Gallon Unsweet Tea Recipe
Make Gallon Unsweet Tea Recipe in just 1h 20m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Tea Base
Optional Finishes
Method
Brew and Combine
- 1
Heat water and steep
Bring 4 cups of water to just under a rolling boil (about 200–205°F / 93–96°C). Remove from heat and add 10 black tea bags. Cover and steep for 5 minutes for a balanced unsweet tea — steep 4 minutes for lighter, 6–7 minutes for stronger. Avoid over-steeping to prevent bitterness.
- 2
Remove tea bags and cool
After steeping, remove the tea bags, gently pressing them against the side of the pot with a spoon to extract a bit of flavor (do not squeeze aggressively). Let the concentrated tea cool for 10–15 minutes at room temperature.
- 3
Dilute to a gallon
Pour the cooled concentrated tea into a clean 1-gallon (3.8 L) pitcher. Add 12 cups of cold water to the pitcher to bring the total volume to approximately 1 gallon. Stir gently to combine.
- 4
Chill
Place the pitcher in the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour, or until cold. If you need tea quickly, add ice when serving (note: ice will dilute the tea).
Serve
- 5
- 6
Store any leftover tea in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Discard if it develops off odors or cloudiness.