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Aunt Betty's Sweet Tea

Posted by Jenny on June 25, 2018 · recipe from Aunt Betty · filed under Drinks

Finally pried out of Aunt Betty at the 2018 reunion. The 'secret' turned out to be a pinch of baking soda.

  • Makes1 gallon
  • Prep5 min
  • Steep15 min
  • Chill1 hr

What you’ll need

  • 6 family-size (or 12 regular) black tea bags
  • 1 pinch baking soda
  • 1 cup sugar (or to taste)
  • Cold water to make 1 gallon

How to make it

  1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, then remove from the heat.
  2. Add the tea bags and a tiny pinch of baking soda. Steep 15 minutes (no longer, or it turns bitter).
  3. Lift out the bags without squeezing them.
  4. Stir the sugar into the hot tea until fully dissolved.
  5. Pour into a gallon pitcher and top up with cold water.
  6. Chill and serve over plenty of ice.
Betty's secret The pinch of baking soda is the whole trick — it takes the bitterness right out. Don't tell the church ladies.

Jenny’s notes

Aunt Betty finally let this slip at the 2018 reunion: the secret is a tiny pinch of baking soda to chase off the bitterness. I'd wondered for years why mine came out bitter. Don't tell the church ladies.

— J.