Drinks Recipe

Bring 4 cups of fresh water to a near boil (about 200–205°F / 93–96°C). Remove from heat and add the 4 black tea bags. Steep for 4–5 minutes for a full, strong flavor; steep no longer than 6 minutes to avoid bitterness. Remove and discard the tea bags.

While the tea is still hot, stir in 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or use the simple syrup described below) until fully dissolved. This ensures the sweetener integrates evenly. Allow the sweetened tea to cool for 10–15 minutes at room temperature.

If using simple syrup instead of granulated sugar: combine 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring, until sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is clear. Remove from heat and let cool. Use this in place of the 1/2 cup granulated sugar in the Brew Tea step.

Pour the cooled sweetened tea into a large pitcher. Add 1 cup fresh lemon juice and 2 cups cold water. Stir to combine and taste; adjust by adding up to 1/4 cup more lemon juice or additional water if it's too strong.

Gently bruise the 12 fresh mint leaves by clapping them between your palms or lightly muddling in the bottom of a cup to release oils, then add them to the pitcher. Refrigerate the pitcher for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld (up to 2 hours).

When ready to serve, fill glasses with ice (about 3 cups total for the batch). Pour the chilled lemon-mint tea over the ice. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and a small sprig of mint.

Store any leftover tea in a covered pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Remove fresh mint after 24 hours to prevent bitterness, or replace with fresh mint before serving again.