Gallon Of Sweet Tea Recipe

Boil water and steep tea

Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a kettle or saucepan. Remove from heat and add the 10 black tea bags. Let the tea steep for 8 minutes for a strong brew (6–7 minutes for slightly lighter). Do not over-steep more than 10 minutes to avoid excessive bitterness.

Dissolve sugar into hot tea

Remove and discard the tea bags, gently pressing each against the side of the pot with a spoon to extract liquid (avoid squeezing too hard to keep tannins low). While the tea is still hot, add 1.5 cups granulated sugar and stir until fully dissolved, about 1–2 minutes. If using simple syrup instead, omit granulated sugar and stir in 1.5 cups of simple syrup to taste.

Combine with cold water

Pour the hot, sweetened tea into a clean 1-gallon pitcher. Add the remaining 12 cups of cold water to the pitcher and stir to combine. This dilutes the concentrate to one gallon total and brings the temperature down.

Cool quickly

Add about 4 cups of ice to the pitcher to chill the tea quickly. Alternatively, refrigerate uncovered until chilled, about 2–3 hours. If you used ice to chill, top off with additional cold water to reach one gallon if any melted ice caused dilution beyond expected.

Finish and adjust

Taste the tea once chilled. If you prefer more brightness, stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Add lemon slices and 4–6 sprigs of fresh mint for garnish and subtle flavor. Adjust sweetness by stirring in small amounts of simple syrup or dissolving extra sugar in a tablespoon of hot water before adding.

Serve

Serve over ice in tall glasses with optional lemon slice and mint. Keeps refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 5 days; stir or shake gently before serving as flavors may settle.