Iced Tea Recipe

Boil water and steep

Bring 960 ml boiling water to a rolling boil. Place 4 black tea bags (or the equivalent loose-leaf tea in an infuser) into a heatproof pitcher. Pour the boiling water over the tea. Let steep 5 minutes for a balanced strength; 7 minutes for stronger flavor. Avoid steeping longer than 8 minutes to prevent excessive bitterness.

Remove tea bags

After steeping, remove the tea bags or strain out the loose leaf. Gently press each tea bag against the side of the pitcher with a spoon for 2–3 seconds to extract extra flavor (optional).

Make simple syrup-like solution

If you want sweetened iced tea, dissolve 60 g granulated sugar in 60 ml hot water in a small cup or bowl, stirring until fully dissolved (about 30–60 seconds).

Stir the dissolved sugar into the hot brewed tea while the tea is still warm so it incorporates evenly. Taste and adjust sweetness by adding more dissolved sugar in 15 g (1 tablespoon) increments if desired.

Add lemon

Roll 1 lemon on the counter to release juices, cut in half, and squeeze one half into the warm tea. Slice the remaining half into 4 thin rounds for garnish. If you prefer a less citrusy tea, omit or add only a splash of lemon.

Optionally add 4 mint sprigs to the warm tea for 1–2 minutes to gently infuse, then remove if you want only a subtle aroma; leave them in the pitcher for a stronger mint note.

Dilute and chill

Add 960 ml cold water to the warm tea to bring it to serving strength and temperature. This both cools and adjusts concentration. Transfer the pitcher to the refrigerator and chill for at least 45 minutes, or until cold.

Serve over ice

Fill glasses with ice (about 1 cup each). Stir the chilled tea, pour into glasses over ice, and garnish with lemon slices and a mint sprig each. Taste and add additional sweetener or lemon to individual glasses if desired.

Storage

Store any leftover iced tea covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If sweetness was added, give the pitcher a quick stir before serving again.