There’s nothing quite as satisfying in summertime as a refreshing glass of iced tea. When you have a sunny afternoon in front of you and some strong, fruity black tea in your tea cupboard, you can make the weather work for you, and make yourself some sun brewed iced tea!
Best Teas for Sun Tea
Two of my favorite teas for sun tea are green teas and white teas. They don’t like being steeped in boiling water in the first place, so they naturally enjoy a lukewarm water bath instead. They're also super refreshing once iced.
Fruit teas always steep out a ton of flavor, along with flavored black tea. Black teas create bold flavor perfect for picnics and backyard entertaining. There are also such a variety of options out there for flavors, from strawberry and grapefruit to pecan and cinnamon!
Need more ideas for good tea for sun tea? We've got your covered.
How to Make Sun Brewed Iced Tea
Sun brewed iced tea is made by leaving your tea out to steep in the sun on a warm day. Usually, you will start with tea in a glass container of cool or room temperature water. You’ll want to use at least double the tea you would usually use for the same amount of water (about 2 teaspoons tea per 8 ounces water). The sun won’t get your tea quite as hot as boiling would, so adding more tea will ensure a stronger flavor.
Make sure your tea has lots of room to steep. Instead of using a small tea ball or tea in bags, we strongly suggest letting the loose leaf tea float to get a full infusion, then strain it off afterwards. Or, use several large-sized tea filter bags. Using a small tea infuser in a big pitcher means you are missing out on flavor.
Sun tea does need several hours of good sun to properly infuse. But if you’re finding the flavor weak, don’t leave the tea out for twice as long until you’ve added more tea. I mentioned above, I like to start double the amount of tea.
It’s recommended that you refrigerate sun brewed iced tea, and try to use it fairly quickly; it is prone to developing mold and bacteria quicker since it didn’t get as hot initially. If you make a reasonable amount of a tasty sun tea, though, chances are you will go through it pretty quickly.
If you’re looking for a sweet treat, try adding a sweetener to your tea once the sun has warmed it enough for easy dissolving. With floral or fruity teas, honey can add a nice flavor. If you’re looking for a sweetener that won’t change the taste of your tea, try our tea sugar! Our honey dust and maple dust also dissolve easily in iced tea and taste delicious. Consider adding in fresh fruit like strawberries, grapes, orange, or melon, or include some spices for a nice zing.
Once your sun brewed iced tea is steeped, sweetened, and flavored to your liking, pour it over ice just like you would with ordinary iced tea. Enjoy the fruit of a summer’s day with a good book or some good company!
Sun Brewed Iced Tea
Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons loose leaf tea
- 2 quarts room temperature water
- Sweetener, to taste
Directions:
Place the tea of your choice and 2 quarts of water in a clear glass container with a lid.
Set the container out in full sunlight in the heat of the day. Let sit for 3-5 hours.
Once the tea is steeped, add your sweetener, and stir until dissolved. Pour sun brewed iced tea over ice and serve.