Warning: Boiling Water Ahead
Posted on June 29, 2006 17 Comments
Last night, I learned you cannot pour boiling hot water from a teapot into a glass “sun tea maker.” Because instead of getting a delightful batch of brewed tea that you can put in the fridge with ice cubes, you instead get a very cranky, loud “POP!” sound, followed by an explosion of broken glass and then your kitchenette turns into a boiling hot, tea-bagged river.
Hopefully this will save you from throwing away $20 the next time you have an urge for iced tea.
You’re welcome.
Category: Old Posts
Comments
17 Responses to “Warning: Boiling Water Ahead”
Leave a Reply
June 29th, 2006 @ 3:47 pm
I fill my glass sun tea container with ice cubes then poor in the hot water. Never broke one yet. Still have the speed of boiling water seeping the tea bags.
June 29th, 2006 @ 4:19 pm
I use canning jars. They seem to be more heat resistant.They come up to gallon size but I like the quart or 1/2 gallon better.
June 29th, 2006 @ 4:43 pm
Isn’t that just regular tea, not sun tea?
June 29th, 2006 @ 5:38 pm
Yes it is, Penty! I never get home in time to see the sun, though, so I got antsy and tried to make regular tea, then just ice it down. Clearly a no-no.
June 29th, 2006 @ 5:56 pm
The company Beehouse makes a nice ceramic iced tea pitcher that you can put boiling water in and that goes straight into the refrigerator. I bought it after having an accident with a glass pitcher similar to what you described!
June 29th, 2006 @ 6:49 pm
i hope that you aren’t burned though! i had an accident from with boiling hot water two weeks ago and the burns are only just healing!
June 29th, 2006 @ 8:49 pm
I have an iced tea maker made by Mr. Coffee. LOVE IT!
June 30th, 2006 @ 2:17 am
When I was a waitress, we were taught to put an ice tea spoon (long handled spoon) in the glass, put fill the glass 3/4 with ice and aim the tea onto the spoon so it poured down the spoon onto the ice. Never broke a glass. I still do it when I make iced coffee from brewed coffee, too.
June 30th, 2006 @ 2:43 am
As hot as it’s been here lately sun tea is ready in a hour… don’t forget to add sugar while it’s hot too!
June 30th, 2006 @ 5:59 am
Sun? In Chicago? I didn’t know local laws allowed that…
I do know there is a huge cold lake nestled right up next to Chicago and that you can look at cool fish next to the lake.
Perhaps someone should try bottling and selling “Lake Michigan Regular Tea Made in a Sun Tea Pitcher” with a sub label of “No glass shards in this tea.”
Oh, is it 2AM? I should stop before I embarass myself.
June 30th, 2006 @ 12:25 pm
Having grown up in ice-tea land, I feel qualified to tell you that, to avoid busted-up glass in the future, you must do one of two things: have a little cool water waiting in the bottom of the glass, and pour in the warm water slowly (this is after steeping the tea), or make sure the glass is already warm, so when you *slowly* pour in the tea, you won’t cause a sudden change in temperature.
Good Luck!
Don’t try to steep the tea in the fridge, steep the tea in a separate container for 10 or 15 minutes, add sugar, then pour into container with cool water (to dilute).
June 30th, 2006 @ 2:19 pm
“Perhaps someone should try bottling and selling “Lake Michigan Regular Tea Made in a Sun Tea Pitcher” with a sub label of ‘No glass shards in this tea.”
LOL alberen! You made my morning
June 30th, 2006 @ 9:07 pm
Instead of making “sun tea”, you are actually better off making the regular tea and icing it.
http://www.snopes.com/food/prepare/suntea.asp
Now, I am sure that many people have been making sun tea for years with no ill effects, but if this is the kind of thing that would bug you, just be aware.
July 2nd, 2006 @ 1:19 am
I make “sun tea” by placing the bags in regular cool water and sitting it out overnight usually (note lack of sun or hot water). It does take longer and someone mentioned the time saving factor – however, this can be made while you’re off at work, etc. and doesn’t actually require sun.
July 5th, 2006 @ 4:17 pm
I hope you weren’t injured.
Always cool the hot water down first. I’ve been told to make hot tea super strong first, let it cool a bit and then pour into the glass pitcher for the fridge.
However, I don’t drink much iced tea unless it’s Snapple. I prefer it hot without sugar, Asian-style.
July 6th, 2006 @ 6:42 pm
Pyrex! Pyrex does not shatter when you go from hot to cold and cold to hot. Its a magical thing. My third grade teacher shattered a glass this way and that day we learned about magical pyrex.
July 17th, 2006 @ 10:56 pm
Whenever pouring a boiling hot liquid into a glass container you’re not sure can “take the heat” — just place a metal spoon in the container first. The metal will absorb some of the heat and the glass shouldn’t break. Old bartending trick for Irish Coffee!!