Chill Brewed Sweet Tea

Name: Chill Brewed Sweet Tea
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 12 h 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 7 ½ cups cold water; 4 black tea bags replaced with 2 teaspoons loose black tea in infuser; ½ cup water heated for syrup; ¾ cup granulated sugar swapped for cane sugar; Lemon wedges for garnish

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 12 February 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Cold steeped tea with controlled sweetness and a citrus twist. Uses loose leaf replacement. Sweetening technique avoids grainy syrup. Refrigeration slow extracts flavor. Lemon provides fresh aroma and balance.

Prep: 10 min

Cook: 5 min

Total: 12h 15min

Servings: 2 servings

#cold steep #loose leaf tea #southern style #sweet tea #homemade beverage #summer drinks

Before You Start

Cold steeping tea overnight avoids that tannic bitterness I’ve struggled with before. The slow extraction keeps the flavor mellow yet bold. Swapping tea bags for loose tea inside an infuser lets me control strength better, and no bursting bags making mess. Heating only half cup water for dissolving sugar helps the sweetness mix fully — no grainy leftover sugar crystals puckering the tongue. The lemon slices tossed on top later brighten the whole drink, making that hit of citrus just right after the rich sugar hits. Keeping everything in the fridge overnight means you avoid the need to boil excessive water, saving time and keeping that fresh tea aroma intact. Trust me, the smell waking you up the next morning is worth the wait. Adjusting sweetness after cold steeping is a must; adding syrup gradually is safer than dumping sugar straight into cold tea.

Ingredients

7 ½ cups cold water
4 black tea bags replaced with 2 teaspoons loose black tea in infuser
½ cup water heated for syrup
¾ cup granulated sugar swapped for cane sugar
Lemon wedges for garnish

About the ingredients

Loose tea is my favorite switch here. It keeps flavor stronger and clearer than bags that sometimes burst open or leave dustiness. If loose tea unavailable, use quality black tea bags but look for tightly sealed ones to avoid dust leakage. Forgetting to tie strings outside pitcher or using bags without tags means fishing out soggy bits later — pointless hassle avoidable with infuser or sturdy bag. Cane sugar adds more complexity than plain white sugar but white works if you’re aiming for neutral sweetness. Honey could be interesting but dissolving it in simmered water beforehand means mixing better, no sticky clumps later. Lemon wedges add aroma and astringency. Don’t skip if you want balance. Ice dilutes quickly; chill tea fully first to keep flavor stable.

Method

Add cold water to a pitcher with a lid — 7 and a half cups enough, no more or less to keep tea balanced.
Drop loose tea inside small mesh infuser or tea ball. Clips or string useful here for easy removal later. No tea bag tags dangling.
Seal pitcher, fridge overnight. Around 11 to 12 hours best. Patience key. Tea leaves slowly bloom, release tannins without harsh bitterness. Smell deepens after cooling.
Pull pitcher out, remove infuser with gentle squeeze if needed. If you spot stray bits, strain through fine sieve. Cloudy? Strain twice.
Now syrup: heat half cup water till simmer — bubbles teasing. Not boiling. Take off heat immediately.
Stir in cane sugar until fully dissolved. Sugar syrup should be clear, no gritty feel. Avoid untidy bottoms or undissolved crystals.
Pour syrup mix back into chilled tea; swirl or stir till sugar blends in completely. Taste test; adjust sweetness with more syrup or water if overdone.
Serve poured over plenty of ice. Ice doesn’t water down fast thanks to controlled syrup addition.
Lemon wedges optional but do it—adds zip, fresh citrus scent, cuts through sweet richness.
Leftover tea great for next day use. Store sealed, keep chilled, stir before serving.

Cooking tips

Cold steeping long enough—around 11-12 hours, not less—is crucial for extracting rich flavor without bitterness. Fridges vary; if your tea tastes weak next day, extend steep by a couple hours. Use visual clues like darkening water but avoid cloudiness; if cloudy, strain more carefully. Heating small water volume for dissolving sugar keeps the syrup concentrated, easier to integrate, and prevents gritty texture common when sugar fails to dissolve in cold liquid. Stirring vigorously once combined helps meld syrup and tea into a uniform sweetness. Serve over lots of ice to keep drink cold longer. Stirring quickly right before serving re-mixes any settled sugar syrup. Always taste and adjust sugar or lemon depending on your preference. If tea too bitter, reduce steeping time or use a lighter tea variety next batch. Rinsing infuser leaves before steeping can prevent dust clouding. If using bags, remove promptly to avoid overextracting tannins after fridge time ends.

Chef's notes

💡 Cold steeping long enough means 11 to 12 hours minimum. Fridge temps vary. If bitterness creeps in, shorten steep time. Watch water darkness rather than clock strictly. Cloudy tea signals over extraction; strain through fine mesh twice if needed. Loose leaf preferred over bags to avoid dust and bitterness from broken leaves. Tie string outside pitcher to fish infuser easily. Syrup best made in just half cup water heated till simmer bubbles rise but no boil. Boiling ruins smoothness; syrup clarity suffers.
💡 Use cane sugar for syrup sweetness rather than plain white. Adds subtle flavor complexity hard to get with pure white sugar. Granulated white sugar works okay but sometimes leaves syrup dull. Honey possible but thick, harder to dissolve evenly in cold tea without heating first. Warm half cup water gently, swirl sugar till fully dissolved. No gritty crystals or bottoms allowed. Stir vigorously once syrup goes back to tea; uniform sweetness key so no pockets of extra sugary taste.
💡 Lemon wedges for garnish aren’t just decoration. Cut through sugar heaviness with citrus brightness and slight astringency, waking up senses. Add only before serving so fresh aroma stays intact. Can add lemon slices inside pitcher as well but watch for slight bitterness from pith if left too long. Ice also crucial, pour over plenty since slow syrup addition controls dilution. Ice melting slower than usual because tea starts chilled, not hot or warm. Keeps drink crisp during serving time.
💡 If loose leaf tea unavailable, quality black tea bags can work but pick tightly sealed ones to prevent dust escaping during steep. Avoid tea bags without tags or strings outside pitcher or you’ll be fishing soggy bits later. Rinse infuser leaves beforehand to prevent cloudiness. After steep removal press gently to squeeze out flavor but no crushing; avoid extra tannic bite. Strain tea if cloudy or small leaf bits get loose. Double strain recommended for clear final brew, better mouthfeel edges sharp tannins.
💡 Adjust sweetness after cold steeping since syrup blends in better than granulated sugar straight added cold. Pour syrup bit by bit, taste frequently to avoid too sweet. Can dilute with cold water if overdone. Storage less complicated but keep sealed tight in fridge; stir before serving to remix separated syrup and tea layers. Leftover good for next day but avoid warming up repeatedly; flavor dulls. If tea tastes weak next batch, extend steep time or bump up tea leaves quantity. Avoid boiling water for steep; too aggressive extraction wrecks balance.

Common questions

How long to steep tea cold?

At least 11 hours fridge time. Less means weak flavor; more risks bitterness. Watch color. Dark but not cloudy is good. If cloudy? Strain more. Cooler fridge slows steeping.

Can I use tea bags?

Yes but only sealed, strong bags. Loose leaves better for clarity. Bag tags outside pitcher help removal. No tags means bits escape inside. If bags burst, flavor murky and gritty. Use infuser if possible.

Syrup too grainy—why?

Sugar not dissolved fully. Heat small water volume just to simmer, not boil. Stir sugar thoroughly till clear syrup. Any crystals left cause gritty mouthfeel. Reheat gently if needed, don’t dump sugar cold.

How to store leftover tea?

Keep sealed jar or pitcher in fridge. Stir before serving; syrup settles. Use within 24-48 hours best. Avoid reheating or warming repeatedly; tea dulls. Ice it just before drinking for best taste.