American
Southern Sweet Tea
Strong black tea sweetened while steaming hot, diluted to a clear amber pitcher, and chilled for a clean, brisk Southern-style pour over plenty of ice.
8 servings · 5 minutes prep · 5 minutes cook
Ingredients
Tea Concentrate
- 4 cups water
- 8 black tea bags
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Dilute and Serve
- 4 cups cold water
- 4 cups ice cubes, for serving
- 8 lemon wedges, optional
Directions
Brew the Concentrate
- Bring the water just to a full boil, remove from the heat, and add the black tea bags. Cover and steep for exactly 5 minutes.
- Lift out the bags without squeezing. While the tea is steaming hot, whisk in the granulated sugar until no crystals remain.
Dilute and Chill
- Pour the concentrate into a heatproof pitcher and stir in the cold water. Cool for 20 minutes, cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly cold, at least 1 hour.
Pour and Serve
- Fill eight glasses generously with the ice cubes and pour in the chilled tea. Add the lemon wedges only to individual glasses if desired; refrigerate leftover tea and use within 3 days.
