Freshly Brewed Unsweetened Iced Tea Recipe

Prepare kettle and measure

Bring enough fresh water to a rolling boil — about 8 cups (2 liters) — using a kettle or pot. Use filtered water for best flavor if available.

Steep the tea

Place 6 black tea bags into a large heatproof pitcher (or use a tea infuser with equivalent loose-leaf tea, about 12–15 grams). Pour the 8 cups of boiling water directly over the tea bags. Cover the pitcher to retain heat and steep for 5 minutes for a balanced strength; steep up to 7 minutes if you prefer a stronger brew. Do not exceed 8 minutes to avoid excessive bitterness.

Remove tea bags

After steeping, remove the tea bags or strain out loose leaves. Squeeze the bags gently against the side of the pitcher with a spoon if you want a slightly stronger flavor, but avoid over-squeezing which can release bitter tannins.

Dilute and chill

Add 4 cups of cold water to the hot concentrated tea to bring it to drinking strength and lower the temperature. Allow the mixture to cool at room temperature for 10–15 minutes.

Refrigerate

Once the tea is no longer piping hot, cover the pitcher and place it in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours, until thoroughly cold.

Serve over ice

Fill glasses with ice cubes (about 1 cup of ice per 8-12 oz glass). Pour the chilled tea over the ice. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh mint if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes and adjustments

If tea tastes too strong after chilling, add additional cold water 1/4 cup at a time until desired strength is reached. To make a larger batch, maintain the ratio of 6 tea bags per 12 cups total water (8 cups hot + 4 cups cold). For a lighter brew, steep for 3–4 minutes or reduce the number of tea bags.