Add 8 cups of water to the gallon pitcher and refrigerate.
To a large pot over medium heat add the sugar, remaining 8 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once sugar is dissolved, remove from heat, submerge tea bags, cover and let the tea steep for 15 minutes. Remove tea bags and discard.
To the chilled pitcher of water add brewed tea, and stir. Taste and adjust sweetness. Serve in individual tall glasses filled with ice and garnish with lemon slices and mint.
I recommend adding the water to be chilled in the fridge the night before or at least an hour before the recipe so that you can enjoy the sweet tea right away.
Sweet tea will last up to one week when refrigerated
I recommend adding ice to each glass instead of to the pitcher. This way you don't dilute all the tea.
Additionally if you don't plan do drink the tea all in one day, I would add lemon slices to each glass instead of the pitcher. Lemon rind tends to add a more bitter flavor to the tea over time.
If you have leftover tea add it to a popsicle mold and make sweet tea popsicles.