Freshly Brewed Iced Tea Recipe

Bring water to near-boil

Pour 8 cups of water into a kettle or large pot and bring to a rolling boil, then remove from heat. Ideal temperature for black tea steeping is just off the boil.

Steep tea bags

Add 6 black tea bags to the hot water. Cover the pot or place a lid on the container to trap heat and steep for 5 minutes for a brisk flavor or up to 7 minutes for a stronger brew. Do not over-steep beyond 7–8 minutes to avoid excessive bitterness.

Remove bags and cool

Remove the tea bags, gently squeezing each against the pot with a spoon to extract liquid (avoid ripping). Allow the brewed tea to cool at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before refrigerating or proceeding to sweeten.

Combine the 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Once clear, remove from heat and let the simple syrup cool. This syrup will dissolve easily into both hot and cold tea.

If you made simple syrup and want sweetened tea, stir the cooled syrup into the warm (not hot) brewed tea to taste. A good starting point is 1/4 to 1/2 cup syrup per 8 cups of tea; adjust to your preference. If you prefer unsweetened tea, skip syrup.

Stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice into the tea. Taste and adjust lemon or sweetness as desired.

Transfer the tea to the refrigerator and chill until cold, about 1 hour. For faster chilling, place the container in an ice bath or add some ice (be mindful of dilution).

Fill glasses with about 1/2 to 1 cup ice cubes each (adjust based on glass size). Pour chilled tea over the ice, leaving room for lemon slice and mint.

Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh mint. Serve immediately.