This warm citrus tea follows University of Michigan MHealthy ingredient amounts and its longer eight-to-ten-minute steep. Four small servings share about 780 ml before infusion loss. Green tea contains caffeine; this is a culinary drink.

Prep: 5 minutes. Total: about 15 minutes, longer if chilling is needed. Yield: 4 small servings (about 190 ml each).

Ingredients

  • 3 US cups (720 ml) water
  • 4 green tea bags
  • 1 tablespoon peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey
  • 4 lemon slices, optional garnish

Method

  1. Heat the water in a saucepan until just below boiling, then remove from heat. Use a heat-safe pitcher or teapot.
  2. Put the tea bags and ginger into the vessel, pour in the hot water and steep for 8-10 minutes.
  3. Remove the tea bags. Stir in the lemon juice and honey; divide the recovered liquid equally among four cups and add an optional lemon slice to each. Serve warm, or cool promptly and refrigerate for iced service.

Yield, Strength and Iced Service

Measure the recovered liquid and divide it by four, about 190 ml per cup rather than four full eight-ounce mugs. The publisher method is retained; it makes a stronger, more tannic brew than many green-tea package instructions. For a gentler house version use the same quantities but follow the tea package temperature and brew time, often about 2-3 minutes; flavor differs. No exact temperature is attributed to Michigan beyond its instruction to stay below boiling.

For four iced cups cool the complete batch in a shallow heat-safe container over an ice-water bath, refrigerate until cold, and divide over ice in four 12-ounce glasses. Allow about 45 minutes total, longer until cold. For two warm cups halve all quantities: 360 ml water, 2 bags, 1/2 tablespoon sliced ginger and 1 tablespoon each lemon juice and honey; split the recovered liquid evenly. This drink is not a detox or skin treatment.

Preparation and Storage

Wash fresh produce under running water before cutting, and scrub firm fruit or cucumber . Use culinary botanicals sold for food or tea, not ornamental flowers. Keep ready-to-drink juices, opened milk and commercial mixers as their labels direct.

Refrigerate prepared bases promptly at 40 F (4 C) or below in clean covered containers. Cool hot infusions in shallow heat-safe containers or an ice-water bath; do not wait indefinitely for them to reach room temperature. Refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90 F (32 C). Keep party pitchers refrigerated or on ice at refrigerator temperature. Add bubbles and serving ice at the last moment.

Use fresh-fruit/herb bases the same day, or within 24 hours, for flavor. Use strained tea or homemade syrup within 3 days. These are conservative house quality targets, not tested shelf lives. Finished fizzy drinks are best served immediately. Follow any shorter ingredient-label limit. Honey is unsuitable for infants under 12 months.

Sources and Recipe Notes

Published sources inform the method. House portion sizes, recovery marks, flavor variants, clocks and shorter storage targets are specified here; no kitchen or shelf-life testing is claimed.