When you make iced tea at home, you might notice that sometimes it will take on a murky, cloudy appearance almost like apple cider.

This happens when tannins (a chemical compound found in tea that imparts bitterness and color) binds with caffeine. The hotter your water, the more tannins and caffeine are released, and thus the more likely (and more of them there are) to bind.

This clouding doesn't really affect anything but appearance and this tea is fine to drink, but there are some things you can do to keep the cloudiness away:

1. Let your iced tea concentrate cool to room temperature before adding any cold water or ice.

2. Add a pinch of baking soda to your concentrate. This neutralizes the tannin content, and therefore reduces bitterness for a smoother taste and helps prevent clouding!

3. Try brewing at a lower temperature. You can make sun tea, brew at room temperature, or even cold brew your tea! Less caffeine will be released, so if you want a strong brew at a lower temperature, consider adding more tea until it's where you like it!

Everyone has their own perfect style of iced tea, so remember that it's all okay to drink, and just keep trying and making adjustments until you get your perfect balance. Be sure to write it down when you do!