Pork Free Sparkling Lemonade Berry Iced Tea
This drink is the kind of thing you make once and then find yourself craving all summer long. Fresh strawberries are muddled right in the pitcher, releasing their natural juice and color into a base of steeped black tea and a bright maple-lemon syrup — no artificial flavors, no mystery ingredients, just real fruit doing its thing. The syrup comes together in minutes on the stovetop, and the whole mixture gets strained smooth before you ever pour a drop, so every glass looks as gorgeous as it tastes. A hit of chilled sparkling water goes in at the very end, giving it that fizzy, celebratory lift without watering anything down. It's naturally free of any animal-derived or pork-based additives, so you can serve it confidently to a crowd without scanning a single label. Garnish with a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh mint if you want to make it look truly impressive — though honestly, the deep ruby color does most of the work for you.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the tea base
- 4 black tea bags
- 3 cups boiling water
For the lemon syrup
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup water
For the berry layer
- 16 medium strawberries, hulled and halved (about 200 g)
For assembling
- 2 cups sparkling water, chilled
- 2 cups ice cubes
For serving
- 4 lemon slices, for garnish (optional)
- 4 fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the tea bags in a heatproof pitcher or large measuring cup. Pour the 3 cups of boiling water over them and steep for 4–5 minutes, until the tea is deep amber and full-flavored. Remove the bags without squeezing, then let the tea cool to room temperature, about 20–25 minutes.
- 2
While the tea steeps, combine the maple syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the maple syrup is fully dissolved, about 2 minutes — the mixture should be smooth and slightly steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
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