Delicious, Unique Sun Tea Recipes

There are few things as thirst-quenching on a sweltering summer day as a chilly glass of freshly brewed iced tea. If you are tired of plain old tea with lemon and sugar, or you want to impress some guests on a blistering day, sample these simple to make, delicious, and decadently different iced tea recipes based on a summer staple, sun tea.

Sun tea is simple to make, and even conserves energy, since its source of heat is that big fireball in the sky! Follow this simple recipe to make delicious sun tea to use in the subsequent recipes.

Basic Sun Tea

Ingredients:
4 family-size tea bags
1 gallon water

Directions:
Fill a glass jug with water and place tea bags in the water. Screw on the jug's lid. Place the jug on a cement sidewalk or block wall (the extra heat from the cement will help brew the tea). Make sure it is early in the day, as you will need six to eight hours to brew the tea. When the tea has steeped to your desired strength, remove tea bags and refrigerate.

Pomegranates have been greatly touted in recent months for their numerous health benefits. Enjoy the fruit's unique flavor in this delightful tea, made by the glass.

Pomegranate Sun Tea

Ingredients:
2 ounces pomegranate juice
1 ounce simple syrup (dissolve equal parts sugar and water)
5 ounces tea

Directions:
Combine pomegranate juice and simple syrup. Stir juice mixture into tea. Pour into tall glass over ice and enjoy!

This final recipe pays homage to my region, the Southwest U.S.

Prickly Pear Sun Tea

Ingredients:
8 ounces tea
1 teaspoon prickly pear nectar (find it here)

Directions:
Combine tea and nectar. Pour into tall glass over ice and imagine a cool evening breeze in the Sonoran Desert.