Black tea is the most popular iced tea base in the world - and the one most let down by commercial production. Standard iced tea bags and powders use fannings: the low-grade dust left after whole leaves are processed. The result brews dark and strong but tastes flat, bitter, and one-dimensional, relying on sweetener to be palatable.
Adagio's cold brew black iced tea pouches use the same whole-leaf and large-cut leaf black tea sold in the main hot tea catalog. Cold brewing those leaves overnight extracts the flavor compounds that make black tea interesting - the fruity esters, the malty depth, the natural sweetness - while leaving most of the harsh tannins behind. The result is cold brew black iced tea that's genuinely complex, naturally smooth, and refreshing without a gram of sugar.
The most popular variety in the black iced tea collection. Cold-brewed peach black iced tea delivers exactly what the name promises - the natural sweetness of ripe peach woven through a smooth, full-bodied black tea base. It's the black iced tea that converts people who think they don't like iced tea. Naturally sweet, deeply aromatic, and one of the best cold brew black iced teas in any catalog.
A revelation for anyone who's only had Earl Grey hot. Cold-brewed Earl Grey iced tea takes the bergamot's citrus character and translates it into something genuinely refreshing - bright and aromatic rather than heavy, with none of the astringency that hot Earl Grey can develop if over-steeped. One of the most distinctive cold brew black iced tea options in the collection and a consistent favorite among Earl Grey enthusiasts who discover it.
The classic unflavored black iced tea option in the collection. Ceylon Sonata is bright, crisp, and citrusy - the clean, brisk character of high-grown Ceylon black tea expressed perfectly in cold brew form. This is the black iced tea for anyone who wants the real thing without any flavoring: full-bodied, naturally refreshing, and exactly what well-made unsweetened black iced tea should taste like.
Bold, malty, and more assertive than the Ceylon. Cold-brewed Irish Breakfast iced tea is for anyone who wants their black iced tea to have real presence - a full-bodied, Assam-forward base that holds up to ice without losing any of its character. Strong enough to take milk if that's your preference, or genuinely satisfying on its own. One of the most robust cold brew black iced tea options available.
Soft, smooth, and gently indulgent. Cold-brewed cream black iced tea takes the natural sweetness of the black tea base and adds a vanilla-cream character that makes it taste almost dessert-like without any actual cream or sugar. The most approachable of the flavored black iced teas - an easy entry point for anyone who finds plain black iced tea too austere.
Tropical and distinctive. Cold-brewed coconut black iced tea layers the natural sweetness of coconut over a smooth black tea base - light, aromatic, and particularly refreshing on a warm day. A more exotic option in the collection that performs strongly as a summer drink and consistently earns high ratings from customers who try it.
Bright, sweet, and vividly fruity. Cold-brewed mango black iced tea is the most tropical option in the collection - the natural mango sweetness comes through clean over the black tea base, making a drink that needs no sweetener and tastes like the best possible version of a mango iced tea. Naturally vibrant in color and one of the strongest performers as a summer iced tea gift.
Cold brewing is the recommended method for all of these varieties:
For a faster brew, steep in 32oz of boiling water for 5 minutes, remove the pouch, and pour over ice. Cold brew produces the smoothest, most naturally sweet result. Hot steep produces a slightly bolder, more tannic cup - still excellent, just different. Both methods work with every variety in the collection.
Each pouch makes one quart - four standard glasses. Store cold brewed black iced tea in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, though the flavor is best in the first 48 hours.
The difference is more significant than most people expect. Hot-brewed black tea poured over ice extracts different compounds than cold brewing does - specifically, it pulls more tannins, which are the astringent, bitter-tasting polyphenols that make over-steeped black tea unpleasant. Cold brewing extracts primarily the sweet, fruity, and aromatic compounds while leaving most tannins behind.
The result is cold brew black iced tea that's measurably smoother and naturally sweeter than the same tea brewed hot and chilled. This is why cold brewed black iced tea doesn't need sweetener when hot-brewed versions typically do - the bitterness that sweetener compensates for simply isn't there.
A selection of cold brew black iced tea pouches makes an excellent summer gift - practical, immediately useful, and a genuine upgrade over whatever the recipient currently drinks when the weather turns warm. A mix of the collection's fruit-forward varieties (peach, mango, coconut) alongside a classic unflavored option (Ceylon) covers every preference and makes a complete iced tea gift without requiring any specific knowledge of the recipient's taste.
For a more complete gift, the Gourmet Iced Tea Starter Set pairs a selection of cold brew pouches with a 40oz borosilicate glass pitcher - everything needed to cold brew a pitcher of genuinely great black iced tea from the first day.
Browse all 7 black iced tea varieties above. Free shipping on qualifying orders. Every pouch ships from Adagio's New Jersey warehouse and arrives ready to cold brew overnight. Starting at 15 cents a cup - the best cold brew black iced tea available online.
Adagio offers seven cold brew black iced teas: Ceylon Sonata, Irish Breakfast, and Earl Grey, and the flavored peach, mango, coconut, and cream varieties. All are made from whole-leaf loose tea in quart-sized cold brew pouches.
Place one quart-sized pouch in a pitcher with 32 oz of cold water, refrigerate it for 8 to 12 hours, then remove the pouch and serve the tea over ice. Cold brewing gives the smoothest, most naturally sweet result.
Yes. For a faster result, steep a pouch in 32 oz of boiling water for 5 minutes, remove the pouch, and pour the tea over ice. Hot steeping gives a slightly bolder, more tannic cup than cold brewing, and both methods work with every variety.
Hot-brewed tea poured over ice pulls out more tannins, the astringent compounds that make over-steeped black tea bitter, while cold brewing extracts mostly the sweet, fruity, and aromatic compounds and leaves most tannins behind. Cold brew therefore tends to taste smoother and naturally sweeter, while hot steeping gives a bolder, more tannic cup.
Each Adagio cold brew black iced tea pouch makes one quart, or four standard glasses. The seven varieties on this page are listed at 24¢ per cup.
Store cold brewed black iced tea in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, though the flavor is best within the first 48 hours. Keep it covered so it does not absorb refrigerator odors.
Peach is described as the most popular variety and an easy starting point, Ceylon Sonata is the classic unflavored option with a bright, crisp, citrusy character, and Irish Breakfast is bolder and maltier. Earl Grey is bright and aromatic with bergamot, and the cream, coconut, and mango varieties are gentle, dessert-like, or tropical.
Cold brewing leaves most of the bitter tannins behind, so many people find cold brew black iced tea smooth enough to drink without sweetener, especially the peach, mango, and coconut varieties, which have fruit and tropical flavors. If you like it sweeter, add sugar or honey to taste.
Irish Breakfast iced tea is strong enough to take milk if you prefer it, and the cream iced tea has a soft, vanilla-cream character without any actual cream or sugar. Most black iced teas are served plain over ice.
You need a pitcher that holds at least 32 oz, cold water, and a refrigerator. Adagio’s Gourmet Iced Tea Starter Set pairs cold brew pouches with a 40 oz borosilicate glass pitcher, so you can start cold brewing right away.