How sweet it is.
Happy Friday, folks! Dialing down the workweek with a light and delightful pitcher drink for your planned pool days. Or, in my case, for guzzling after racing a 5K death march on Saturday.
Yikes.
I’ve enjoyed my cadence of sharing a non-boozy treat one week and a cocktail the next. Though, knowing me, I’ll throw that routine out the window eventually…At any rate, this week we’re leaning on our drink pitchers and dishing out something sweet and fresh.
Specifically, Triple Berry Iced Sweet Tea. I love a good iced tea or lemonade in the summer. Today’s is a classic Southern-inspired black tea jazzed up with mint syrup – my favorite right now – and infused with lots of fresh berries and a few lemon wedges.
The result? A pretty, perfect pour for summer picnics, the Fourth of July, or just to enjoy on a hot solo afternoon.
Tea Time!
My mint syrup is a current culinary fixation. I use it aplenty in my pitcher drinks, likely because I always seem to be left with awkward amounts of mint in my fridge.
To make, combine sugar, water, and mint leaves in a small sauce pan. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Strain out the mint leaves.
While the syrup bubbles away, steep the tea. I use four tea bags to create an extra concentrated base. Don’t worry, we’ll heavily dilute it later. Pop the bags in 2 cups of boiling water and infuse for 5 minutes, then discard the bags.
Now, put together your pitcher! Easy stuff. Dump in the brewed tea and mint syrup – you can start with 1/2 cup and move up from there. I use all of it in my rendition. Then, add 6 cups of cold, filtered water and lots of strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries, as well as a sliced lemon. Stir it all together. If the tea seems too strong, add another cup or two of water to dilute.
I recommend chilling the tea for at least an hour to let the flavors come together. If you want to serve right away, be sure to fill each glass with plenty of ice.
Garnishes? I love extra berries, a lemon wheel, and a couple sprigs of mint.
Leftovers? The tea pitcher will keep well for up to 3 days in the fridge, after which the fruit will likely get a little weird. If storing, remove any lemon wedges you added to prevent bitterness.
Berry alternatives? Raspberries would be a wonderful addition! Mix and match your favorites, they all work well. If you want an extra berry-ful tea, make my strawberry syrup instead of the mint.
Happy weekend! Hope you get some sunshine time wherever you are!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Spill the tea:
Pineapple Mango Iced Green Tea
Fresh Strawberry Green Tea Lemonade
triple berry iced sweet tea
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup mint leaves, lightly packed
- 4 bags black tea (like English Breakfast)
- 8-10 cups water, divided
- 1/2 cup strawberries, halved
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup blackberries
- 1 lemon, sliced
- mint leaves and additional berries, for garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepot, combine the sugar, 1 cup of water, and the mint leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer and heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain the syrup into a jar or other container. Discard the mint leaves.
- Meanwhile, boil 2 cups of the water. Drop in the tea bags and steep for 5 minutes. Discard the bags.
- In in a large pitcher, combine the mint syrup, tea, 6 cups of cold filtered water, the lemon slices, and the berries. Stir. If the tea seems too strong for your taste, add an additional 1-2 cups of water. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.
- Serve over ice with additional berries and a sprig or two of mint!
