National Tea Day Celebration- How to Brew the Best Sun Tea and Other Tea Recipes & Suggestions

Brooke Amidei
3 days ago
7 min read

My mom and I were on the phone and just happened to both be mixing up our iced tea for the day when we started comparing notes. My mom's love of a perfectly brewed ice tea has definitely been transferred to both my sister and I. We know exactly which restaurants have the best iced tea (Red Lobster, Olive Garden and McDonalds) and we are constantly trying to perfect our own method for brewing the best iced tea at home. The first batch of fresh sun tea always kicks off summer and now we're sharing all our favorite ice tea recipes, hacks and years of knowledge.

National Ice Tea Day is Tuesday, June 10th.

Why drink iced tea besides how freaking delicious and light and refreshing it is?!

Let's jump into it.

☀️ Health Benefits of Iced Tea

(especially when unsweetened or lightly sweetened)

Hydration
- Like water, iced tea keeps you hydrated—important for energy, skin health, and digestion.
Antioxidants
- Teas (especially green, black, white, and oolong) contain antioxidants like flavonoids and catechins that help fight cell damage and reduce inflammation.
Supports Heart Health
- Regular consumption of tea (particularly black or green) has been linked to lower blood pressure and reduced risk of heart disease.
May Boost Metabolism
- Green tea, in particular, may give your metabolism a mild boost thanks to caffeine and catechins.
Less Caffeine than Coffee
- Iced tea generally has less caffeine than coffee, making it a gentler pick-me-up without the jitters.
May Aid Digestion
- Herbal teas like peppermint or ginger iced tea can soothe the digestive tract.
Can Support Oral Health
- Tea contains natural fluoride and polyphenols that may help reduce bacteria and plaque buildup.
Low-Calorie Option
- Unsweetened iced tea is virtually calorie-free, making it a great alternative to sugary sodas or juices.

Okay, let's get brewing!

🌞 Classic Sun Tea Method

You’ll Need:

1 gallon (16 cups) of cold water
6–10 regular-size tea bags (black, green, or herbal)
1 clear glass container with a lid
Sunshine (at least 3–5 hours of it)

Instructions:

Fill the jar: Add cold water to a clean 1-gallon glass jar.
Add tea bags: Tie them together at the tags and drape them over the edge so they’re easy to remove later.
Seal it up: Put the lid on loosely or cover with a clean cloth to keep bugs out.
Set it in the sun: Place the jar outside in direct sunlight for 3 to 5 hours.
Taste test: Once brewed to your liking, remove tea bags.
Chill and serve: Refrigerate immediately. Serve over ice with lemon, mint, or fruit if desired.

⚠️ Sun Tea Safety Tips (Important!)

Sun tea can breed bacteria if left too long in warm temps. Follow these safety tips:

Use a clean container every time.
Steep for no more than 5 hours.
Refrigerate immediately after brewing—don’t let it sit out overnight.
Drink within 24–48 hours.

Our personal notes on creating the best ice tea at home:

Water is really important. We definitely suggest filtered or distilled.
Also it is key to have a great container. I was originally using a plastic tea container, but that doesn't seem like a super healthy option. I switched to a large glass mason jar which was great, but hard to pour out of and made a mess. I now suggest one of these two. Great size for brewing up a decent size batch of tea, great size for the fridge, both made of glass so no worries of BPA and both pour without a mess.

Ice is also really important- clear and pebbly is preferred. Did you know you can buy ice by the bag from Sonic? Do this. Do this, this summer for whatever party you're going to, or just to make your daily drink extra delicious. You know you'll be the hero at any summer gathering if you show up with this coveted ice.
As for the type of tea to purchase for sun tea we've never been super fond of the "cold brew" type of tea even though we both wanted to be. My mom's choice is either Luzianne Ice Tea or Ya'Alls Sweet Tea (it's not that sweet) that she buys direct from their website. It comes in 10 big packets so it makes 10 gallons.
I always question how many bags to put in, but it truly doesn't really matter. As with any tea making, go with the color. Once the hue is just what you're hoping for, it's done. Don't over think it. Just stick some tea bags in there, place it in the sun and when it looks the right shade of tea you like, put it in the fridge so you are ready to pour over ice and enjoy!
I also just made my first batch of Mint Tea over the weekend because the mint in my garden was going out of control. I read that I could literally just make it with mint alone, but I tossed in a couple of tea bags as well. It's SO refreshing! Tastes like you just brushed your teeth!

My mom has another method when you are wanting that glass of tea even sooner and it's honestly delicious this way too.

♨️ Stove/Microwave Option

If you have a glass measuring cup, or other microwave save glass bowl, fill with 2 cups of distilled water.
Put 3 regular size tea bags in and stick it in the microwave for 5-6 minutes until it's rolling boiling
Then take it out and let it steep for 15 minutes.
Add more cool water until it makes about a gallon. Again, always judge by the color of the tea to your preference.

We love our tea because it's not carbonated so it isn't bloating. It's also so refreshing with just the right amount of caffeine kick.

Green Tea

I also developed an iced green tea obsession when living in Japan. My absolute favorite that you can find all over Japan called Ito En Tea Oi Ocha Green Tea. It's also so light and refreshing and packed with all of the health benefits of green tea. I still buy this often off Amazon as a guilt-free daily treat and have been starting to brewing my own as well. This is my go to if I'm purchasing green tea. I would've never thought I would like something tropical, but I begged a local restaurant to tell me what tea they were using and I'm so glad they caved and told me. It's delightful and an easy entry if you don't think you are a green tea lover just yet.

Other tips, tricks and tidbits:

It can be fun to jazz up your tea with half regular tea and half sweet tea. Easy to do yourself at McDonalds and other places that have a strong ice tea game.
My mom once had a waitress at Red Lobster bring her a bag of tea to take home when she wouldn't stop raving about it. It was huge- coffee filter sized and she absolutely loved it!
The perfect color of tea, in our opinion, is the iced tea that the characters are drinking on Young & the Restless. IYKYK. Always makes us want our own tea!

There is a tea for every occassion!

Tea Party Tea

One of our favorite memories are from the tea parties we had with our kiddos when they were little.

Below are some of our most favorite tea parties. The first was one we went to where they had little doll chairs and you invited your stuffed animal or doll to come with you. The second photos are from my grandmother's 95th birthday tea party. complete with hats and speeches.

There are many ways to get a great tea set. Some of ours have come from second hand stores, but here are our favorites from Amazon.

I love this one that comes with a matching cupcake tier because you know you're serving up some sort of treat too!

This one is cute if you want to be able to display it when it's not in use.

A great disposable option if you don't want to store the tea set.

We did lose a ceramic tea set when my boys were having a tea party in our backyard with their cousin Sadie (trying to welcome our girl to our house). Apparently a bee flew by and my boys started throwing the ceramic tea cups at it to get it to go away. Boys and tea parties can be interesting. Memorable for sure- I think little Sadie was shocked!

Happy Hour Tea

If you are looking for something a little more grown-up than the Long Island Ice Tea, and not as strong, here's an idea for you to try.

🍑 Bourbon Peach Iced Tea Cocktail

A smooth, lightly sweet cocktail with real iced tea, perfect for sipping on a patio or at a brunch.

Ingredients (makes 1 cocktail):

2 oz bourbon (choose a smooth one like Bulleit or Maker’s Mark)
4 oz iced black tea (unsweetened or lightly sweetened)
½ oz peach liqueur (or 1 oz peach nectar or juice if you want it even lighter)
½ oz lemon juice (fresh)
Optional: ½ oz simple syrup (if you like it sweeter)
Mint sprig or peach slice for garnish
Ice

Instructions:

Fill a shaker with ice.
Add bourbon, peach liqueur, lemon juice, and iced tea (plus simple syrup if using).
Shake briefly and strain into a rocks glass or a tall glass filled with fresh ice.
Garnish with a mint sprig or peach slice.

🥂 Why it's great:

More refined than a Long Island
Not too strong, but still flavorful
Easily made in batches for a party
You can switch peach for blackberry, raspberry, or even lavender depending on your vibe

The Arnold Palmer

My Southern friend is sending over her favorite recipe, so I will report back. Stay tuned.

Hot Tea

Hot tea- a love affair all of it's own. My personal favorites that I always have on hand are...

Bengal Spice for a fun little zing of a tea! Great with added honey.
Irish Breakfast Black Tea- a classic.
Earl Grey- another classic and maybe my favorite everyday tea.
Throat Coat -as a gal who looses her voice a lot this has been a staple over the years. So soothing!
Echinacea Immune Support- when you feel sickness coming on or if you've already been taken down with a cold or the flu.
Bedtime Tea- perfect to wind down.
Red Rooibos Tea- a great option to replace your cup of coffee in the morning.

Tea to Soothe When Your Sick

And our favorite tea anytime we are sick the Medicine Ball. Click here for our directions on how to make your own at home, or just order one up at Starbucks.

Bubble Tea

One tea trend I have not personally gotten behind, and truly have no desire to is the Bubble tea trend. I just think it sounds so scary to suck up a piece of tapioca into your straw.

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