Sweet/unsweet Tea Or Lemonade Recipe
Gallon Drinks
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Ingredients
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Sweet Tea (gallon)
Unsweet Tea (gallon)
Lemonade (gallon)
Method
Sweet Tea (gallon)
- 1
Steep tea
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Place 8 black tea bags in a heatproof pitcher or bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Steep for 4–6 minutes for regular strength (longer for stronger).
- 2
Dissolve sugar
While the tea is still hot, add 1 cup granulated sugar. Stir until completely dissolved to make the sweet tea concentrate.
- 3
Combine and chill
Add 10 cups cold water to the sweet tea concentrate. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness (add up to 1/4 cup more sugar if desired).
- 4
Finish
Add ice to a gallon pitcher or refrigerate until chilled (at least 1 hour). Garnish with lemon slices if desired. Serve over ice.
Unsweet Tea (gallon)
- 5
Steep tea
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Place 6 black tea bags in a heatproof pitcher or bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Steep for 4–6 minutes for regular strength, then remove the tea bags.
- 6
Combine and chill
Add 12 cups cold water to the brewed tea, stirring to combine. Taste and adjust strength by adding a bit more brewed tea or cold water as desired.
- 7
Finish
Refrigerate until chilled (at least 1 hour) or serve immediately over ice. Garnish with lemon slices if desired.
Lemonade (gallon)
- 8
Make simple syrup (if using)
In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 cup water. Heat over medium, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Remove from heat and cool. (If using granulated sugar directly, you can dissolve it in warm water first or vigorously stir into lemon juice and water until dissolved.)
- 9
Juice lemons
Juice enough lemons to yield 2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 4–6 medium lemons). Strain seeds and large pulp if desired.
- 10
Combine
In a gallon pitcher, combine the 2 cups lemon juice with 10 cups cold water. Add 1 cup granulated sugar (or 1 cup cooled simple syrup). Stir thoroughly until sugar is dissolved and mixture is uniform. Taste and adjust: add more water if too tart or more syrup/sugar if too tart.
- 11
Chill and serve
Add ice to the pitcher or refrigerate until well chilled (30–60 minutes). Garnish with lemon slices and serve over ice.