Brewed Iced Tea Recipe

Boil water

Bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large saucepan or kettle on high heat (about 5–7 minutes depending on heat source).

Steep tea

Remove the boiling water from heat. Add 4 black tea bags to the hot water and cover the pot. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes for a medium-strength brew, 3 minutes for mild, or up to 7 minutes for stronger flavor. Do not over-steep to avoid bitterness.

Cool and remove tea bags

After steeping, remove the tea bags, gently squeezing them against the side of the pot with a spoon to extract liquid but not to the point of releasing bitterness. Allow the brewed tea to cool slightly at room temperature for 10–15 minutes.

Make simple syrup

If making sweet tea, combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture is clear (about 3–5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool slightly. This yields a cup of simple syrup to sweeten the tea evenly without grainy texture.

Sweeten brewed tea

Stir the desired amount of simple syrup into the warm tea until fully incorporated. For a standard sweet iced tea, add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup simple syrup to the 8 cups of brewed tea; adjust to taste. If making unsweetened tea, skip this step.

Chill

Transfer the tea to a pitcher. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour, or for best results 2–3 hours. If time is short, fill a large pitcher with half brewed tea and half cold water and lots of ice to chill faster (note: ice will slightly dilute strength).

Serve

To serve, fill glasses with ice (about 1 cup ice per 8 oz glass). Pour chilled tea over ice. Garnish with lemon slices and mint sprigs if desired. Taste and add extra simple syrup or a squeeze of lemon if you prefer brighter or sweeter tea.