Home brewed sun tea is the perfect drink for a hot summer day! The great part? You can brew your own at home with just some tea, a pitcher, water, and a few hours. It is the perfect hands off drink recipe that will still provide you with delicious and refreshing results!
Anyone else feeling the seasons change again? Summer is just around the corner, and spring is on its way out the door. Between the heat and the humidity in our new home, I am definitely feeling the shift! Summer gets me really excited though because we are able to be outside more, there is light for so much more of the day, and we can enjoy our summer menu choices that are put away during the rest of the year.
One of those recipes is for home brewed sun tea. We love sun tea, and honestly, it is one of the easiest things I make! You just put together the water and tea bags, set it in the sun, and wait. So hands off, and I love the flavor possibilities and the variations you can make! Plus, I have several ideas for you to try if you aren’t a fan of the unsweetened tea. Whether you love traditional sun tea or you are a newbie to this treat, you can make this homemade sun tea in your home!
Don’t forget to pin this recipe!
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FAQs about Sun Tea:
Can sun tea make you sick?
With home brewed sun tea that is made with commercial tea bags, there are some risks. Commercialized tea is made to be brewed hot, and as a result, there may be bacteria in the tea that could make you sick. In my recipe, I avoid this by brewing for a shorter time period and recommending that you only keep the sun tea for a short amount of time in the refrigerator. However, the best way to avoid this may be to pour boiling water over the leaves instead, or you could use your own home grown and dried herbs or herbs from a source that you trust. I am not an expert in this however, so make sure to use your own judgement with this.
How long do you leave sun tea in the sun?
In order to be safe, I recommend only leaving sun tea in the sun for about 3 hours. This allows the tea to brew as strong as it can, but also prevents bacteria from having time to flourish in your tea. If you are worried that your home brewed sun tea might not be strong enough, I suggest adding an extra tea bag instead of time.
Can sun tea be made in a plastic container?
While sun tea can be made in a plastic container, it may not be the best choice. Glass is able to withstand the heat without breaking down while you brew your tea. Plastic is not made to hold up against the heat or the acidity of tea. So while plastic would be fine to store your tea in the fridge, it probably isn’t the ideal choice for using to brew your tea.
Can you make sun tea with herbal tea?
Absolutely! In fact, one of my favorite ways to make sun tea is to mix herbal tea with black or green tea. This allows me to have the bold, classic flavor of sun tea, but it adds a refreshing balance and can get rid of the bitterness that you can get with straight black tea at times.
Sun Tea Variations:
Sometimes you have to mix up the traditional recipes and create tasty variations! Here are just a few possibilities for you to try:
–Minty Fresh Tea: Most often during the summer, I want something refreshing, and this variation hits the spot! You will need to replace 2-3 mint tea bags for 2-3 of the black tea bags. You can also use green tea with the mint instead of black tea for a lighter flavor!
–Strawberry Delight: This was one of my hubby’s favorite flavor combinations! You can brew the tea as directed, but add a strawberry flavored simple syrup to sweeten your tea. Add a sprig of mint for fun!
–Sweet Tea: I love sweet tea at any time of the year! Personally though, I don’t love trying to mix sugar into cold tea. Instead, I’ve found that making simple syrup and stirring that in is the perfect way to sweeten my sun tea! I’m sure you could use other liquid sweeteners as well though.
–Lemony Tea: To create this classic, you can brew as directed and add sliced lemon before serving! This version can be sweetened or unsweetened depending on your preference.
What you need:
- Tea bags: Usually, people use black tea, but I give you some options above that you could try, including some of our family favorites.
- Water: Some people use filtered water, and others just use from the tap. Whatever you are comfortable with is what I would use.
- Pitcher or Container: I highly recommend using a glass pitcher since you can brew and store in the same dish. However, you could use a container you already have, either plastic or glass, and it should work fine.
- Sunny Spot or Windowsill: You will want to set the container in a spot that gets the most sun possible. If you are in an apartment, you may just have to use a windowsill, like I do, but if you can set it outside in the sun, that is preferable.
How to make sun tea at home:
- Place your tea bags in the pitcher or container. (I wrap the strings around the handle of the pitcher to avoid having to reach my hand in at the end of brewing to discard them.)
- Fill the pitcher with water. Be sure the tea bags are all submerged.
- Set the pitcher in the sunny spot or windowsill, and cover if there is a chance of bugs or debris falling into the tea while brewing. Leave the tea to brew for 2-3 hours.
- Grab the pitcher, uncover if necessary, and discard the tea bags, in the compost or in the garbage.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
Method
- Place your tea bags in a pitcher or container. (I wrap the strings around the handle of my pitcher to avoid having to reach my hand in at the end of brewing to discard them.)
- Fill the pitcher with water. Be sure the tea bags are all submerged.
- Set the pitcher in the sunny spot or windowsill, and cover if there is a chance of bugs or debris falling into the tea while brewing. Leave the tea to brew for 2-3 hours.
- Grab the pitcher, uncover if necessary, and discard the tea bags, in the compost or in the garbage.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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Thanks for creating with me!
-Chelsey
Hi there! I’m Chelsey!
Welcome to my blog God’s Gift of Creativity! Join me as I share my love for crochet, crafts, and cooking and show you how you can do it too!
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