Two chilled drinks, one orange and one reddish-brown, are garnished with lemon slices and a straw, set in bright, sunny lighting.

Two iced drinks in glasses with lemon slices, one amber, one red, sit in bright, sunny lighting.

Photographed by Greg Dupree

Spiked Sweet Tea

By Sweet July

Sweet tea, but with a kick.

Serves: 10

There’s something about sweet tea that just feels like summer.

We’re taking this summer staple up a notch with some black raspberry liqueur and vodka for those warm days when you need something a little extra.

Two iced drinks garnished with lemon, bathed in warm, bright light. The foreground drink is dark red; the background, a clear yellow.

Ingredients

- 8 cups water
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 family-size black tea bags
- 1 medium lemon, sliced
- 1 medium lemon (for juicing)
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup (8 ounces) sweet tea (reserved)
- 1 cup (8 ounces) black raspberry liqueur (e.g., Chambord)
- 1 cup (8 ounces) vodka
- Lemon slices, for garnish

Instructions

Step 1

Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan, then remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar. Add the tea bags and let the mixture steep, uncovered, for 2 hours until completely cooled. Remove and discard the tea bags.

Step 2

Thinly slice 1 medium lemon and set aside. Squeeze another medium lemon to measure ¼ cup juice (discarding seeds), and reserve any remaining juice for later use.

Step 3

In a large pitcher, combine 1 cup of the prepared sweet tea with the lemon juice, black raspberry liqueur, and vodka. Stir well.

Step 4

Pour evenly into 10 ice-filled glasses and garnish with lemon slices.

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Spiked Sweet Tea

There’s something about sweet tea that just feels like summer.

Ingredients