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Grandma's Iced Rhubarb Tea

Rhubarb tea with a pink-tinted, homemade iced tea base—simmered rhubarb and steeped tea for a bright, lightly tangy finish. Chill it until it’s deeply flavored, then serve cold over ice with fresh mint and lemon slices.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
cooling and chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 170
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

rhubarb tea base
  • 6 cups fresh rhubarb chopped
  • 8 cups water plus more for boiling as needed
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 tea bags black or green tea (tea bags)
  • 1 juice of 2 lemons freshly squeezed
  • 0.5 fresh mint leaves plus more for serving if desired
  • ice for serving as needed
  • lemon slices for garnish for serving

Equipment

  • 1 large pot

Method
 

Simmer the rhubarb
  1. Combine fresh rhubarb and water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. You should see active bubbling across the surface.
  2. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes, until the rhubarb is very soft. The pieces should collapse when pressed with a spoon.
Steep and sweeten
  1. Remove the pot from heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. The liquid should darken and smell tea-forward.
  2. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, pressing to extract all liquid. Leave behind the fibrous rhubarb solids.
  3. Stir sugar into the hot strained liquid until fully dissolved. The tea should look clear and evenly sweet.
  4. Add the lemon juice and stir until incorporated. The mixture should turn tangy and lightly bright in color.
Chill and serve
  1. Cool the tea to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. It should feel cold throughout when you tilt the pitcher.
  2. Serve over ice with fresh mint leaves and lemon slices. The glass should show visible condensation and mint flecks.

Notes

Pro tip: press the rhubarb firmly while straining to maximize color and flavor. Refrigerate in a covered pitcher up to 3 days; freeze yes (up to 2 months) for the base, then thaw in the fridge and serve over fresh ice. For a lighter option, use reduced-sugar or a 1:1 sugar substitute to keep the pink-tinted tea without the full amount of sugar.