How to Make a Gallon of Green Sun Tea

Credit: sleepyneko - Credit: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

Sun tea is a refreshing drink that has been enjoyed by generations of people. The hot weather of summertime provides the perfect opportunity to make this refreshing drink. Making sun tea is an environmentally-friendly method of making tea because it does not use any cooking fuel. Homemade green sun tea has a delicate flavor and contains the health properties of green tea extract.

Things You'll Need

• 1-gallon glass jar with lid
• 1 gallon distilled water
• 16 green tea bags

Instructions

1. Disinfect a 1-gallon glass jar in hot soapy water to remove any harmful bacteria that could contaminate your sun tea.

2. Put 16 green tea bags in the glass jar.

3. Fill the 1-gallon glass jar with distilled water. Distilled water has gone through a heat process which removes harmful bacteria from the water. A bacteria called Alcaligenes viscolactis is often found in tap water. The Center for Disease Control warms that the bacteria can multiply during the process of making sun tea to dangerous levels. Distilled water minimizes the risk of Alcaligenes viscolactis.

4. Place the lid on top of the glass jar. If you do not have a lid for the jar, cover the jar with plastic wrap.

5. Put the glass jar outside in a sunny area and let it sit for three hours. Regularly check the glass jar to make sure that it is being exposed to full sunlight. Relocate the jar if necessary, to keep it in the sun.

6. Chill the jar of sun tea in the refrigerator after it has steeped in the sun for three hours. For best results, drink the tea within two days.

7. Pour the green sun tea over a cup of ice to make a refreshing drink. To impart a sweet flavor, add honey or sugar to the tea.

Tips & Warnings

• Look for signs of bacteria in your sun tea. If your sun tea contains tiny threads or looks cloudy or thick, immediately discard it. They are visual signs of a bacteria. The Center for Disease Control recommends against drinking sun tea because of the potential of harmful bacteria. They instead recommend making ice tea with boiling water. While the use of a clean glass jar and distilled water minimizes the risk of harmful bacteria, it is not a guarantee that it is safe to drink.

Resources

• Buy Organic Green Tea Bags Online