Sun Tea . . . a Relic of a Bygone Era
Sun tea seemed to be all the rage in the 1970s, although it had been invented some 60 years earlier. Some people still insist that sun tea is the only way homemade ice tea should be made. But I have invented an ice tea that I think is WAY BETTER than sun tea. And it happened quite by accident.
The New Way to Make an Excellent Brew!
If you are like me, you drink hot tea that you love. And the more expensive those tea bags are the more reluctant you are to brew one-time and toss them. So I began to save all my once-brewed teabags in a glass jar in the refrigerator. And one day, it happened. I decided to use my jar of used tea bags to brew some iced tea and see what it would taste like. The flavor is best described in one word: WOW! It was fantastic. The ice tea is different every time because the tea bags I save are different based on the hot tea I had enjoyed in the past week or so. No two batches taste the same. I love the variety.
Here’s the recipe and then I’ll provide some tips I’ve learned along the way.
Julie’s Homemade Ice Tea
Here’s the material:
- Once-brewed used tea bags — about 24 — saved in a medium size jar (See “Tips” below for the “medium Size” reason)
- Stainless Steel Pitcher
- Filtered Water
- Glass Container for Tea Storage in Refrigerator
Here’s the process:
Take all the tea bags out of the storage jar; twist the strings together so you are creating one bunch of tea bags.
Insert the bunch into the metal pitcher and clip the strings to the side. If the bag has no strings just toss them into the metal pitcher.
Fill a kettle with filtered water and just bring to boil. Pour over the tea bags into the metal pitcher. Allow to brew 3-4 hours on the countertop. Protect your countertop from the heat with a trivet.
When cooled, pour the brew into the glass container you use for your ice tea. Sweeten as preferred although, the flavors are so unique, I don’t taste the need to sweeten at all. Keep refrigerated.
Homemade Ice Tea Tips for Success
Now here are a few things I have learned over the years:
- I tried using the saved tea bags for sun tea, but I did not like the results. Again the flavors were not as strong.
- I tried – once – to skip the metal pitcher and use the glass jar for initial brewing. Yeah, the water was too hot and it broke the glass. So now it’s a two step process.
- I save the tea bags in a medium size olive jar. I found that a smaller jar did not have enough bags; something larger and there were too many bags. I know I need to brew more tea when my jar is full of used tea bags. You may need to experiment with what works best for you.
- It’s strange, but I usually have enough used bags to make ice tea, even in the summer time (I love drinking hot tea year-round). Otherwise supplement with fresh bags of your preference.
A refreshing drink — just say “Ahhhhh”
Now you have a refreshing homemade drink to enjoy when the heat of summer makes you parched and it’s just a bit early for adult beverages — like Julie’s Cosmopolitan Cocktail — during happy hour on your patio.
And, if you’re invited to a patio party and asked to bring something to share, you can bottle and label your homemade, handmade concoction, make a pan of Sausage Wonton Cups and seriously impress your host and their guests!
Please leave a comment: Homemade Ice Tea
Tell us how your ice tea turned out and what flavors you used for your mix. Did you modify the recipe? If so, please share.
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