How to Make Herbal Sun Tea

A Refreshing, Good-For You Herbal Infusion Made with the Power of the Sun

Making sun tea is one of my favorite summer rituals - there is something so special and nostalgic about brewing a jar of medicinal herbs using the power of the sun. When it’s hot out and you want something a little yummier than water, homebrewed iced tea is a refreshing and good for you solution!

When made with medicinal plants and fruit, herbal sun tea becomes a health-boosting herbal infusion personalized to suit your flavors, tastes, and needs. Not to mention, it’s a super fun and easy way to get to know herbs and their flavor profiles, thereby deepening your connection to herbalism and plant medicine.

Sun tea might also be the easiest beverage you can make - all you do is pick which plants to use, put them in a jar with water, and set it out in the sun for several hours. There is no specific recipe - making sun tea encourages you to play and experiment. For extra fun, I love to add tinctures, fresh flowers, and flower essences, depending on my mood. 

You don’t need to have a garden full of herbs and fruits to make sun tea, either. You can use fresh herbs from the produce department of your local market (basil, mint, and lemongrass tea anyone?) or you can use dried herbs, boxed tea bags, and even sliced fruit!

To make a jar of herbal sun tea, all you do is fill the jar halfway full with plants (or add a few spoonfuls of dried herbs), top off with filtered water, and set it in the sun for the entire day. When it’s done, strain the herbs, add honey or agave or even maple syrup if you like, ice, and voila! A refreshing and healthy drink for you. If you are feeling extra fancy, you can topp off your glass with sliced lemon, oranges, berries, and cucumbers, too!

You can have so much fun experimenting with herbs to make sun tea.

Here are a few of my favorite herbal combinations for sun tea:

Fresh Herbs

• Lemon Balm + Tulsi Basil (with lemon slices and Lemon Balm Bliss tincture)
• Borage + Spearmint + Calendula Petals
• Thai Basil + Lemon Verbena - Blackberries + Shine Your Light Mullein Flower Essence
• Bee Balm + Rose Petals + Hibiscus Flowers

Dried Herbs

Of course - our signature tea blends make super sun teas! Try:

• Afternoon Alignment + Transcendance Flower
• Raspberry Leaf Chai + a spoonful of honey
• Lemon Balm + Chamomile

Store-Bought Fresh Herbs

• Peppermint + Italian Basil (try it with sliced oranges, yum!)
• Lemongrass + Ginger + Mint

These are just a few ideas - the possibilities are truly endless! 

Recipe for Herbal Sun Tea

The amount of herbs you use depends on the size of your jar and how strong you like your tea. I like a strong tea because I can always add more water! For larger jars, just double or even triple the recipe. This recipe makes a half-gallon of tea. We use the half gallon sized mason jars - but you can really use any size jar you like.

Tools Needed to Make Fresh Herbal Sun Tea

• A mason jar or other glass receptacle with an air-tight lid
• Sunlight

Ingredients for Sun Tea

• 1-2 cups of fresh herbs
  OR 3-4 tablespoons loose tea, or 3-4 tea bags
• 6-8 cups of water (enough to fill your jar).

Instructions for Making Fresh Herbal Sun Tea

1. Gather your chosen herbs and rinse to remove bugs and dust.
   2. Fill a clean mason jar about 1/2 full with fresh herbs and cover with filtered water. If using dry herbs, place directly in the jar, or use a reusable muslin tea bag or cheeseloth as a tea bag.
2. Seal tightly and place in a sunny spot for 6-8 hours, giving the jar a shake a couple times over the course of the day.
   4. Strain, cool, and enjoy over ice.

For a sweetened tea, 

• Add a few pinches of stevia leaf to your herb blend before setting out to sun. 
• Or, add a tablespoon of honey, agave, or maple syrup after straining. Mix well.

That's it! So so easy. 

Do you make sun tea? Let us know your favorite combos below. Happy Brewing!