Iced Black Tea Recipe

Pure Tea

1. 1

   Bring water to temperature

   Pour 8 cups of cold water into a kettle or saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and let sit 30 seconds to 1 minute so the temperature falls slightly (this prevents over-extracting bitterness).

2. 2

   Steep the tea

   Add 6 black tea bags to the hot water. Cover and steep for 4–5 minutes for a balanced strength (5–7 minutes for stronger tea). Avoid steeping longer than 7 minutes to prevent excessive bitterness.

3. 3

   Remove tea bags and sweeten (optional)

   Remove and discard the tea bags without squeezing them (squeezing can release bitter tannins). If you want sweetened iced tea, stir in 2 tablespoons of simple syrup while the tea is still hot so it dissolves fully. Taste and adjust by adding up to 1 more tablespoon if desired.

4. 4

   Quick chill the tea

   Place a heatproof pitcher with about 2 cups of the ice from the 4 cups called for into the fridge or on the counter. Pour the hot tea over the ice in the pitcher to quickly cool it, stirring gently until the ice partially melts and the tea is cool to the touch. This chills the tea quickly while keeping it bright. If needed, let the pitcher sit in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes to finish cooling.

5. 5

   Serve over ice

   Fill 4 glasses with the remaining 2 cups of fresh ice (about 1/2 cup ice per glass). Pour the chilled tea into each glass. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice if desired. Serve immediately.