Iced Tea Recipe

Brew the tea

Bring 6 cups of water just to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and add the 6 tea bags (or equivalent loose leaf in an infuser). Stir once to make sure bags are submerged. Cover and steep for 5–7 minutes for medium strength; 8–10 minutes for a stronger brew.

After steeping, remove the tea bags (or strain loose leaf). Gently press bags against the side of the pot with a spoon to extract remaining liquid, then discard. You now have a hot tea concentrate.

Make simple syrup (if using sugar)

If you want sweetened iced tea, combine 1 cup granulated sugar with 1/4 cup hot water in a heatproof measuring cup or small saucepan. Stir until all the sugar dissolves completely. Let the syrup cool slightly. (For other sweeteners: dissolve honey or agave in a small amount of warm tea instead.)

Taste a small sample of the hot tea concentrate before adding syrup. Add syrup to the hot tea a little at a time, stirring, until the desired sweetness is reached. Mixing while warm helps the sweetener incorporate fully.

Dilute and chill

Pour the hot tea (sweetened or unsweetened) into a heatproof pitcher. Add 6 cups of cold water to dilute to serving strength and stir. Allow the mixture to come to room temperature, then refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour (preferably 2–3 hours).

Prepare glasses

Fill serving glasses with ice cubes. If using lemon, add a slice to each glass or a squeeze of lemon juice to taste. Add a sprig of mint to each glass if desired.

Serve

Pour chilled iced tea over the ice-filled glasses. Taste and adjust with additional sweetener or lemon if needed. Serve immediately.

Storage: Keep leftover iced tea refrigerated in a covered pitcher for up to 4–5 days. If tea tastes bitter after sitting, dilute slightly with cold water or add a splash of simple syrup and a lemon slice to refresh.