Classic Southern Sweet Tea

This is the porch-pitcher standard, brewed strong with a pinch of baking soda to knock out the bitterness and sweetened while the tea is still hot so the sugar dissolves clean. Get the sugar in before you chill it and you will never have a gritty glass.

Ingredients

• 6 cups water, divided
• 6 regular black tea bags (or 2 family-size)
• 1 pinch baking soda
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups cold water
• Ice and lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

1. Bring 4 cups of the water to a boil in a saucepan, then remove it from the heat.
2. Add the baking soda and the tea bags, cover the pan, and let the tea steep for 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Lift out and gently squeeze the tea bags, then discard them.
4. Stir the sugar into the hot tea until it fully dissolves.
5. Pour the sweetened tea into a 2-quart pitcher and add the remaining 2 cups cold water.
6. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour.
7. Serve over plenty of ice with a wedge of lemon.

Tips

• The pinch of baking soda is the old trick that keeps the tea from going bitter or cloudy. Do not skip it and do not add more.
• For a lighter tea, cut the sugar to 3/4 cup. True Southern sweet tea runs sweet, so a full cup is the traditional mark.