My McAlister’s Tea Knockoff
Posted by TimothyDec 10
Ok if you were following my twitter or talked to me in real life recently, you’re aware that I am in love with McAlister’s tea. I actually hate tea in general, so to like something in the category of hating things let alone loving it is quite an incredible step. So after realizing that it’s not cost effective to eat there 4 out of 7 days of the week like I had been, I needed to take steps that allowed me to cut some costs.
In my travels across the net, people have said that McAlister’s tea is actually just Lipton, which according to Hammeron is just insane because Lipton is like the cheapest and not-extravagant kind of tea one can buy. But I thought I’d give it a whirl. While at the store though I thought to myself, I know for a fact they brew this stuff, meaning I need some kinda method that allows for easy creation of said tea. One website suggested just using a coffee machine so I strolled down the coffee machine aisle and found this Mr. Coffee Ice Tea Machine for $15 bucks. $15 I’m reminded is 3 gallons of McAlister’s tea.
Anyway, machine in hand I went home and tried to make myself some magic. My first attempt was 2 qt. line worth of water with 2 tea bags on full strength brew! I poured it, had a sip, then gagged. I realize that taste is the taste I remember of tea and hence the hatred of it. So I added sugar and took another sip. Still gross. I continued to add sugar until it would no longer dissolve and it was not at all close. This wasn’t working out so well.
I got some advice from someone at work about tea, and she said that the secret is disolving the sugar in the really hot tea after brewing so it disolves faster. I read around a bit more and this time I felt like I’d be more sure in this calculation. I went to the 3 qt line worth of water, switched it to medium brew, and added 2/3rd of a cup of sugar into the container for the hot tea to pour into. I took a sip, and it’s not McAlister’s tea, but it is drinkable and fairly enjoyable.
So I feel like I’ve come pretty close, but at the same time am disgusted by the amount of sugar I’m using for this. I wonder how much sugar is in the other stuff I drink though, because maybe 2/3rds of a cup for that amount of water (which I don’t understand because there’s no way that line indicates 3 quarts but then again, the pitcher is really huge) isn’t so much. At the very least, I spent 17 bucks on probably more tea than I’d buy at McAlister’s so I’ll be alright on this investment I think. I feel like I should be buying some lemons though to pop in there.
BSH says I oversold the tea though, so maybe it’s not as good as I say it is, but I tend to think so. Hammeron is going to try it out in a week, I’ll get his reaction.
11 comments
Comment by April on March 6, 2013 at 9:20 PM
Timothy- I too have tried to come up with a recipe for Mcallisters amazing tea. It’s kinda funny, but the closest I have found is Nestea instant tea! You can get a big glass jar of the tea for like $3.99. Very close imitation! 🙂
Hope this helps!
April Arnold
Indianapolis, IN
Comment by lauren on March 30, 2013 at 9:52 AM
Ok so I always happen to go right when they are making the tea..they use 3/4 a pitcher of sugar…the pitcher margaritas come in. They use loose leaves and its a mixture of more than one tea…so try luizianne and lipton equal parts. Viel gluck!
Comment by Jared on May 23, 2013 at 4:51 PM
So bad news- sweet like McAlisters has a MINIMUM of one cup sugar for every quart of boiling water. Most homes/restaurants make half their yield in hot water, stir in sugar, steep the bags, then add same amount of cold. So boil a quart, cup of sugar, quart of cold after it has steeped you get two quarts of sugary nectar. Been raised in the south and am actually in school at Ole Miss. Mcalisters was founded here in Oxford and I eat at the original every weekend on the patio! But yeah, that’s the traditional base for sweet tea- cup of sugar for each quart boiling added while hot. Steep and cut the mixture with equal parts cold. And most folks down here ONLY buy luzianne. Best on the consumer shelf!
Comment by adam on December 13, 2013 at 6:12 PM
Have you been able to develop the perfect pot of Mcalisters sweet tea at home yet?
Comment by Lynn on December 29, 2013 at 12:31 PM
There’s nothing fancy about their tea. It’s just regular Southern sweet tea made from black tea bags. restaurants use loose bc its cheaper and works with their large machines but using bags and steeping at home will yield the same results. Lipton, Community, Luiziane, they’re all the same as long as it’s black tea. I use two to four large bags and put them in cold water (just toss the paper tags) into a tea kettle and put it on the stove until boiling. Then I take it off the heat and let it sit there with the lid on and steep. This is a process the big industrial tea machines don’t have to do because they get more flavor out of the tea with hotter water placed over loose tea with force. Steeping will get you this. After 20 minutes the tea will still be quite warm and you can reach in, discard the bags and pour the tea into a gallon or gallon and a half pitcher over sugar. We usually do anywhere between 1-3 cups depending on how sweet we want it. Stir until dissolved and then add your cool water. Add warm water for your first two tries that way if you need to add more sugar you can and it will dissolve faster. Taste and if it seems too bitter, here’s the real trick, add half a teaspoon of baking soda. It neutralizes the tannins in the tea and cuts the bitterness. I was raised on the bitterness and I like it but many people, especially those from above the mason Dixon who come visit and have only ever had McDonald’s sweet tea, it’s best to cut the bitterness. Good luck!
Comment by Timothy on August 18, 2015 at 10:33 PM
The frustrating part is that there’s nothing fancy about their tea but it’s the most delicious tea and I can’t make it! Although I gave up a while ago, I should try to revisit it.
Comment by Jon Di Matteo on September 15, 2015 at 10:12 PM
I too am a fan of McAlister’s Tea. I have come to the closest match by trial and error and tonight have mastered the brewed taste of this perfect sweet iced tea.
As I made it this evening, I already have the tools in the washer and will reveal the recipe I use and it’s really not by measuring, it’s what I use as markings in the steel pots that I use. The pots are Emeril’s stainless steel copper bottoms. I will have to repost the sizes along with the steel measuring cup but I actually do not fill the measuring cup all the way. Ans most importantly (YES, the brewed part does need to be COOL) also, you need to use Domino Sugar 4lb bag (find it at Walgreens). Also (spring) water in a 3 liter jug from HEB (I use Ozarka 3 ltr jugs) You must CHILL the 2/3rds of the water in the freezer (YES, the freezer) chill for 1.5 hours. If frozen crack on edge of counter top. These are the steps but not the sizes yet. Fill sauce pan to the top on high heat right to the boiling point little bubbles floating to the top not a rolling boil. Do not let boil for longer then 1 minute!!! In a larger sauce pot with metal handles on it. I use the rivets on the inside and I’ll tell you later what I use them for. Anyway, 3 ICED TEA LIPTON FAMILY SIZED TEA BAGS (Walmart for about 3 to 4 dollars)remember ICED TEA FAMILY SIZED. Stand up the tea bags at the 1 o’clock position, 2 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions. (SERIOUSLY)… Pour the hot but not boiling water into the larger sauce pot at the 9 o’clock position pouring very slowly like a large coffee pot maker. Let brew 1.5 hours with no sugar or the remaining water. I will get to sizes later because as I’m typing this my pots are washing. Sorry… Okay 1.5 hours have gone now use a steel whisk and a slotted plastic spoon and lightly pick up the tea bags and push down on the tea bags using the whisk to drain the rest of the tea out of the bags. (Lightly!!!) now discard the bags into your compost pale. Now the notches the rivets I spoke of early now come into play, Remove the 3 ltr bottle of water from the freezer and carefully crack the ice inside the bottle. Fill slowly in the larger sauce pot right to the top of the rivets ONLY!!! (Still no sugar added yet!!!) After you have filled to the top of the rivets ONLY, use the remaining water for you pets or fill your coffee pot up. Using a steel 1/3rds cup of Domino Sugar Reg Grans 4lb bag, just right below the top of the measuring cup fill with sugar. (YOU NEED 2 (TWO) scoops) yes DO NOT USE a 2/3 cup measuring cup. It does make a difference in flavor!!!!!!!!! Now pour sugar into large sauce pot slowly!!! Now stir with whisk in clockwise motions slowly!! Let stand for 15 minutes!!!! Stir again counter clockwise slowly and let sit for 10 minutes.
Pour yourself a glass without ICE!!! It will be at chilled temps and the flavor is out of this world. It takes TIME to make this but well worth it!!!
If you want the exact recipe and photos, please email me at: papasmuffies@gmail.com
Enjoy! I will have sauce pan & large sauce pot size in the emailed recipe that you request.
Thank you and this will be the BEST SWEET TEA even better than Mcalister’s!!! Trust me!! People think I buy it and pour it in my own containers. I should sell it!
Also for lemon flavor use Minute Maid Lemonade to flavor if needed. AWESOME
Comment by everett moreland on September 20, 2016 at 12:43 AM
I was looking for your McAlisters Tea knockoff recipe. I would greatly appreciate it! I am craving a good sweet iced tea! Thank you!
Comment by Chad Ziegler on April 17, 2020 at 1:31 PM
I have multiple cases of McCallisters tea bags for sale
Comment by Pam on October 29, 2021 at 12:20 PM
I love McAllister’s tea as well. I always ask for half and half (half sweet half unsweet). I make wonderful sweet tea at home. I use 2 of the Lipton 1 gallon tea bags (buy them at Sam’s). I put the 2 bags in 1 quart of water and microwave on high for 8 minutes then take it out and cover it with a saucer for at least an hour but longer is better. I use a 1 gallon milk jug to keep it in. I use 1 cup of sugar. Fill the milk jug halfway and shake til the sugar dissolves. Add the steeped tea and then add a little water to the tea bags to get any remaining brewed tea and add that to the milk jug. Voila-you’re in heaven.
Comment by Kate on July 7, 2022 at 11:57 AM
For all you naysayers that it’s just black tea. Wrong! McAlisters has a contract with Lipton that makes their own concoction of tea leaves. It’s also 8c sugar to 5 gal. (An insider)