When helping out at a summer event, I didn't brew hot tea for the iced tea - but just made "sun tea" by soaking the teabags in the urns we had and putting them in the sun. It made tea concentrate, and didn't have to be cooled down very much to drink. It just needed a bit of ice!
Did a bit of research and found that the bacteria come from the water and not the dried tea. (Wouldn't that also be true for water straight from the tap?) And the caffeine in the tea will inhibit any bacteria for a few hours - which is as long as events last! Just put it in a very clean container - and cool it asap - I most make refrigerator tea, which being kept cold is supposed to be oK - But herbal tea does not have the caffeine to inhibit the bacteria - so that would be a problem. I prefer my ice tea on the weak side, actually - so brewed ice tea seems too strong for me.
I too have heard that sun tea is not safe. Tea bags have bacteria, germs or whatever, being that it's a natural product. They need to brew in boiling water to kill whatever could make you sick. I know there's plenty of people who've drank sun tea for years with no ill effects but probably isn't the best practice.
I myself never cared for the taste of sun tea. It just isn't that good full-bodied taste that you get from brewing. I bought a Mr Coffee iced tea maker from Wal-Mart for 20 bucks and I can make up to 3 qts quick as a wink. Within just a short period of time you are drinking fresh, delicious, cold iced tea.
I have to agree with hamnurse. I used to do the same thing until I read an article on a health page that made sense. Making it outside and then bringing to a picnic would double the problem of bacteria.I just put in in the frig and it makes tea the same way.
Correct me if I am wrong, but did we not hear on TV, etc. that this method does not raise the temperature high enough to kill bacteria found in tea? I was under the impression we are supposed to bring the water temp to a near boil for a minute or two, then add the tea, then steep for 5 minutes. Just wondering.
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