You will need:
- A 12-cup drip coffee maker (Stove does not work, the water reaches it's saturation point before it can fully absorb the tea)
- 1.5 cups of sugar
- A (US) gallon sized container that can withstand temperatures in excess of 90C
- 4 tea bags (I personally do three decaf and one standard), assuming the tea bag is for three cups.
- A long stir rod or paddle of some kind that can withstand temperatures in excess of 90C
1. Put 12 cups of water into the drip coffee maker, and position the tea bags under the drip spigot. That is important. Alternatively, you can put them in the carafe and allow it to steep for longer if you prefer a richer flavour.
2. Wait for it to complete.
2a. In the meantime, pour the 1.5 cups of sugar into the empty 1 US gallon container.
3. Pour the carafe of tea into the 1 US gallon container.
4. Stir until sugar is fully in solution.
5. Add water until the container is about 90% full.
6. Stir again, and feel the sides to make sure the heat is spread evenly. It will not mix up on it's own, as the tea has a higher density, and will separate. If you do not do this while it is hot or warm, it will not come out right.
7. Add ice for the rest of the distance, or if you prefer it hot instead of warm, skip this step.
8. Enjoy your American heathen tea!