The concept of cold brew tea is just as refreshing as its flavor, and it has rapidly caught on among those looking for new experiences in tea drinking. The no-fuss approach simply calls for steeping tea in cold water, no special technique or choices of tea required. With a bit of patience, anyone can pull off a good cup. Unlike its cold brew coffee brethren, cold brew tea contains less caffeine, which means less impact on your stomach and sleep. (Just remember to not let the tea sit in the water for too long.)
Varieties of Tea for Cold Brewing
The majority of teas are fit for the cold brew method. Unfermented green tea is an ideal option, and not just because of its milder flavor profile; cold brewing also preserves its rich vitamin C content, which can be destroyed by heat. Varieties with a low fermentation level, such as white tea and oolong tea, works equally well with this method to extract both their scent and sweetness. Highly fermented pu’er is the least compatible with cold-brewing when it comes to taste.In addition, you should consider the quality and cleanliness of the tea leaves. The low water temperature in the cold brew method makes it harder to kill bacteria.
How is Cold-Brewing Done?
There’s virtually no skill involved when making cold brew tea—you only need to pay attention to the proportion of tea and water. Other than that, a light and soothing drink is just moments away.To make it at home:
1. Add tea leaves to an empty bottle. The proportion is generally 100 milliliter water to 1 gram tea leaves.
2. Pour in cold water and store in the fridge. Remember to cover the bottle to avoid it absorbing foreign flavors.
3. The cold brew tea with the right strength should be ready in four to eight hours.
Tips
1. Tea brewed for more than 24 hours shouldn’t be consumed. It could have a change in properties and/or have developed too much bacteria.2. Drink the tea as soon as it’s taken out from the fridge when it’s the safest.
3. Folks with a weak stomach or cold body type are not recommended to drink cold brew tea.
This article was written by Lin Zhen and translated by Vincent Leung. Click here to read the original version of this story.
