Southern Sweet Iced Tea Hotel Style
Indulge in the timeless charm of Southern Sweet Iced Tea, elevated with a luxurious hotel-style twist. This recipe combines the classic essence of strong black tea with a touch of baking soda for a smooth, bitterness-free finish that’s perfectly balanced. Sweetened generously with sugar and chilled over ice, this tea delivers a refreshing burst of flavor that’s ideal for hot summer days or elegant gatherings. Garnished with zesty lemon slices and fragrant mint sprigs, it’s a show-stopping beverage that pairs beautifully with everything from backyard barbecues to sophisticated soirées. Ready in just 15 minutes, this silky, crowd-pleasing Southern staple is as easy to make as it is to savor.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 8 cups Water
- 6 pieces Black tea bags
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 0.125 teaspoon Baking soda
- 4 cups Ice cubes
- 4 slices Lemon slices (optional garnish)
- 4 sprigs Fresh mint sprigs (optional garnish)
Instructions
Bring 4 cups of the water to a gentle boil in a medium-sized saucepan or kettle.
Once the water is boiling, remove it from the heat and add the black tea bags. Let the tea bags steep for 8-10 minutes.
While the tea is steeping, add the baking soda to a large heatproof pitcher or bowl. The baking soda helps neutralize any bitterness in the tea and smooth out the flavor.
After the tea has steeped, carefully remove the tea bags and gently squeeze them to extract the remaining liquid. Discard the tea bags.
Pour the hot brewed tea into the pitcher with the baking soda and stir gently to combine.
Add the sugar to the hot tea and stir until fully dissolved. This creates the sweet tea base.
Pour the remaining 4 cups of cold water into the pitcher and stir to dilute and cool the tea slightly.
Fill serving glasses with ice cubes, then pour the sweet tea over the ice to chill it further.
Optionally, garnish each glass with a slice of lemon and a sprig of fresh mint for a classic hotel-style touch.
Serve immediately and enjoy your perfectly brewed Southern Sweet Iced Tea!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
202 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 0.0 g | 0% | |
| Saturated Fat | 0.0 g | 0% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 60 mg | 3% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 50.4 g | 18% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.0 g | 0% | |
| Total Sugars | 50.4 g | ||
| Protein | 0.0 g | 0% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 50 mg | 4% | |
| Iron | 0.0 mg | 0% | |
| Potassium | 9 mg | 0% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
