A step-by-step guide to making the best iced teas at home
It is a hot summer day, and you would love to just sit down in shade and have a cool, refreshing drink. Now, imagine yourself holding that drink… delicious iced tea, made with your favorite ingredients. Take a sip... ahh so nice!
Making cold brew tea at home is easy and simple. Just follow a few steps and have that perfect cold drink ready whenever you want it. Drink it at home or portion it into a travel container to grab with you on the go!
Read our step-by-step guide and tips on preparing great iced teas at home.
What is cold brew tea?
Cold brew tea is literally what it sounds like: a tea steeped with cold water over a relatively longer period of time. This method of flavor extraction originated in Japan. It was believed that while hotter temperatures of water can burn the tea, making it bitter and more astringent. Steeping it at lower temperatures, however, produces a better brew with cleaner and fresher taste.
How to make cold brew tea
Making cold brew tea is incredibly simple. Just combine your favorite loose-leaf tea and cold water, let it sit in the refrigerator for 6 to 12 hours. Sip and enjoy!
Step by step guide
1. Place the loose-leaf tea in a large vessel, such as a pitcher or a glass jar. If you have a container with a built-in infuser, this would be ideal, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry.
2. Pour filtered fresh water over the leaves. Be sure to use tea-to-water ratio in accordance with tea brewing instructions. Usually, this means 1tsp of green or black tea per 8oz of water, or 1tbsp if you are using herbal tea.
3. Cover and place in the refrigerator. Let it steep for 6 to 12 hours.
4. If necessary, strain out the tea leaves using a mesh strainer.
TIPS & TRICKS
What kind of tea should I use?
You can make cold brew tea out of any type of tea – green, black or herbal. Just pick your favorite!
Use fresh filtered water
The taste of tea depends a lot on the water used to brew it. This is true for both hot brewed and cold brewed teas. Using water that is too hard will lead to a metallic taste, whereas using water that is too soft will lead to your tea simply seeming dull. Water straight from the tap often tastes of chlorine, owing to the sanitization process of municipal water supplies. In any case, the best option is to use filtered water.
Should I use loose leaf tea or tea bags?
With cold brewing tea, you can use either loose leaf tea or tea bags. While both work to make you a brew, you might have better results if you are using loose leaf tea. Why? Simply because loose leaf tea means whole leaf tea made up of whole, unbroken leaves, reflecting the quality of tea. Tea that comes from teabags may include lower quality tea, or byproducts of the tea making process.
How long is this tea good for?
You can keep your cold brew tea in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. After that it will start losing its taste and quality.
Don’t have an iced tea infuser?
Try using French press. Use the steps above to prepare the tea. Once its ready, simply push down on the French press and pour tea into a cup!
Which of Catalyst Tea blends are the best for cold brewing?
During the heat of summer, we especially enjoy an iced cup of Crimson Sunset or Summer Cool. Made with hibiscus, chamomile and apple, the Crimson Sunset blend has a bright red color and a refreshing tart taste. Another great blend to make iced is Summer Cool. Enjoy the freshness of clover and apple, combined with the coolness of spearmint and spicy hints of ginger.