22 Oz. Unsweet Tea Recipe

Bring water to near-boil

In a small to medium saucepan or kettle, bring 6 cups of water to a rolling near-boil (about 200–212°F / 93–100°C).

Steep tea

Remove the water from heat. Add 4 black tea bags to the hot water and let steep for 5 minutes for a medium-strength brew (steep 4 minutes for lighter, 6 minutes for stronger). Do not over-steep more than 7 minutes to avoid bitterness.

Remove tea bags and adjust

Lift tea bags and gently press them against the side of the pot with a spoon to extract liquid, then discard. If the tea is too strong for your taste, add 1/2 cup hot water and stir to adjust concentration; if too weak, let bags steep an additional 30–60 seconds in the remaining hot liquid (then remove).

Cool briefly

Allow the brewed tea to cool at room temperature for 10–15 minutes until it stops steaming. This prevents excessive dilution from melting ice and helps chill faster.

Combine with cold water

Pour the brewed tea into a pitcher and add 10 cups of cold water. Stir gently to combine. This yields a lightly concentrated iced tea suitable for serving cold without sweetness.

Chill and serve

Place the pitcher in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to thoroughly chill (or add ice immediately if serving right away). For a 22 oz serving, fill a 22 oz glass with about 2 cups (approx. 12–16 oz) of ice, then pour tea to the top (tea volume ~22 oz including some melting). Optionally garnish with lemon slices and a mint sprig.

Adjustments for a single 22 oz serving (if brewing small batch)

If you prefer to brew just enough for one 22 oz glass: bring 2 cups water to near-boil, steep 1.5–2 tea bags for 5 minutes, then add 2 2/3 cups cold water and ice to reach 22 oz final volume. Adjust steep time to taste.

Add 1–2 lemon slices to the glass and a sprig of mint for aroma. Squeeze a lemon slice into the tea if you want a mild citrus note (this will slightly change flavor but remains unsweetened).