Iced Barley Tea with Lemon and Honey
The classic East Asian summer cooler—cold-brewed roasted barley over ice, brightened with lemon and a little honey for the most refreshing caffeine-free thirst-quencher.
Iced barley tea is the drink of the Japanese and Korean summer—poured by the pitcher, kept cold in the fridge, and sipped all day long. Cold-brewing roasted barley gives the smoothest possible result: deeply toasty and lightly sweet, with none of the bitterness a hot brew can pick up.
The method couldn't be simpler. Drop barley into a pitcher of cold water, leave it in the fridge overnight, and by morning you have a refreshing amber tea ready to drink. No heat, no fuss, endlessly drinkable.
Here we brighten the classic with fresh lemon and a touch of honey. The citrus lifts the roasted grain notes and makes the drink feel even more thirst-quenching on a hot afternoon, while the honey adds just enough sweetness without overpowering.
Because it is completely caffeine-free, this is the iced tea you can drink by the liter—great for kids, for hydration during sport, and for replacing sugary soft drinks. Keep a pitcher in the fridge all summer.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp roasted barley kernels (or 2 brewing bags)
- 4 cups cold water
- 1 lemon, half juiced and half sliced
- 2 tbsp honey
- Plenty of ice cubes
- Fresh mint (optional)
How to make it
- 1Place the roasted barley in a pitcher and pour over the cold water. Cover and refrigerate 8–12 hours (overnight).
- 2Strain out the barley, pressing gently to extract flavor.
- 3Stir the honey into a splash of the tea until dissolved, then stir back into the pitcher with the lemon juice.
- 4Fill tall glasses with ice, pour over the barley tea, and garnish with lemon slices and mint.
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