We can all agree that besides water, tea is the second most loved beverage across the world.
Be it hot or cold; everyone enjoys tea thanks to its versatility.
Cold in the summers and hot in the winters, this duality has made tea an all seasons drink.
Brew yourself a cup of tea or purchase a pre-packed tea in a bottle.
Most tea drinkers would not be able to point out the difference. But a tea lover will know the exact difference between the two and the benefit of one over the other.
How to bottle tea?
Bottling tea is no rocket science. All you must do is prepare a batch as you would normally, and then remove any tea bags or loose-leaf tea from it. Then pour your tea into bottles while still hot. Finally, screw on the caps and let it cool.
Easy Steps on how to bottle tea
Bottling tea is not complicated in any way. To bottle your tea the best way possible, follow these nine steps:
Step 1: Prepare the Tea
In this step, you simply need to prepare your tea as you would always do. But, make sure you do not add in any additives such as lemon or sugar during this step. However, if you always have your tea with sugar and lemon, then you can add them in.
Step 2: Remove solid ingredients
Once you have prepared your tea, you will need to remove all of the solid ingredients within it and any tea bags as well.
Step 3: Heat bottles
This step is simple as you only need to heat the bottles at 350 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven.
Step 4: Sterilize caps
Take your caps and put them in 180 degrees Fahrenheit water in order to sterilize them. Then let the heat increase so that the water level reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 5: Lower heat
Reduce the brewed teas temperature to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. If you leave the tea at 350 degrees Fahrenheit the tea will become bitter, and the flavors will evaporate.
Step 6: Add other ingredients
You can now remove your brewed tea off of the heat and add other ingredients to it if you would like. However, this step is not necessary.
Step 7: Put in bottles
In this step, you should funnel the brewed tea into the hot bottles.
Step 8: Cap the bottles
You should immediately cap the bottles once you have poured the brewed tea into the hot bottles.
Step 9: Cool the tea
Let the tea cool slowly under room temperature.
Ways to make bottled tea last longer
Sometimes you can end up brewing a large pot of tea, and you may not want to throw it away.
In this case, you can follow a few basic tips that will allow you to store your tea rather than pouring it down the drain.
Generally, Bottled tea will only last three. However, you can store it in the fridge to make it last for up to five days.
You should make sure that the tea is kept in an airtight container to stop it from absorbing other flavors or smells that may be present in the fridge. This will also stop the growth of bacteria in your tea.
Another method to preserve your bottled tea is by storing it in the freezer.
This is a no-brainer, but many people have a misconception about tea losing its flavors once it is frozen when in fact, this never happens.
If you too want to store some extra tea for later use, then you should store it in the freezer as any amount that you make that is not consumable within three to five days should always be stored within the freezer.
Your bottled tea can last up to six months in the freezer; after six months, you should toss it away.
Causes Behind bottled tea going bad faster
Kitchen hygiene: Even if you just recently bought new tea leaves or tea bags, using a dirty teapot, container, or utensil can easily contaminate the tea. You must also make sure your hands are clean before you make tea.
Unsuitable storage: Tea storage is similar to any other food storage. You must make sure that you keep your bottled tea in the fridge, or else it will get ruined within a few days.
Wrong water temperature: When you brew your tea before you bottle it up, it is extremely important that you keep the temperature at a maximum of 195 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature level will kill off every mold or bacteria that may be on the tea leaves, causing the tea to last longer, and you are less likely to get sick as well.
Neglecting the use of airtight containers: You must always keep your bottled tea in an airtight container when you place it in the fridge. This will prevent the tea from changing its taste and will also keep out any bacteria or mold that may contaminate it.
Using more sweeteners: It is a widely known fact that most bacteria love to feed on sugar since they require it for fermentation. If you like to consume sweet tea but are not drinking it the day you brewed it, then it is best to not add any sugar or sweeteners into it. You can add sweeteners to your bottled tea later on once you decide to drink it.
Signs that your bottled tea is no longer good
The two most important signs include:
- The taste of the tea becoming sour
- The tea has ropy strands in it
These two signs indicate that your tea has bacterial growth in it. Thus, you should not be consuming this tea, and you must throw it out as soon as possible.
Frequently asked questions about how to bottle tea
How long will bottle tea last at room temperature?
Bottled tea only lasts for 8 hours at room temperature, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
What is the benefit of bottled tea?
Bottled tea is just as beneficial as freshly brewed tea. It, too, is capable of lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.