Cold-brew tea refers to iced tea made with cold water instead of boiling water. Coldwater is slower to develop flavour than hot water, so the steeping time for cold brew iced tea will take longer. The cold brew method is similar to making sun tea, except that the cold-brewed tea is kept in a large pitcher in the fridge. You can make cold brew tea with tea bags or loose leaf tea. However, loose leaf tea tends to have a better flavour than teabags. These valuable tips will help you make cold brew tea.
Easy Cold Brew Tea Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon loose tea per 8 ounces water
- Water
- Optional Flavorings (raspberries, fresh mint, flower petals, lemons, cucumbers, etc.)
Instructions:
- Fill a pitcher with either room temperature or cold water.
- Add the tea leaves. You can either place the tea leaves in a pitcher or use a filter for easy removal.
- Cover the pitcher using a tea towel or a lid and put it in the fridge.
- Allow the tea steep in hot water for 6-12 hours. For green tea and white tea, let steep for 6-8 hours, while for black tea, oolong and pu-erh teas, steep for 8-12 hours.
- You can taste the tea every few hours to find the right flavours. After the tea has been brewed, strain the concentrate using a fine mesh strainer.
- You can add flavourings to your tea then serve it over ice cubes.
Tips For Cold Brewing Tea
Making cold brew tea is easy. However, there are some tips to make your tea taste great.
Use The Right Tools
When making cold brew tea, we recommend using a glass pitcher or other glass containers like mason jars. The glass allows you to see the beautiful colours of the tea and won’t react to any additional ingredients. You should avoid cold brewing tea in metal containers or jars.
When straining the tea leaves from cold brew iced coffee with loose leaves, it is a good idea to use a cheesecloth or fine mesh infuser. These tools can remove any remaining tea leaves and ensure that your tea is clear and clean.
To get the best-iced tea flavours, only use high-quality tea leaves. Poor quality tea leaves can make cold brewing tea taste bitter.
Steeping Time
The stronger the flavour of the tea, the longer it steeps. Black teas such as Earl Grey may have intense flavours Earl Grey. These bitter flavours are preferred by some people, while others prefer smoother tastes. Make sure you try your tea every few hours during steeping. This will allow you to find the right flavour.
Adding Sweeteners
This brewing process requires cold water to make tea. There are only a few sweeteners that you can use to sweeten your tea. The cold water won’t dissolve any complex sugars like brown sugar or cane sugar. To sweeten cold brew tea or cold brew coffee, you can use liquid sugars such as simple syrups or agave.
Storing
Refrigerating cold brew tea can be done for up to five days, depending on the ingredients used in the iced tea recipe. Keep your tea safe by covering the pitcher.
Cold Brewing – A Better Choice Than Traditional Steeping
True teas and herbal infusions contain many nutrients and beneficial elements, but cold brewing has some benefits. Some of the nutrients in tea leaves and tisane are destroyed when hot water is added. Try cold-brewing our Turmeric Ginger and Ruby Sipper for a potent Vitamin C boost!
Refresh your senses with Cold Brew Tea
Cold-brewed tea has all the health benefits and the refreshing kick of iced tea. You can make cold brew almost any tea, including matcha green tea and fruity blends like Organic Rosehip or Snow White tea. Let the tea steep for at least an hour before you enjoy great-tasting tea. Enjoy a refreshing cold brew instead of a hot brew and enjoy a day filled with delicious tastes and simple pleasures.