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Ingredients
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Sweet Tea Base
Method
Sweet Tea Base
Brew the Tea
Place the 4 black tea bags in a heatproof pitcher. Pour 4 cups of boiling water over the tea bags. Stir gently to submerge the bags, then cover and steep for 5 minutes for a bright tea or up to 8 minutes for a stronger, more astringent brew. Do not over-steep beyond 8 minutes to avoid excessive bitterness.
Sweeten While Hot
Remove the tea bags, squeezing gently against the side of the pitcher with a spoon to extract liquid (avoid tearing). While the tea is still hot, add 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and stir until fully dissolved. Taste and adjust sugar to preference (add up to another 1–2 tablespoons if you like sweeter tea).
Cool the Tea
Let the sweetened tea cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes). To speed cooling, set the pitcher in an ice bath or divide into a shallow container. Once cooled, refrigerate until chilled, about 30–60 minutes.
Finish with Milk
To serve a milky sweet tea, fill serving glasses halfway with ice (about 1 cup of ice per glass). Pour chilled sweet tea into each glass until it reaches about 3/4 full, then top with whole milk — approximately 1/4 cup milk per 12 oz glass (this recipe uses 1 cup milk total for roughly four 12 oz servings). Stir gently to combine. Adjust the milk amount to taste for creamier or lighter results.