Step 1

Place tea leaves in a tea ball or mesh infuser. Bring 6 cups of water to boil. Turn off the heat and place the tea ball or infuser in the pot.

Step 2

After 5 to 10 minutes, when the tea is quite strong, remove the tea ball or infuser. Stir in your sweetener of choice and add more to taste. Or omit the sweetener.

Step 3

Dilute the tea with another 2 cups of room-temperature or cold water.

Step 4

Once the tea has cooled down to warm or room-temperature (i.e., it's no longer piping hot), using a funnel, pour the tea into a clean ½-gallon jug or into several bottles.