Elizabeth Bailey
Place tea bags in gallon jar and fill with water; place cover or cap loosely on jar. Place jar in direct sunshine. Steep tea for 3 to 4 hours (do not exceed 4 hours) Remove tea bags.
How do you know when sun tea is done?
Place outside where the sunlight can strike the container for about 3 to 5 hours. Move the container if necessary to keep it in the sun. When the tea has reached its desired strength, remove from sun and put it in the refrigerator.
Can you brew sun tea too long?
If you’re set on making sun tea, “let your tea steep in the sun for no more than four hours if you’re going to consume it immediately.
How warm does it have to be to make sun tea?
Here’s what was found: The heat of the sun replaces the heating element of water boiled in the kettle but under any sun condition, the tea will only reach in the range of 102° to 130° and not the 170° to 200° normally needed to steep tea in.
How long should sun tea sit out?
Let the sun tea sit on the counter for 3-4 hours. Then remove the tea bags and refrigerate the tea.
Is drinking sun tea good for you?
Not only is it a popular homemade beverage, but sun tea also has loads of health benefits. Tea is chock full of antioxidants and flavonoids, which can help decrease your risk of heart attack and diabetes. Plus, sun tea is a breeze to prepare; in fact, the sun does much of the work for you.
How to make sun tea
Sun tea dangers
Is sun tea safe? In some cases, no. The 130° Fahrenheit temperature that sun-brewed tea typically reaches, while excellent for extracting flavor, is not hot enough to kill bacteria. Foods kept between 40-140°F are in the “danger zone,” a temperature range where bacteria can flourish and make you sick.
Can you use loose leaf tea for sun tea?
You can use any tea for making sun tea, however, black tea is likely to give the best results. You can use loose leaf tea or even tea bags. If you are using small broken tea leaves, tea will be ready faster than if you would use pure unbroken leaves. Don’t sun brew the tea too long because it could develop bacteria.
How to make sun tea safely
The method is simple enough for sure, even oddly satisfying to know that all you need to do is place your tea leaves and water in a clear vase and let the beams of sunlight do the rest. That’s it; that’s how it’s brewed.
How to make sun tea in the winter
Ingredients
- 4 Luzianne® Family Size Iced Tea bags
- 1 gallon of spring water or filtered water
- 1 clear glass gallon container with cover or cap
- 1 cup of granulated sugar, or to taste (optional).
Instructions
- Place tea bags in gallon jar and fill with water; place cover or cap loosely on jar.
- Place jar in direct sunshine.
- Steep tea for 3 to 4 hours (do not exceed 4 hours)
- Remove tea bags.
- Sweeten warm tea, if desired (do not add sweetener until steeping is finished).
Why is sun tea better for you?
The story is that the heat of the sun makes tea extraction faster, giving you ready-to-drink tea within a couple hours without the need to heat up water indoors. Some folks also say that the flavor is different because of the lower temperature extraction.
Why is my sun tea bitter?
If you are experiencing a bitter taste in your tea, it probably means that you are releasing too many tannins when preparing your tea. Tannins are astringents; astringents are plant polyphenols compounds which tend to cling to proteins.
Why does sun tea get cloudy?
Cloudiness in tea is caused by caffeine and tannins bonding with each other when tea is refrigerated or iced. The hotter the original brewing water the more caffeine and tannins are extracted from the tea leaves, and the murkier the beverage will be.
Is there caffeine in sun tea?
This herbal blend is a great change from your average iced tea. It has rich, savory turmeric and spicy ginger, two ingredients that actually help cool you off. Plus, no caffeine!
Can I make sun tea on a cloudy day?
Make sure to check in on the tea every hour or so to make sure that the Sun hasn’t shifted enough to put your tea in the shade. On a hot, sunny day, your tea should be ready in two to three hours. If the day is somewhat cloudy or cool, it may take as much as six hours to brew a batch of sun tea.
What tea makes the best sun tea?
- Green Tea.
- Black Tea.
- Peppermint Tea.
- Chamomile Lemongrass Tea.
- Jasmine Oolong Tea.
- Mango Black Tea.
- Blood Orange Black Tea.
- Hibiscus Tea.
Do you need to refrigerate sun tea?
Prepare only the amount of tea you plan to consume that same day. Refrigerate the tea as soon as it is ready and keep it refrigerated. Add sweeteners and garnish AFTER the tea is brewed. Waiting makes no difference flavor-wise and can prevent further bacterial growth.
Is there a safe way to make sun tea?
Combine the water and tea bags and let steep in the refrigerator overnight instead of in the sun; this eliminates the threat of contamination. If you decide to go ahead and make sun tea, use regular black tea, not herbal tea. There is some thought that caffeine aids in prohibiting the growth of bacteria.
What kind of tea bags do you use for sun tea?
The kind of tea you use is entirely up to you. Traditional Southern iced tea is usually made with some sort of black tea blend, like Lipton or Luzianne.
Can you make sun tea without sun?
Opt for cold infusion instead of sun steeping. Think of this sun tea as the tea-lover’s version of cold brewed coffee. Instead of steeping the tea in hot water for a short period of time for a hot brew that has to be chilled, we can use cold brew techniques to slowly infuse the tea into the water over time.
What’s the difference between sun tea and regular tea?
The idea behind sun tea is that you brew the tea for longer, but at a lower temperature. This results in a less bitter brew, which is a good thing.
Is sun tea a southern thing?
Sweet Tea is about as southern as you can get. Southern Sweet Sun Tea is how we roll in this Southern household! Tea is one of the most popular drinks in the world, up there with water, coffee, and beer (which are all things I love).
Can you make sun tea with white tea?
Temperature Friendly: Green Tea & White Tea. Both of these teas are more fragile, hence why no boiling water, but do just fine in a sun tea pitcher.
How many tea bags do you use for a gallon of sun tea?
Use 4 to 8 Tea Bags. Place tea bag in a clean 2 quart or gallon size pitcher. Fill with filtered water and place cap on pitcher. Place in sun for at least 3 to 5 hours.
Can I use cold brew tea bags to make sun tea?
A safer alternative to sun tea is cold brew tea, which can also be called refrigerator tea. You can use any tea bags you like for cold brew tea, including black tea, white tea or green. I usually opt for green or white tea bags, personally. Trader Joe’s has a Pomegranate White Tea that is delicious.
How long can sun tea stay in the fridge?
If it’s sweetened, consume it within 1-2 days at the most. Always keep this tea refrigerated and discard it if the taste changes or if you don’t drink it all within a few days.
Is it OK to make sun tea in a plastic container?
Glass is preferable over plastic for brewing sun tea because the heat from the sun can cause the plastic to alter the flavor of the tea and possibly leach some chemicals into it. If using plastic, make sure the container is BPA free.
How hot does it need to be outside to make sun tea?
Quick science lesson: Bacteria loves conditions between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit — known in food preparation as “the danger zone.” Making sun tea the traditional way, in full sun heat, will only bring the water to about 130 degrees F — prime bacteria-growing conditions!
Is Earl GREY tea good for sun tea?
When you’ve been out in the sun, have a cool bath and pour in earl grey tea (leave the bags in the bath too). The tannins from the leaves and the bergamot soothe and restore your skin…plus it smells amazing.
When was sun tea popular?
Nestled in the memories of many a child of the 1970’s is the memory of tea brewing in a glass container out in the open sunshine. This delightful brew was known far and wide as sun tea.
