The bees are buzzing, the sun is shining, and a warm breeze is blowing – the only thing now missing on a warm summer day is an ice-cold refreshment to cool us down. Cold Brew, the trend from the world of coffee, has now arrived in the world of tea! What Cold Brew Tea is, and why it is becoming more popular, we explain to you here.
What Exactly Is Cold Brew?
Cold Brew is a preparation method that results in a cold beverage. You can infuse both ground coffee and tea with cold water. You let the infusion steep for several hours, ideally overnight in the fridge. Eventually, you need to run it through a filter or strainer, and you get a wonderfully cool refreshment.
Why Cold Brew Is So Popular
Cold Brew originates in Japan. The method is called Mizudashi there (“Mizu,” Japanese for “water” and “Dashi” for “infusion”). What makes it so popular? You don’t need any special accessories for this preparation. You only need a large glass pot, your favorite tea, and cold water. You can easily prepare your Cold Brew coffee or tea in advance. Since we love to share our passion for tea with you, we focus on Cold Brew as a tea trend here.
Hot or Cold, Cold Brew vs. Iced Tea: The Differences
The way you brew your tea leaves significantly affects the taste of your beverage! Would you like your tea refreshingly cold rather than hot? Then you have two methods to choose from: Iced tea and Cold Brew.
Temperature Matters: Cold Brew Tea vs. Hot Brewed Tea
Cold Brew or Iced Tea: The difference lies in the brewing temperature! All teas can be prepared as Iced Tea, but not all are suitable for cold brewing. Herbal teas and blends should be brewed with boiling hot water and quickly chilled with ice cubes. The hot preparation method kills any germs beforehand, eliminating any risk.
When brewing with cold water, you give the tea leaves more time. How long the cold brew tea needs to steep depends on the type of tea, but it's usually 3-12 hours! A cold infusion releases fewer bitter substances from the tea leaves than hot water, giving your cup of cold brew tea gentle and mild flavors. Moreover, the longer steeping allows other subtler notes to come to the surface, which otherwise remain in the background with hot brewing. Cold brewing, therefore, means giving your tea more time.
By the way, our Iced Tea collection was specifically designed to also be suitable for cold brews. This makes preparation a breeze: simply steep the tea leaves in cold water instead of hot. Give it a try!
Sip in Refreshment: How to Make Cold Brew Tea at Home
For the Cold Brew method, you don't need anything that you don't already have at home. If you have a pot that fits in the fridge, such as our CYLINDER POT LARGE, nothing can get in the way of your cold brewing. Your favorite teas are ideal partners for you even on hot days while revealing their versatile aromatic facets! We share our favorite tea varieties we recommend trying as a Cold Brew.
Delicious Tea Varieties for Your Cold Brew
- Green teas like our DAIKOKU or KUMANO, with their refreshing notes, are perfect for cold brew tea. For jasmine tea fans, IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE is an enchanting floral temptation.
- Black tea surprises with a gently malty freshness when cold-brewed. Try our classic MUSE or GOLDEN EARL with refreshing citrus notes!
- White tea offers subtler flavor profiles that many appreciate. Our favorite for preparing cold brew tea is PU ER BAI YA.
- Oolong reveals its uniquely complex notes from another angle when cold-brewed. For this, try FOUR SEASONS OF SPRING.
How to Make the Prefect Cold Brew Tea: Tips for Preparation
When preparing Cold Brew, we encourage you to experiment to find the perfect ratio! Depending on the tea variety and personal preference, the amount of tea leaves needed can always differ. If you’re unsure, you can at first follow the preparation recommendation on the hot brew package and add about half to a whole teaspoon more.
We recommend the following steeping times for a cold infusion:
- White tea: 6 - 8 hours
- Green tea: 3 - 6 hours
- Oolong tea: 3 - 10 hours
- Black tea: 6 - 8 hours
- Herbal blends (after hot flash): 6 - 12 hours
Common Mistakes in Preparation and How to Avoid Them
You barely can go wrong with this method. However, here are a few tips:
- When serving your Cold Brew with ice cubes, the taste could become too watery. Hence, when preparing iced tea, prepare a stronger brew. To enjoy it ice-cold, you can also leave the ice cubes aside and let your Cold Brew steep in the fridge for a longer time.
- Out of sight, out of mind – a Cold Brew in the fridge can quickly be forgotten. Since it tastes best freshly made, setting a timer as a reminder is recommended.
- Using the wrong tea: For cold brew tea, we recommend all pure tea varieties that come from the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal teas and blends are not suitable for cold brewing.
Get Creative with Cold Brew: Exciting Variations
On hot summer days, you no longer must wait for cooling evening temperatures to enjoy a lovely tea. You can simply prepare your favorite as a Cold Brew. Look forward to discovering new facets of your tea when you let it steep in cold water. And if you're adventurous, we have even better news! The possibilities for customizing your tea refreshments are endless. Whether with syrup, fruits, berries, milk, or honey – there's a lot to experiment with in Cold Brew. Are you already making some space in the fridge?
