annemckinney

Sun Coffee

This batch of sun coffee has been brewing for over 8 hours with a high of 84F and full sun up until the sun moved headed too far west. It’s still warm enough to keep brewing inside for another hour or so, aided by the aluminum foil.

This is a very simple way to pre-prepare iced coffee for a hot summer morning or camping trips. Essentially, this is like making sun tea, but with coffee. You will need a sun tea jar (at least one gallon size) and empty tea bags (designed for loose-leaf tea).

Empty tea bags are sometimes sold in places that also sell plenty varieties of loose leaf tea. As an alternative, you can use a small drawstring bag made from thin, natural fabric, as long as you can fully close it to keep the coffee grounds from escaping. Another alternative is to use “coffee singles” that come in single-serving bags like tea. If you’re at all particular about your brew, however, I recommend stuffing your own bags.

I’ve found that adding a full can of sweetened, condensed milk lends the right amount of creaminess for a gallon-sized jar of coffee and some sweetness without being overly sweet. Of course, everyone likes their coffee a certain type of way, so use your preferred additions and try mixing in a little at a time until it tastes right.

One batch of sun coffee + 1 can sweetened, condensed milk made enough to fill 7 Ice soda bottles (17 oz.). All but one of these are going in the freezer to help keep my cooler cold for an upcoming road trip!

If you plan to go camping, you can make a batch of sun coffee and pour it into PLASTIC bottles, then freeze them to double as ice packs for your cooler for the first couple days of your trip. They will gradually thaw, and as they do you can replenish your cooler with ice. Clean, empty soda bottles work well for this. DO NOT USE GLASS BOTTLES unless you look forward to cleaning broken glass and exploded bits of frozen coffee out of your freezer.

1/2 cup ground coffee (8 scoops)
1 gallon water

Optional:
1 can sweetened, condensed milk (or your favorite cream, milk, or liquid creamer)
Sugar or sweetener to taste

Put the coffee in the bags, then in the jar. Run the tap hot before adding water to the jar, as this will help the brewing process.

Set the jar outside in the sun, for at least 4-5 hours if not all day, and let it steep. If the outdoor temperature isn’t scorching hot, set a piece of aluminum foil shiny-side-up underneath the jar to reflect more sun inside. I like to set it out in the morning before work and do the rest after work.

When it looks dark enough, or when the sun has moved on later in the day, bring it back inside and remove the coffee bags. If it’s still warm, you can leave it for a while longer to continue to steep on the counter.

Add your choice of creamer and/or sweetener to taste. If using powdered creamer, it will mix better if you stir it with a whisk. It’s good practice to add a little and taste it before adding more if you’re not sure how much you want the first time.

Set it in the refrigerator to cool overnight.

In the morning, enjoy a nice, cool glass of iced coffee (with or without actual ice cubes). This can also be poured into an easy-to-clean water bottle and stuffed into a bag before going to work.