Cold Brew Tea: Easy recipe to make a Cold Brew at Home

Cold brew tea offers a delightful and refreshing twist on the classic hot or iced tea. It’s an effortless and satisfying beverage, particularly ideal for those scorching summer days.

Steeping tea leaves or tea bags in cold water for an extended period of time creates it. This produces a smooth, mellow flavor that is less bitter than hot-brewed tea.

Recent statistics indicate a consistent rise in the popularity of cold brew tea in recent years. The surge in popularity can be attributed to its abundant antioxidants and lower caffeine content than hot-brewed tea. Also, it can be easily altered to fit personal preferences.

The cold brew market is projected to reach $1.63 billion by 2025. It offers a delightful experience with its smooth and mellow flavor, thus becoming a popular choice.

Are you looking for a refreshing and healthy drink? Cold brew tea is a fantastic option. It is a simple method that extracts the flavors of tea leaves without any bitterness.

This blog post guides you through an easy recipe, valuable tips, and the benefits of cold brewing. Let’s discuss why it’s the perfect choice over traditional steeping methods.

History

Cold brew tea has a fascinating history that dates back centuries. The concept originated in China and Japan, where it was known as “Kyoto-style” or “Mizudashi” tea. The traditional method involved steeping tea leaves in cold water for an extended period, typically overnight. This gentle infusion process extracts the flavors and aromas of the tea leaves slowly, resulting in a smooth and mellow beverage.

Over time, cold brew became populare worldwide, thanks to its refreshing taste and lower bitterness compared to hot. Today, it has become a beloved choice for tea enthusiasts seeking a unique and delightful tea-drinking experience.

Easy Cold Brew Tea Recipe

Ingredients

Gather the following necessary ingredients to make a refreshing cold brew tea.

1-2 tea bags or 1-2 teaspoons (3 to 10 grams) of tea leaves
10+ ounces of cold water

Optional: lemon slice

Green tea is one of the most used teas for the cold brewing method. For optimal flavor, add 3 to 10 grams of green tea leaves in 3 to 10 ounces of cold water per serving.

For a personalized experience, you can add any other tea leaves, such as black, white, or herbal tea. Or you can also change the tea to water ratio as per your preferred taste.

Instructions

Here are the simple steps to make cold brew tea:

Choose Your Preferred Tea

Start by selecting your favorite tea type. Each tea type has a unique flavor, so feel free to try and find the one that pleases your taste bud.

Equip Yourself with the Right Tools

For effective brewing use a container with a lid, such as a mason jar or iced tea pitcher. And ensure that the container is clean and large enough to hold the mixture.

Measure and Add Tea

Add one or two tea bags into your container for one serving. If you’re using loose tea leaves, add one or two teaspoons (3-10 grams) to the container. Adjust the quantity based on your preferred flavor or the number of members in the family or gathering.

Pour Cold Water

Gently pour cold filtered water over the tea bags or leaves. Ensure that the tea is fully submerged, and give it a gentle stir to release the flavors. Add a lemon slice if desired.

Steeping Time

Seal the container with the lid and keep it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours. Now allow the tea to steep. We recommend overnight steeping around 8 to 12 hours for a stronger infusion.

Strain and Serve

Remove the tea bags or strain the tea leaves using a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth after the desired steeping time. Pour the tea into glasses. Serve the cold brew tea over ice, and enjoy!

Tips For Cold Brewing Tea

To enhance your cold brew tea experience, consider the following tips:

Use the Right Tools

When it comes to cold brewing tea, it is essential to use the right tools. A pitcher or glass container is the most common vessel for it.

Avoid hot or room temperature water, which can make the tea taste bitter. A mesh strainer can strain out the tea leaves if using loose tea. However, removing tea sachets or bags from the pitcher or glass container is easier. An iced tea pitcher can also be used for easy serving.

Opt for a container with a lid to maintain the freshness and flavor of the tea. Additionally, a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth aids in straining the tea leaves, ensuring a smooth and residue-free beverage.

Experiment with different loose tea or tea sachets to find the perfect flavor.

Steeping Time

The longer the tea steeps, the stronger the flavor will be. However, don’t over steep the tea as it can make it bitter.

The tea should steep in cool or cold water for 6-12 hours. While a minimum of 4 hours is recommended, longer steeping times yield a more robust flavor. Experiment with different steeping times to find your desired strength.

Adding Sweeteners

Cold brew tea has a natural sweetness and is less bitter than hot-brewed tea. Most people prefer unsweetened tea. But if you like sweeter taste, add honey or agave syrup to enhance the flavor.

For optimal taste, always add sweeteners to the brewed tea. And use syrup instead of granulated sugar so that it dissolves easily in cold water.

Storing

Cold brew tea can be refrigerated for around four days. But keep the tea in a covered glass container to prevent any odors from the fridge from affecting its flavor. So you can preserve its freshness and prepare and enjoy a larger batch throughout the week.

If you store the tea for over five days, it may taste stale.

Benefits of Brewing over Traditional Steeping

Cold brewing tea provides a healthier and more refreshing alternative to traditional iced or sun tea. It has been steadily gaining popularity, with a 10% increase in consumer interest. The best part is that it is versatile, healthy, and can be easily customized.

The method involves steeping tea in cold water for 6 to 12 hours. Whereas, conventional steeping method involves shorter steep time of 1 to 2 minutes in hot water.

Cold brewing offers several advantages over conventional steeping methods. Let’s explore some of the benefits of cold brew tea:

Less Caffeine and Tannins

Cold brewing method gives a smoother and less bitter taste than conventional hot brewing. Since the cold water extracts less tannins and caffeine from the tea leaves, it gives a less astringent flavor. Thus, you can limit your caffeine intake with cold brewed tea.

Healthier Option

Cold brewing tea has been shown to preserve more of the tea’s antioxidants and nutrients than hot method. It also lowers calorie content, making it a healthier option than conventional iced tea.

Refreshing and Hydrating

Cold brew tea is a vital and hydrating option. Its cooling effect makes it a healthier alternative to sugary sodas and flavored drinks. It extracts the flavors of tea leaves gradually and gently, resulting in a smooth and less bitter taste.

Convenience

Cold brewing method is a simple way to prepare large batch of tea. It lets you save time and skip the inconvenience of boiling and waiting for the water to cool.

Enhanced Flavor

Cold brewing method is an excellent way to enjoy a flavorful tea without adding the caffeine content of tea. It is a refreshing, easy-to-make beverage that includes the tea’s natural sweetness and subtle notes. It is a perfect drink for hot and sunny days.

Versatility

Cold brewing tea is a versatile method you can use with any tea type. You can infuse additional flavors by adding fruits, lemon, mint leaves, or herbs for added flavor.

Refresh Your Senses With Cold Brew Tea

Cold brew tea is a refreshing and straightforward substitute for traditional hot tea. This brewing method involves steeping loose leaf tea in cold water for 6 to 12 hours. It is perfect for hot sunny days when you want a soothing drink.

It is the ideal beverage to satiate your needs if you’re looking for something tasty and healthy. It is low in calories and completely sugar-free. This makes an iced tea recipe ideal for people aiming to reduce their sugar intake.

Many prefer cold brewing because it creates a less bitter and astringent brew. The reason behind this is that cold water extracts fewer tannins compared to hot water. Tannins are the compounds responsible for the bitterness and astringency of tea. So it leads to a smoother and sweeter tea.

One of the best things about the cold brewing method is its versatility. You can use any type of tea leaves, whether green, black, white, herbal, or oolong tea. Or add exciting flavors like mint, lemon, or raspberries to create personalized flavors.

Now you’re ready to refresh your senses with homemade cold-brew tea.

Conclusion

An easy and reviving substitute for regular iced tea is cold brew. It offers a lovely way to enjoy the health advantages of tea without the bitterness that frequently comes with hot brewing.

Cold brewing method reduces the tea’s caffeine content by 50% thus making it a healthier option for people sensitive to caffeine.

While any tea can be cold brewed, specific blends respond better to cold brew. For instance, green and white teas are delicate and can be easily overpowered by hot water but thrive in cold water. Whereas black tea can withstand the heat of hot water.

Orderific is an excellent resource for finding the best coffee shops and tea houses in your area. Its easy-to-use search function lets you quickly find various options near you.

Moreover, you can rely on the user reviews and ratings on Orderific for your next cold brew iced tea outing.

Whether you prefer green, black, or herbal tea, there is a cold brew option that is perfect for you. Use Orderific to discover new recipes at home, local coffee shops, new flavors and indulge in the pleasures of it.

Grab your favorite tea, follow our simple recipe, and let the magic of homemade cold brew tea refresh your senses. Cheers to a delightful tea-drinking experience!