Part One of Our Summer Series

Welcome to the first installment of our summer blog series celebrating the art of organic iced tea! All summer long we'll be sharing our favorite Numi organic teas to enjoy cold — the ones that truly come alive over ice. We're kicking things off with four of our most beloved blends: Jasmine Green, Dry Desert Lime, Damiana Relax and Mate Lemon. Grab a tall glass and let’s dive in!

The Founding of Iced Tea

While tea has been part of many cultures for thousands of years, iced tea’s history is a little more recent and more American. Legend has it that at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, British tea merchant Richard Blechynden arrived with a booth full of hot tea. But the heat wave made drinking a steaming cup very unpopular, so he came up with an inspired idea: pour the tea over ice! The crowd went wild, iced tea became the talk of the Fair, and the rest, as they say, is history. Now over 75% of tea drunk in the United States is over ice, with several Southern states naming “sweet tea” as their official state beverage.

The Magic of Iced Tea

There are two kinds of tea rituals. One is a warm, grounding morning or evening cup. The other is summer's version: a tall glass full of ice, something bright and fragrant poured in and the sound of ice crackling as you’re anticipating your first gulp. At Numi, we love both. Some teas, though reveal an entirely different character when served cold — a jasmine that felt quiet and delicate in a warm mug becomes vivid and alive over ice; an herbal that was built for evening wind-downs becomes refreshing and uplifting on a hot afternoon. This summer, we are sharing the organic teas we reach for most when the weather turns warm to celebrate the flavors that shine over ice.

Four Teas Worth Chilling

Our first four teas: Jasmine Green, Dry Desert Lime, Damiana Relax, Mate Lemon and bring flavors that range from floral to citrusy, earthy to bright — and they’re all extraordinary cold. These are some of the best teas to make iced at home, and they double as wonderful summer tea recipes for entertaining. Whether you’re a longtime Numi fan or just finding us, we think you’re going to fall in love with these beverages. Scroll down to the bottom for instructions on how to make iced tea at home using tea bags or loose tea; plus how to cold brew tea bags for the smoothest cup possible.
1. Jasmine Green

One of our first 9 teas and a best-seller, Jasmine Green tea iced is a must try. Sourced from the first Fair Trade garden in China, in Jiangxi Province, where rich soil and dramatic changes in daily temperature create a fragrant, luminous leaf. Once harvested, we triple-scent the green tea with night-blooming jasmine flowers — laying blossoms gently over the tea until their perfume is fully absorbed. No extracts, no added flavoring. Just the real, slow process used for centuries. The result is a tea that’s delicate and aromatic, with a natural sweetness. Over ice, the green tea base stays clean and refreshing, while jasmine makes it light, floral and crisp. (For more floral potency, try Jasmine Green loose or Jasmine Pearls loose.)

Flavor profile: Smooth, fresh, lightly floral & a clean finish

Caffeine: Low to medium

Garnish Ideas

• Fresh jasmine blossoms floated on top
• Thin slice of cucumber for a spa-day vibe
• Squeeze of fresh lemon and a sprig of fresh mint
• Light drizzle of honey or agave if you like a touch of sweetness

2. Dry Desert Lime

This truly one-of-a-kind dried lime is our Numi namesake. It's a flavor from the Middle East that's beloved for centuries, used in cooking, medicine, and as a tea. Sun-baked in the desert heat, it transforms into a deeply concentrated flavor with a slightly smoky edge. It delivers a zingy, bold brightness and complexity with every sip. Numi pioneered this flavor as a tea into the United States and it’s fantastic iced! If you love tart flavors, this caffeine-free iced tea is your new go-to herbal iced tea for summer. It’s a thirst-quenching refresher wonderful with a splash of sparkling water or sweetener of choice.

Flavor profile: Tart, earthy, clean & refreshing

Caffeine: Caffeine-free

Garnish Ideas

• Wedge of fresh lime squeezed right in
• Sliced fresh jalapeño for a spicy-citrus twist
• Fresh mint and a pinch of flaky sea salt
• Splash of sparkling water to turn it into a mocktail
• Coconut water instead of still water for a tropical, refreshing spin

3. Damiana Relax

This gorgeous blend features damiana — a flowering vine native to Mexico and Central and South America that has been cherished for centuries for its ability to soothe the nervous system, support a calm and positive mood, and ease feelings of stress. We blend it with butterfly pea flower, rose petals, lemongrass, lemon myrtle, lemon verbena, lavender, and licorice root for a tea that's floral, earthy, and genuinely calming. Smooth, mellow, slightly sweet and visually magical! Butterfly pea flower brews a deep indigo blue and shifts to vivid purple with a squeeze of lemon. A showstopper in a glass.

Flavor profile: Floral, earthy, mellow & grounding

Caffeine: Caffeine-free

Garnish Ideas

• Squeeze of lemon or lime to watch the color shift from blue to purple
• A frozen fruit ice cube made with blueberries or blackberries
• A touch of honey or lavender simple syrup for sweetness
• Sparkling water for a gorgeous mocktail

4. Mate Lemon

If you need a boost of energy with your iced tea, Mate Lemon is your choice. This proprietary Numi blend combines Brazilian yerba mate, Australia's bright and aromatic lemon myrtle, and Fair Trade green tea from China. Together, they deliver a clean, vibrant and earthy flavor. Yerba Mate is known for both its energizing and euphoric effects. Paired with green tea and citrus, over ice, it becomes a crisp, lemony, cheerful lift. Both grounding and invigorating, it makes a phenomenal base for a summer tea mocktail or cocktail.

Flavor profile: bright, earthy, lemony & energizing

Caffeine: Medium

Garnish Ideas

• Fresh lemon slices or a long curl of lemon peel
• Fresh ginger — a thin slice steeped right in or just dropped into the glass
• Frozen mango cubes instead of regular ice (they melt slowly and add tropical sweetness)
• Splash of coconut water for a tropical twist
• For a mocktail: top with ginger beer and a squeeze of lime

A Few General Tips to Perfect Your Iced Tea

Brew it strong. When making iced tea, use a little more leaf or an extra bag — the ice will dilute it, and you want that flavor to stay bright and present.

Cool it before you ice it. Pouring hot tea directly over a glass packed with ice will melt the ice quickly and dilute your tea significantly. We recommend cooling your brew to room temp first, then pouring over ice. Plus it will make your tea cloudy.

Cold brew when you can. It takes patience (anywhere from 6–12 hours), but cold brew iced tea produces the smoothest, cleanest, most nuanced organic iced tea. Cold brew tea preserves delicate flavors — especially florals like jasmine and lavender — that heat can dull. Make a batch the night before and wake up to something wonderful.

Specialty Beverages: Any of these iced teas can be blended with lemonade, sparkling water, a spirit or all three. Get creative and share your concoctions with us on Instagram at @numiorganictea

Don't skip the garnish. A garnish isn't just pretty — it adds aroma, a little flavor pop, and makes the experience feel special. Iced tea is a small ritual worth celebrating.

Iced Tea Preparation Instructions:

Tea Bags: Steep 2 tea bags in 8 oz of hot water for 2–3 minutes. Remove bags, cool, then pour over a glass full of ice. For a pitcher, use 8 bags in 32 oz (1 quart) of water.

Loose Leaf: Use 2 teaspoons of loose Jasmine Green per 8 oz of water at 175°F. Steep for 2–3 minutes, strain, then cool and pour over ice. For a pitcher, use 8 bags in 32 oz (1 quart) of water.

Cold Brew: Add 8 tea bags (or 3 tablespoons of loose leaf) to 32 oz (1 quart) of cold, filtered water. Cover and refrigerate for 6–8 hours or overnight. Strain and serve over ice.

Temperature and steep time by tea:

Note: Green tea and mate are sensitive to boiling water and can turn bitter. Slightly cooler water protects the flavor.