A question for other restaurant owners...

R

rubbbq

Knows what a fatty is.
Joined
Jan 6, 2012
Messages
71
Reaction score
75
Points
0
Location
Chicago,IL
We're expanding our space , and adding a few things to the menu..we're also doing more from scratch..some of the incidental things like kettle chips, iced tea, and root beer are now going to be made in house . Anyone restaurant owners brew fresh iced tea in house?

Any advice on equipment, recipe, method to limit waste, etc.

Brewing iced tea is far from rocket science, but there's always a few tips/tricks you learn when doing it in a restaurant setting. Thanks in advance for any input.
 
I'm not in the restaurant business, but I do have some iced tea advice. Just make straight up iced tea. Don't add passion fruit, and if you decide to make sweet tea, also have regular tea available.

Matt
 
Luzianne red box tea- the family size bags. You can probably get larger teabags in greater amounts at RD or your supplier. Luzianne is great tea that goes well with que. If you use Lipton or tetley, you will find some poeple who don't like it and others who love it, but everyone likes Luzianne. Its my personal favorite. I prefer it with either fresh squeezed lemon (none of the Realemon stuff) or some sort of sweetener, but never both.

Stuff you probably already know but I'll still iterate-brew time and temp are also key- don't overbrew or it gets bitter. Also- there are different ways to sweeten it- some add it while boiling (I wouldn't do this), some right after boiling while its still hot, and some add while its cooled down a little bit.
 
We always brewed fresh everyday, we used to get large tea bags from US Foods. Much better. I am also with above sweet and un-sweetened, flavored (berry, etc.) belong in health food joints, been there done that and threw a ton away that people didn't like.
 
How much tea are you going through now? Were you using the BIB for Pepsi or Coke? We actually brew our tea in a double boiler. No sweet tea. If you are going to make sweet tea, you need to add the sugar when it is hot. That is the traditional way. Adding sugar when the tea is hot will super sweeten the tea.

PM me, we can trade war stories. I make most of the things in my restaurant from scratch.
 
Make straight unsweetened tea, offer simple syrup at the counter and sugar on the tables for those that want it sweeter. Simpler to sell and serve, let's customers choose sweetness level. I would agree that Lipton hot tea does not make a great iced tea. Test it and get a tea that is meant to be used for iced tea.
 
I do not own or work in a restaurant but I will say my wife drinks a lot of tea and she has called out a ton of places that brew their tea in their coffee machines! I do not recommend that for your expert clientele...
 
fresh..is the way to go..try to find the bigger bags if possible..and it keeps for the whole day...as above also make a sweet version..the southern way..keep fresh lemons on the side...big hit...dont waste your time with fountain tea..make it real..good profit per glass..and advertise fresh made..and since you have lemons on a hot day offer fresh lemonade..pain in arse but people love..hot august day..fresh ice tea..your great pulled pork samie...and the cash register ringing..
 
Yankees talking abut making sweet tea, now this is entertaining.

Do you have a coffee vendor who provides free equipment in return for buying product? If so, they usually sell tea as well and will provide equipment. Tea can also be made in your coffee equipment. Like you said, it ain't rocket science....hot water, tea bags and sugar.
 
I usually throw in a bag of Earl Grey with my regular tes for a little different flavor, sometime I mix it half/half with green tes
 
Pappy Q said:
Yankees talking abut making sweet tea, now this is entertaining.

Do you have a coffee vendor who provides free equipment in return for buying product? If so, they usually sell tea as well and will provide equipment. Tea can also be made in your coffee equipment. Like you said, it ain't rocket science....hot water, tea bags and sugar.
Click to expand...

There's some good advice from someone that knows how sweet tea is made. Just do not make them both in the same machine.
 
We use our coffee machine with large restauant style tea bags. We do however have a brew basket that is for tea only. We don't use the coffee basket to brew tea. So much better than the bag-in-a -box soda type tea, and much better profits. We make it fresh thru out the day, all year around.
 
Whoever services your coffee can hook you up with your tea brewing equipment.
 
ROAD TRIP...
When you talk Iced Tea, your talking about the deep South.
I think everyone down here makes their own.

I grew up on Sweet Tea, but Diabetes has me drinking un-sweet these days.

Like Coffee, I would stay away from exotic blends of Tea.
IMHO: Most people prefer their Tea plain and simple.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

N
Narrowing New Pit Choice - My experience so far from Canada
2
Replies
35
Views
3K
Northsmoke
N
thirdeye
(Grand) Pa's Chicken ~ Cooks Thread for the "Recreate a Childhood BBQ Memory!" Throwdown
Replies
19
Views
698
HogGrog
HogGrog
T
My experience with a rental kitchen/commissary/ghost kitchen.
Replies
5
Views
322K
blackdogbbq21
B
rwalters
Pellet Cookers 101 - Part Two
Replies
0
Views
356
rwalters
rwalters
F
Those dreaming of opening a BBQ shack
2
Replies
20
Views
2K
IamMadMan
IamMadMan
Back
Top