Originally Posted by BellaBoo

I can't drink sun tea. Sitting in the sun that long turns the tea and turned tea is not good for you. I've been drinking sweet tea all my life. My grandmother and mother made it from loose tea leaves. I make it with tea bags, black tea is our favorite ice tea. I make a gallon of black ice tea every other day and sometimes once a day. We don't drink soda so it it's tea, lemonade or water for cold drinks.

The secret is right water temp, just before boiling but never boiling water. Add 12 regular size tea bags or 4 family size tea bags, to about a quart of hot water, cover and let seep for at least an hour. Remove tea bags and add sugar syrup. ( 1 1/3 cup sugar dissolved in two cups hot water) Add cold tap water to sweet tea mix to make one gallon. Keep in fridge.

I have an instant hot water tap on my sink and the water is the perfect temp for tea or instant coffee. I never knew instant coffee could taste good until I found the perfect water temp. If instant coffee foams it's not the right temp at all and the coffee will taste like instant coffee.

Originally Posted by quilting memaw

If you use glass and hot water poured over the tea bags, make sure you put a spoon in the glass pitcher. If not it will break. Something about the spoon. I usually put two large bags in my coffee filter basket, 1/8 cup sugar and then fill the container with water. Then I let it do it's thing. I then take a large pitcher filled with ice and pour the hot tea over the ice. I have gone through three iced tea makers in three years. I only like a little sweetness in our tea. Use more if you want. But the hot water brews and dissolves the sugar.

Originally Posted by amandasgramma

The trick I learned when down south, was to heat water and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool. The same time, boil water and pour it over the teabags. When both are cool, combine them. I find Red Rose tea doesn't create a bitter taste.

Originally Posted by sueisallaboutquilts

Nanjun- how do you make it?

Originally Posted by BellaBoo

I can't drink sun tea. Sitting in the sun that long turns the tea and turned tea is not good for you. I've been drinking sweet tea all my life. My grandmother and mother made it from loose tea leaves. I make it with tea bags, black tea is our favorite ice tea. I make a gallon of black ice tea every other day and sometimes once a day. We don't drink soda so it it's tea, lemonade or water for cold drinks.

The secret is right water temp, just before boiling but never boiling water. Add 12 regular size tea bags or 4 family size tea bags, to about a quart of hot water, cover and let seep for at least an hour. Remove tea bags and add sugar syrup. ( 1 1/3 cup sugar dissolved in two cups hot water) Add cold tap water to sweet tea mix to make one gallon. Keep in fridge.

I have an instant hot water tap on my sink and the water is the perfect temp for tea or instant coffee. I never knew instant coffee could taste good until I found the perfect water temp. If instant coffee foams it's not the right temp at all and the coffee will taste like instant coffee.