- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. In a large, heat-proof jug, combine the boiling water, baking soda & sugar mix well to dissolve the sugar. Add the tea bags and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags. Add the lemon juice and fill the rest of the jug with cold water. Refrigerate until chilled. Add lemon slices and ice to a the glasses and pour the tea over the ice and lemon slices to serve.