Iced Tea Recipe

Brew concentrated tea

Bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil in a kettle or pot. Remove from heat and add 6 black tea bags (or equivalent loose leaf in an infuser). Steep for 5 minutes for a standard strength; 7 minutes for a stronger brew. Avoid steeping more than 8 minutes to prevent excessive bitterness.

After steeping, remove the tea bags (or strain out leaves) and transfer the hot tea to a heat-safe pitcher. Let the tea cool at room temperature for 15–20 minutes, then place in the refrigerator until chilled, about 45–60 minutes more. If you plan to serve immediately, proceed with cooling over an ice bath: float the pitcher in a larger bowl of ice water and stir occasionally until cool.

Make simple syrup

While the tea is cooling, combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves and the syrup is clear. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. This yields a pourable syrup that blends into cold tea without graininess. If you prefer unsweetened tea, skip this step.

Stir the cooled simple syrup into the chilled tea to taste. Start with 1/2 cup syrup for lightly sweetened tea and increase up to 1 cup for medium sweetness. Taste and adjust.

Add lemon and chill

If using lemon, stir 1 cup fresh lemon juice into the sweetened (or unsweetened) chilled tea. Add lemon slices and crushed mint leaves to the pitcher for aroma and garnish. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness as desired.

To serve, fill glasses with ice (about 1 cup ice per 8-ounce glass), pour iced tea over the ice, and garnish with a lemon slice and a sprig of mint. Keep remaining tea refrigerated for up to 3 days.