As the weather warms up, many look at ways to make iced tea without a special brewer or the stove. Sun iced tea has been a favorite for decades. This method for brewing tea requires minimal effort, which is why it’s a favorite method. However, there are some health concerns when it comes to this kind of iced tea. Before you stick your next iced tea jug outside to brew, here are some things you should know.
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Iced Tea Sun Tea Bacteria Concerns
In the mid 90s there was an incident in Washington State where several people became ill after drinking tea from a local restaurant. After investigating, it was discovered the restaurant was using the sun iced tea method to make their tea. No one thought that this was bad, and not many people realized it could make you ill. After that incident the CDC actually released a statement regarding the safety of iced tea left outside to brew. The bottom line: It’s not safe. Water that is allowed to sit outdoors, even when covered in a sun iced tea pot, will create an atmosphere that is perfect for breeding bacteria. Even at its hottest the iced tea won’t get to temperatures above 130 degrees, far less than what is necessary to kill of bacteria. In light of this, the CDC did release basic guidelines to making this kind of iced tea safer.
CDC Suggestions Regarding the Pitcher
There are some ways you can make this method safer without resorting to an iced tea maker. First, use a glass container without a spout or spigot. The glass itself isn’t going to prevent the growth of bacteria. But, using plastic will allow the bacteria to permeate in to the material, making it harder to clean well later. An iced tea pitcher with a spout may be easy to use, but bacteria can hang out around this area since it’s so hard to clean. Before you make a pitcher of tea, make sure you clean the iced tea pot thoroughly. Dipping the pot in a solution of hot water with 1 tablespoon of bleach for each gallon of water will help dramatically.
Brewing the Tea
The sun, even in the sunniest location, won’t get the tea to the safest temperature of 195 degree. Because of this some extra precautions should be taken. First, don’t allow the iced tea to sit outside for more than 3 hours. Don’t brew more than you plan on drinking in a day. Watch for tea that becomes syrupy or sludgy. Sludge in the tea usually denotes the presence of bacteria. It’s strongly recommended that when the tea is done brewing outdoors that you bring it up to 195 degrees on the stove. This will help kill bacteria that may have started to build. If you are brewing southern iced tea, wait to add the sugar until once the tea has been brought indoors. Sugar in the tea will help increase the odds of growing bacteria while it’s outside brewing.
Alternative Iced Tea Recipes
Instead of brewing tea outdoors, consider making refrigerator tea. With this you can still use the sun tea container, and add your tea bags to the mix like you normally would. But instead of placing it outside, let it brew in the fridge overnight. The method is just as simple, and much safer. The taste will also be fresher. Many brands now make cold brew tea bags. Lipton iced tea and Luzianne iced tea both offer these varieties. These work by simply adding the iced tea bag to a glass or pitcher of cold water. In just a matter of minutes, you have perfect iced tea without the same concerns.
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