How To Cold Brew Loose Leaf Tea

Did you know that you don’t need a kettle to make a delicious and refreshing cup of tea? Cold brewing is the term used for infusing tea using cold water over a longer period of time to create a delicious and slightly different cup of tea. By using cold water, the resulting brew contains less bitter compounds, which allows the subtle, sweeter notes take centre-stage. This method is ideal for the warmer months as the end result is an incredibly refreshing and cooling drink, perfect for a hot summer’s day.

First, let’s take a look at the science behind brewing. Brewing is the extraction of the natural goodness from within the leaves, into the water. The tea leaf contains myriad natural chemicals, from polyphenols to amino acids – many of which are extremely good for our health. Once we extract these flavourful and healthy chemicals into the water, the infused liquid becomes the drink we know and love – tea!

If you’ve ever made a cup of tea before, you will probably know the disappointing experience of forgetting about your tea while it’s brewing, and rushing to it several minutes later to find a dark and bitter cup of tea. The longer we brew our tea, the more of the bitter compounds found in the leaf (such as caffeine and tannins) are extracted into the water, and the resulting cup will taste astringent generally unpleasant. Time is an important factor in brewing tea – too long and the balance will shift to an overly bitter cup, too short not enough flavour will have been extracted.

As well as time, temperature is also a factor. The hotter the water, the faster the rate of extraction. By using a lower temperature, we extract fewer bitter compounds, resulting in a more delicate brew. While the most aromatic elements of a cup of tea are easily extracted, even at low temperatures, the bitter compounds are not – requiring hot water and longer steeps to extract. We can use this to our advantage by brewing using cold water to create a delicate and aromatic infusion.

For those who don’t like the tannic or astringent flavour of tea, this is the perfect way to enjoy the many benefits of tea.

Any tea can be brewed this way and the results may surprise you – even the most familiar tea can take on a different personality when cold brewed. It is an enriching and fun way to experiment with different teas to discover new flavours.

Cold brew recipe

Add 4 grams of tea (or two teabags/silken pyramids) per 250ml of freshly filtered water into a jug or container, preferably with a lid (our travel infuser works great for this).

Leave in the fridge for 8-10 hours

Strain and enjoy!

The above method works for almost any tea, but feel free to experiment with different brew times and leaf quantity. Why not try a refreshing cold brew green tea on a hot day such as our Gyokuro or Hunan Green. For a really unusual experience, why not try a bold and smoky cold brew Lapsang Souchong, or sweet and creamy Milk Oolong.