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"Sun tea" is funny... it doesn't really need any sun to work. It's just a cold infusion. Tests prove it, people don't believe it, but it's true.
LIpton should be fine if it's fresh, but tea that is not stored in a tight can or box can easily absorb bad odors and weird tastes. The cardboard box Lipton's comes in is OK for short term storage, if you're going to use it quickly, but for long-term storage it needs to be moved to something airtight.
Well OpenD, none of that really matters. What matters is that making Sun Tea is nostalgic. It's a feel good thing that makes you think of your mom or dad who did it or your grandma.
Sun tea just feels good. What tests do or people believe in this matter I don't care. Thanks for the post though. This tea can not have been fresh. Once I put some ice in a glass and had some it was much better. It may have been a bit strong.
Once I put some ice in a glass and had some it was much better. It may have been a bit strong.
That may be a clue. Sometime people making iced tea try to make it stronger by steeping the tea longer, which mostly just increases the tannins, and hence the bitterness and astringency. 3 minutes is all it takes. The correct way to increase the strength of tea for use as iced tea is to use twice as much tea. You can always dilute it with water if you get it too strong.
The other thing a lot of people get wrong (I come from two tea drinking families) is to brew it with boiling water. In fact, the best tea is made slightly off the boil. Black and Oolong tea at 195 F, green tea at 175 F.
Anyway, this website has a great chart on quantities, temperatures and brew times for various teas and herbal infusions.
That may be a clue. Sometime people making iced tea try to make it stronger by steeping the tea longer, which mostly just increases the tannins, and hence the bitterness and astringency. 3 minutes is all it takes. The correct way to increase the strength of tea for use as iced tea is to use twice as much tea. You can always dilute it with water if you get it too strong.
The other thing a lot of people get wrong (I come from two tea drinking families) is to brew it with boiling water. In fact, the best tea is made slightly off the boil. Black and Oolong tea at 195 F, green tea at 175 F.
Anyway, this website has a great chart on quantities, temperatures and brew times for various teas and herbal infusions.
I forgot I had a giant family sized tea bag steeping for about 20 minutes and when I tasted it, it was awful. I thought the tea bags were not more than a few months old so I tried an experiment. I kept the awful tea and then brewed another tea bag for only 3 minutes like I have read. Then I tasted them side by side and the difference was amazing.
Here in the south you can find many a restaurant with Ice Tea on the menu and under it says "Unsweetened, Sweetened or Seriously Sweetened" Always gets a chuckle from visiting Yankees.
I forgot I had a giant family sized tea bag steeping for about 20 minutes and when I tasted it, it was awful. I thought the tea bags were not more than a few months old so I tried an experiment. I kept the awful tea and then brewed another tea bag for only 3 minutes like I have read. Then I tasted them side by side and the difference was amazing.
OMG, tea steeped for 20 minutes is horrible. No wonder!
Yes, tea should only be steeped 3 minutes. To make it stronger, use more tea, not longer steep times.
OMG, tea steeped for 20 minutes is horrible. No wonder!
Yes, tea should only be steeped 3 minutes. To make it stronger, use more tea, not longer steep times.
Well, I think it depends on what kind of tea it is. The herbal teas don't seem to get that nastiness, at least in my experience.
One of the things I do to to watch that I don't squeeze the tea bag as I'm bringing it out of the water; nor do I stir with the spoon whilst it is infusing. In other words, treat those tea leaves very gently and the tea won't be bitter.
Well, I think it depends on what kind of tea it is. The herbal teas don't seem to get that nastiness, at least in my experience.
That's true, as the brewing chart I posted earlier clearly shows.
But it brings up a pet peeve... Teas are teas, herbal infusions are herbal infusions. I do not like calling infusions "herbal teas."
If it does not have the cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant in it, I don't call it tea.
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