Sweet Tea Recipe

Brew the tea

Bring 4 cups water to a rolling boil in a kettle or saucepan. Place 4 black tea bags in a heatproof pitcher. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags, cover the pitcher, and steep for 5 minutes for a standard strength (6–8 minutes for stronger tea).

Sweeten while hot

Remove and discard the tea bags, pressing gently against the side to extract flavor but not bitterness. Stir in 3 tablespoons granulated sugar into the hot tea until completely dissolved. (Adjust sugar to taste if desired.)

Dilute and cool

Add 8 cups of additional cold/room-temperature water to the sweetened tea to bring it to about 12 cups total. Stir to combine. Let the tea cool at room temperature for 15–20 minutes.

Chill

Refrigerate the pitcher until cold, at least 1 hour. If you need it quickly, add ice to the pitcher (up to 2 cups) but be aware this will slightly dilute the tea.

Serve

Fill each serving glass with about 1 cup ice. Pour sweet tea over ice. Garnish each glass with a lemon wedge (slice the optional lemon into wedges) and a mint sprig if using. Offer free refills.

Make-ahead note

Sweet tea keeps well covered in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Stir before serving if settled. For firmer sweetness, dissolve sugar in 1/2 cup hot water to make a simple syrup and add to the cooled tea instead of granulated sugar.