Iced tea is tea which is served cold, classically over ice to ensure that it stays cold. Many tea and tisane-drinking cultures have some form of iced tea, especially cultures with hot climates, and there are a number of different forms of iced tea, ranging from sweet, rich Thai iced tea with coconut milk to iced tea blends which include juice.

Brewing iced tea is generally fairly easy, as all one has to do is make a pot of tea and chill it. When iced tea is brewed, it is often made especially strong, so that it can be served with ice. As the ice melts down, the tea dilutes. If the tea was of normal strength, it might turn insipid and watery as a result of the dilution, but instead the tea remains strong and flavorful.

Some variations on the process for assembling iced tea include the use of hot tea which is poured over ice to create a lukewarm beverage, or the use of sun tea, tea which is steeped for several hours in the sun to extract its flavor. In areas with limited energy resources, sun tea can be convenient, because the water does not have to be heated, and this can also be nice when the weather is extremely hot, and turning the stove on to make iced tea feels slightly silly.

Iced tea may also be mixed with juices to make it especially flavorful, or to create a specifically desired flavor. In some cases, pieces of fruit or vegetables may be added directly to the iced tea during the brewing and steeping process; in China, for example, iced tea is often made with slivers of ginger. Iced tea can also be brewed with things like lemons, strawberries, and fresh flowers, and these items may be served with the tea as well, for more visual interest.

Some well-known variations on iced tea include sweet tea, a form of iced tea served in the American South which is heavily sweetened during the brewing process, and Thai iced tea, an iced tea made with a strong blend of black tea and coconut milk, with a hint of sugar for sweetening. Iced tisanes like hibiscus tisane are also popular, especially in the tropics. It is also possible to find more exotic iced teas, like green iced tea with cocoa, in some regions of the world.