How to Brew Southern Style Sweet Tea

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By talithabing
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Brew Southern Style Sweet Tea

Imagine the culture shock my South Carolina family and I experienced when we vacationed in St. Louis--we couldn't find a glass of sweet tea anywhere! Sweet tea is a staple in the South, and any southerner will tell you that instant tea is no match to fresh brewed tea.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

one family-sized tea bag or 3 single-sized tea bags
one cup of sugar, more or less to taste
2 quarts of water for finished product
about 2 cups water for boiling tea
sauce pan, small pot or tea kettle
2 quart pitcher
long-handled spoon

Step 1

Bring about two cups of water to a boil in your saucepan, pot or tea kettle.
Step 2

After your water is boiling, turn off the heat, and drop in your tea bag or bags. Hang the strings off of the side of the pot so that you can remove them later.
Step 3

Allow your tea to sit in the water for five minutes. This is called "steeping".
Step 4

Remove your tea bags from the pot and discard. Pour your brewed tea into your pitcher.
Step 5

Add your sugar to the pitcher, followed by the water. It is best to add the sugar to the brewed tea first so that the hot tea can help the sugar dissolve better, but it won't hurt if you add the water first.
Step 6

Stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Use your spoon to taste your finished product, and add more sugar if it is not sweet enough for you, or add more water if it is too sweet. Serve over ice.

Tips & Warnings

Refrigerate your tea, it tends to sour if left out in the heat.
A pitcher of tea still tastes okay after a day or two, but it is freshest if you make a new pitcher every day.
You can add lemon slices, honey, mint leaves, or even cinnamon for flavor.
To make "sun tea", brew your tea bags and water in a clear jar in direct sunlight for three hours.
You may boil the water and tea at the same time to save time, but it tends to taste bitter.
Tea has several health benefits. It has antioxidants, can be made with Splenda instead of sugar for a sugar-free version that tastes just as good, and Lipton makes a decaffeinated tea as well as regular.