herbal teas that won't mold

[AwakenedMama]

I have a good herb garden going and bought a glass infusion jar to keep on my counter, thinking I could make a tea with some of my herbs and then drink from the room temperature jar for awhile.

We made a tea yesterday with fresh mint and some goji berries - just put them in, let it sit in the sun all day, then removed the herbs and berries. And, this morning already, it is moldy!

What can I brew in this jar that won't mold?

Thanks for any tips.

[Magelet]

I don't know of anything. Most teas I make mold after just a day or two at room temp. I don't think keeping it at room temp will work.

[JessicaS]

Anything like that will get moldy keeping it at room temp.

I have mint and goji berries I might try that


Sun tea is brewed at *just* the right temperature to grow things. Can the jar handle hot water? Is it made for brewing tea?

[AwakenedMama]

No, you can't put hot water in the jar. Just cold or room temp. So I either have to sunbrew in the jar or brew out of the jar and cool before adding...

Thanks for tips!

What about just putting some lemon slices in water? I wonder if that will mold...

[JessicaS]

Introducing any sort of botanicals to water will mold if it is kept at room temperature unless it is very salty or very acidic and no sugar.

Lemon slices will mold.

I would put anything in the fridge. I make tea everyday but I make a fresh batch everyday or I put it in the fridge.

[Arduinna]

Yep, just keep it in the fridge. I use mint from my garden and have had the mint tea with the leaves still in it left in the pitcher in my fridge for a couple days without any problems. But I use near boiling water to make my tea. I'd probably get another pot that you can use very hot water in and store in the fridge.

[AwakenedMama]

Unfortunately, it's a large countertop glass jar that won't fit in a fridge. I guess I'll just have to use it for plain water

[sunnysandiegan]

Room temp is definitely the problem. Even water in a jar like that *could* get a bit icky quickly. Fresh running room temp water is okay, but sitting still encourages bacteria and mold to grow.

You could make the sun tea stronger than you ultimately want and add ice to the jar to preserve it longer. Lemonade or even lemon/citrus slices with some herbs, too. Add ice to plain water, too.

If, like me, you prefer room temp for drinking pleasure/preference, then let just your glass of the beverage warm up to room temp before drinking it. I do that with most beverages out of the fridge. (My kidneys strongly prefer room temp or warm beverages.)