Gallon Of Tea Recipe

Bring water to near-boil

In a large pot or kettle, bring 1.5 liters (about 6 cups) of the water to a rolling boil over high heat.

Steep the tea

Remove the pot from heat. Add the 10 black tea bags (or equivalent loose-leaf in an infuser) to the hot water. Cover and steep for 5 to 7 minutes for a balanced strength; steep up to 8–10 minutes for a stronger brew. Avoid steeping longer than 12 minutes to prevent excessive bitterness.

Sweeten while hot

While the tea is still hot, stir in the granulated sugar (0.75 cups) until fully dissolved. If using honey instead of sugar, stir in the honey while tea is warm to help it dissolve (use about 3 tbsp as a starting point, adjust to taste).

Remove tea bags

Remove and discard the tea bags (or remove the infuser). Press gently against the side with a spoon only if you want a slightly stronger flavor, but avoid squeezing too hard to minimize bitterness.

Pour the sweetened hot tea into a heatproof gallon container or pitcher. Add the remaining water (approximately 2.3 liters) of cold water to bring the total volume to about 1 gallon (3.8 L). Stir to combine and normalize temperature.

Stir in the fresh lemon juice (0.5 cups) until evenly distributed. Taste and adjust: if you prefer sweeter tea, add up to 2–4 additional tablespoons of sugar or honey; if you prefer more tartness, add a tablespoon or two more lemon juice.

If using optional add-ins: bruise mint leaves gently with your fingers and add to the pitcher; add peach slices if using. Stir gently to incorporate. Let the mixture cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes) before chilling to avoid excess dilution from rapid melting of ice.

Refrigerate the pitcher uncovered until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours (preferably 3–4 hours). If you need the tea sooner, add ice to bring it down to serving temperature—start with the 6 cups of ice and replenish as needed.

Before serving, stir the tea. Pour into glasses over ice and garnish with lemon slices, mint sprigs, or fresh peach slices as desired. Keep leftover tea refrigerated for up to 3–4 days; stir before serving as some separation may occur.