Begin by boiling 4 cups of water in a kettle or pot over high heat. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, remove it from the heat and add 4 black tea bags. Steep for 10-15 minutes, then remove the tea bags and allow to cool.

While the tea cools, prepare the strawberry syrup. In a saucepan, combine 1 pound of hulled and sliced fresh strawberries, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of water over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Mash gently and simmer for 10-12 minutes.

Once the strawberry mixture has thickened, remove from heat and let it cool slightly. Strain the syrup into a bowl or pitcher using a fine-mesh sieve.

In a large pitcher, mix the cooled tea with the freshly strained strawberry syrup, adding lemon juice if desired. Stir well and taste to adjust sweetness.

Cover the pitcher and refrigerate your Strawberry Sweet Tea until well chilled, about 1-2 hours.

To serve, fill glasses with ice and pour the chilled Strawberry Sweet Tea over the top. Garnish with fresh sliced strawberries.