed at perfecting that old family recipe.  Well, terrible tea does not have to be apart of your daily routine anymore!  Below are some tips that will empower you say goodbye to weak, bland, over steeped, bitter, and even chemically-tasting iced tea!  

Rule 1:  Filter your water!
Great tasting iced tea begins with great tasting water.  If you're like me, and a high-tech filtration system doesn't fit into the budget, a store-bought Britta-type pitcher will do the trick just fine.  The important thing is to remove any excess minerals and odd tastes- not to spend a fortune doing so!  Regardless of your water filtration choice, you'll be glad you didn't skip this step when you begin to taste what heavenly tea you've created!

Rule 2:  No boiling needed!
For those of you who grew up on tea that was prepared by boiling a handful of Lipton tea bags on the stove in a kettle, this rule is for you.  Boiling is not really the best method of tea preparation, as it can create an overly bitter iced tea.  Black tea tastes best when steeped in water that's been brought up to boiling temperature (around 212 degrees) or just before boiling. 

Rule 3:  Use whole-leaf tea!
Although tea bags are super handy, they constrict the tea leaves inside, producing a stifled version of the tea that loose leaves would yield.  Use a strainer with a fine mesh to separate the tea leaves from the liquid.  Darjeeling (pictured), Ceylon Orange Pekoe, or another full-bodied black tea like South India are our picks for amazing tasting iced tea!


Rule 4:  Over steeping produces bitter tea!
Many teas can become bitter and dry on the palate when steeped for too long.  As a good rule of thumb, never steep black teas for more than 2-3 minutes.

Rule 5:  Cooling gradually prevents clouding!
We've found that cooling tea too quickly can cause it to go cloudy.  Now to some, cloudy tea tastes perfectly fine, while others would argue that the clouding can in fact create a bitter or milky quality in the tea.  In order to avoid creating a pitcher of tea that looks more like tomato juice than a refreshing afternoon beverage, let your steeped tea cool at room temperature for a few hours before you refrigerate it.