How To Give Iced Tea A Sweet Southern Boost

If you're looking at how to give your regular ol' iced tea a refreshing boost, throw in some fresh fruit or juice to make a sweet tea punch. Sure, you can add sugar and make an incredibly sweet tea (I'm looking at you, fast food chains), but this punch is about giving your iced tea a sweet Southern boost. Your base should be a strongly brewed, unsweetened black tea. From there you can play around with the addition of fruit juices to change up the tea base. Since the fruit will add a natural sweetness, there's no need to mix additional sugar into your tea.

When you're pouring in the juice, there's no set rule for how much to use. For a standard pitcher, you can start with about 1 cup and then you can add more to get the level of fruitiness you're wanting. A popular mix to try is orange juice and pineapple juice, which adds a pop of tropical citrus. Lemon juice's tartness will keep the punch from becoming too sweet. The iced tea punch doesn't have to be a summer refresher, either. You can make drinks with apple cider complemented with spices like cinnamon or a brown sugar syrup. Alternatively, you could make a flavored simple syrup and blend it in.

Other potential tea punch ingredients include lemonade or raspberry lemonade, while peach can bring stone fruit notes into the mix. Mint leaves can be added for a cooling touch or you can add ginger ale or a Sprite on top for a touch of sweet bubbles.

Opt for a deep South sweet tea punch by mixing in spirits and liquors. Pour in some bourbon (cheaper brands are okay) alongside a squeeze of lemon as its oak flavors mix well with citrus. Peach or apple juice are a delicious pairing with whiskey's vanilla and caramel notes. Then there's vodka, which you can use without changing too much of the tea or fruit flavors you've already got going on. If you're using vodka, you can make a tried-and-true Arnold Palmer by mixing in lemonade.

Rum's another great way to go if you're looking to spike the tea punch. Dark rum brings in a deep molasses flavor which pairs nicely with lime juice, pineapple, and ginger. If you want something lighter, white rums are another great choice. They mix well with orange juice and muddled fruit, giving a bright, sunny vibe. Combine it with Cointreau, lemon juice, cognac, and the punch for a tasty twist on a classic Sidecar. Tequila is famous for how well it pairs with citrus, but it will also blend nicely with the herbal notes of the tea. Since gin naturally has a botanical profile, it can be mixed in with guava, raspberry, or strawberry juice. No matter which spirits you go with, be sure to pour the expensive liquor last to save a little money in case you mess up.