Iced Tea Recipe

Steep the tea

Bring 1 liter of water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and add the 4 black tea bags (or equivalent loose leaf in an infuser). Let steep for 5 minutes for a standard-strength iced tea or 7 minutes for a stronger brew. Do not over-steep more than 8 minutes to avoid excessive bitterness.

After steeping, remove the tea bags or strain out loose leaves. Gently press tea bags against the side of the pot with a spoon to extract flavor but avoid squeezing aggressively (which can release bitterness).

Make simple syrup (quick method)

If you want a sweetened iced tea, dissolve 4 tablespoons granulated sugar in 2 tablespoons hot water while the tea is still hot. Stir until fully dissolved to create a concentrated syrup. Taste and adjust: add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter drink.

Stir the dissolved sugar (or simple syrup) directly into the hot tea so it incorporates evenly. If you prefer unsweetened tea, skip this section.

Add lemon and mint

While the tea is still warm, stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice if using. Add a few mint leaves into the warm tea to release aroma, bruising them slightly between your fingers before adding. If you prefer a purely lemon or purely mint profile, omit the other.

Transfer the warm tea to a heatproof pitcher and add 1 liter of cold or chilled water to bring it to drinking temperature and to dilute to the appropriate strength. Stir to combine.

Refrigerate the pitcher uncovered until well chilled, about 30–45 minutes, or cover and chill for 2 hours. For immediate serving, fill glasses with ice cubes (about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup per glass), pour the chilled tea over ice, and garnish with lemon slices and additional mint leaves.

Serve: yields approximately 6 servings. Store leftover iced tea in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; stir before serving as natural settling can occur.