There are few things that feel more like summer than a pitcher of homemade sun tea slowly brewing on the porch.
For many of us, sun tea brings back memories of childhood summers—glass jars sitting in the sunshine, waiting to transform ordinary water into something refreshing and delicious. It's simple, inexpensive, and a wonderful excuse to experiment with different tea blends and flavor combinations.
If you've been looking for a reason to dust off your favorite teas, this is it.
What Is Sun Tea?
Sun tea is exactly what it sounds like: tea brewed using the gentle warmth of the sun rather than boiling water. The process is slower than traditional brewing, resulting in a smooth, mellow flavor that's especially refreshing served over ice.
Because the tea steeps gradually, subtle flavors often shine through, making sun tea an excellent choice for herbal teas, fruit teas, green teas, and lighter black teas.
How to Make Sun Tea
You'll Need:
- A clean glass pitcher or large mason jar
- 1 gallon of water
- 6–8 tea bags (or 2–3 tablespoons loose tea in an infuser)
- Sunshine
Instructions:
- Fill your pitcher or jar with water.
- Add your tea bags or tea infuser.
- Cover the container.
- Place it in direct sunlight for 2–4 hours.
- Remove the tea bags.
- Refrigerate until chilled.
- Serve over ice and enjoy.
For best results, don't leave the tea in the sun for more than 4 hours. If you'd like a stronger brew, simply move it to the refrigerator and allow it to continue steeping there.
Our Favorite Summer Tea Combinations
One of the best things about sun tea is how easy it is to customize.
Peach Summer Tea
- Black tea
- Fresh peach slices
- A drizzle of honey
Strawberry Hibiscus Cooler
- Hibiscus tea
- Sliced strawberries
- Fresh mint
Cucumber Mint Refresher
- Mint tea
- Thin cucumber slices
- Lemon wedges
Citrus Green Tea
- Green tea
- Orange slices
- Fresh ginger
Backyard Berry Blend
- Mixed berry herbal tea
- Fresh raspberries
- Lemon
Why Make Sun Tea Instead of Hot-Brewed Iced Tea?
Many iced tea recipes start by brewing a concentrated batch of hot tea and then cooling it down. While this works, it can sometimes lead to cloudy tea.
The cloudiness happens when tannins and caffeine compounds are extracted rapidly in hot water and then cooled. The tea is still perfectly safe to drink, but it can look less appealing and sometimes taste slightly more bitter.
Sun tea brews much more gently. The gradual warming from the sun extracts flavor slowly, resulting in tea that is often:
- Clearer in appearance
- Less bitter
- Smoother tasting
- Naturally refreshing
Many tea drinkers find that delicate flavors, especially in herbal and fruit teas, come through more clearly when brewed slowly.
A Tradition Worth Keeping
In a world full of complicated recipes and endless kitchen gadgets, sun tea is a reminder that some of the best things are still the simplest.
A jar of water. A few tea bags. A sunny afternoon.
Whether you're hosting friends on the patio, reading a book in the backyard, or simply looking for a refreshing alternative to sugary drinks, sun tea is an easy way to slow down and savor the season.
So grab your favorite blend, find a sunny spot, and let summer do the brewing.