Why does iced tea turn cloudy when you put ice in it?

Answer 1

Condensation is the change in matter of a substance to a denser phase, such as a gas (or vapor) to a liquid. Condensation commonly occurs when a vapor is cooled to a liquid, but can also occur if a vapor is compressed (i.e., pressure on it increased) into a liquid, or undergoes a combination of cooling and compression. It is often helpful to allow iced tea to cool to room temperature before refrigerating it to prevent the formation of condensates, which may give the tea a cloudy appearance, and a chalky taste. Warm tea may be poured over ice to chill it (if filtered water is used, the tea may not cloud at all, and flavor is usually unaffected), but prolonged storage in a refrigerator may still render the tea cloudy in any conditions.