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Cold Brew Tea: Tips, Tricks & Favorites

by Anna Mariani 47 Comments

cold brewed numi tea bags

Cold-brewing tea is like making overnight oats. The magic happens while you’re asleep. You combine your ingredients the night before and – voilà – in the morning you wake up to something delicious. Minimum effort, maximum results.

Like coffee, cold-brewing tea can lead to a brighter, more complex flavor than hot brewed teas. The traditional method of making iced tea (by brewing hot tea and chilling it down in the fridge) can lead to a drink that tastes like cold, stale tea. Cold brew tea creates a full-bodied flavor that is much crisper and cleaner, meant to cool you down like a breeze. It’s very easy to make and never bitter, so you won’t need any sugar or sweetener!

How to Cold Brew Iced Tea

The principles are simple: cold brew approximately 4 tea bags for every 3 cups of water used, and refrigerate 8-10 hours, or overnight, for best flavor. Give the tea bags a good squeeze before discarding to capture the most flavorful tea. Read on to discover my five favorite teas for cold-brewing and how to “upgrade” them with infusions of fresh fruit or veggies for the ultimate refreshing flavor experience.

Cold Brew Tea

1. Gunpowder Green tea.

Gunpowder Green tea is perfect for cold-brewing due to its strong flavor, with no risk of bitterness. Let this tea sit at room temp for 20 minutes before refrigerating. This step encourages the tightly rolled tea leaves to open up and brew more evenly. If using loose-leaf, you can re-steep the same tea leaves twice for a second batch of tea.
Infuse it with
: celery and cucumber. I added 1 small stalk of celery, diced, and 1 small Persian cucumber, peeled and diced, right before transferring my pitcher to the refrigerator. As the tea steeps, the veggies will infuse it, adding another layer of flavor. You can experiment and add the veggies after removing the tea leaves, if you prefer. The subtle smokiness of the green tea pairs beautifully with the clean and crisp notes of celery and cucumber. So refreshing!

2. Aged Earl Grey tea.

The bergamot and citrus in Aged Earl Grey really shine when cold-brewed. Black tea is also perfect to cold brew to make sweet tea, Arnold palmers, or other classic iced tea recipes. Brew an extra tea bag if you like black tea with a full flavor.

Infuse it with: fresh ripe apricots. I added 3 small apricots, sliced, right before transferring my pitcher to the refrigerator. As the tea steeps, the fruit will infuse it. You can experiment and add the apricots after removing the tea leaves/tea bags, if you prefer, or blend them with the cold brewed tea to create a simple but delicious smoothie. The floral bergamot notes pair perfectly with the sweetness of the ripe apricots. Yum!

3. Turmeric Three Roots tea.

If you like an earthy, slightly sweet tea, then Turmeric Three Roots is for you! The licorice root in this blend creates a natural sweetness that is stronger when cold-brewed than hot. This is a flavorful blend that will hold up well with ice. Be sure to squeeze tea bags before removing and discarding to really get the sweet flavor of the licorice root.

Infuse it with: fresh ripe strawberries. I added 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced, right before transferring my pitcher to the refrigerator. As the tea steeps, the fruit will infuse it. You can experiment and add the strawberries after removing the tea bags, if you prefer. The spicy notes of turmeric and ginger combined with the sweetness of strawberries will have you craving for more!

Cold Brew Tea

4. Honeybush tea.

The light, naturally sweet flavor of Honeybush tea (a cousin to popular Rooibos tea) is possibly better cold-brewed than it is hot! It brews into a lovely rosy color that will look perfect on your back patio.

Infuse it with: fresh peaches. I added 1 small yellow peach, diced, before refrigerating. Feel free to experiment, as with the other teas above. This great combination, sweet and aromatic, is the perfect summer beverage to keep you happy and hydrated!

5. Ceremonial Matcha.

Surprisingly, matcha green tea can be cold brewed too. It doesn’t take as long as other teas because the tea powder dissolves instantly and it’s better enjoyed immediately. In a mason jar combine 2 cups ice-cold water with one teaspoon Ceremonial Matcha, screw the lid on tightly and shake well (or blend). Serve over ice, if you like. I don’t recommend infusing it with fruit or vegetables (because you don’t want to let it sit too long), but you could use it as the base for a delicious smoothie! Enjoy its savory taste and lingering sweetness and have fun discovering your favorite flavor combination!

Please note, steeping tea in freshly boiled water is an important food safety step. If you are concerned about this, we recommend consulting your healthcare provider to determine if cold brew is right for you.

About Anna Mariani

Anna Mariani is a San Francisco-based tea blogger at The Tea Squirrel. She’s a recipe developer, tea consultant, self-taught photographer, traveler and obsessed foodie on a mission to transform tea into an approachable and fun experience. She loves tea and food pairings and she’s fascinated by the great potential tea has in bringing people together and bridging cultures. Follow The Tea Squirrel on Facebook (@teasquirrel) and Instagram (anna.mariani86).

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. debbie says

    June 21, 2017 at 8:40 am

    turmeric 3 root tea sounds fabulous

    Reply
  2. Melissa says

    June 21, 2017 at 8:41 am

    The Honeybrush Tea sounds great!

    Reply
  3. Elizabeth Findlay says

    June 21, 2017 at 8:44 am

    I have been doing the tradional way of making iced tea, but now I am going to try the cold brew method and use a few of your recipes to boot. Thanks.

    Reply
  4. Deena says

    June 21, 2017 at 8:44 am

    All of these sound amazing. It’s always good to find new ways to drink tea

    Reply
  5. Christina Williams says

    June 21, 2017 at 8:46 am

    Love all these receipes!

    Reply
  6. Jessica B. says

    June 21, 2017 at 8:48 am

    I would like to try the Honeybush tea because the recipe sounds refreshing!

    Reply
  7. Lynn m. says

    June 21, 2017 at 8:53 am

    I love cold brewing green teas

    Reply
  8. Christina says

    June 21, 2017 at 8:58 am

    My husband likes gunpowder cold brewed. I like Darjeeling or a darker oolong

    Reply
  9. Laurie says

    June 21, 2017 at 9:00 am

    I have never cold brewed tea before, but now I am inspired to start. I just bought some loose raspberry green tea. I will try cold brewing that.

    Reply
  10. Joe Gordon says

    June 21, 2017 at 9:07 am

    Awesome!!

    Reply
  11. Celesta Wengerd says

    June 21, 2017 at 9:23 am

    Would love to try cold brew tea

    Reply
  12. Jen says

    June 21, 2017 at 9:25 am

    I’ve never cold brewed tea before, but I might just try Honeybush cold brewed tea since you say it tastes even better cold brewed. I didn’t think it could taste any better!

    Reply
  13. joan m carr says

    June 21, 2017 at 9:36 am

    Honeybush tea.

    Reply
  14. Laura says

    June 21, 2017 at 9:57 am

    I love rooibos so I’m sure the honeybush would be marvelous!

    Reply
  15. Katy Tafoya says

    June 21, 2017 at 9:58 am

    Honeybush sounds like it would make a lovely iced tea. My summers are all iced tea and iced coffee. Yum!

    Reply
  16. Marie says

    June 21, 2017 at 10:02 am

    I love matcha!

    Reply
  17. Jill Seif says

    June 21, 2017 at 10:17 am

    I LOVE Tea. Green and Herbal are my favorites!

    Reply
  18. Becc says

    June 21, 2017 at 10:17 am

    Beautiful!

    Reply
  19. Mary Ramirez says

    June 21, 2017 at 10:22 am

    AGED EARL GREY TEA sounds great.

    Reply
  20. Lois Howard says

    June 21, 2017 at 10:54 am

    Never made cold brew tea. Your flavors sound delicious.

    Reply
  21. Sahara Neeley says

    June 21, 2017 at 11:05 am

    Yummy! So excited to try my very own cold brew tea!

    Reply
  22. Lesley says

    June 21, 2017 at 11:14 am

    WOW. That green tea looks fantastic!

    Reply
  23. Diane Luhrs says

    June 21, 2017 at 11:23 am

    A mix of Earl Grey and Golden Tonic make a refreshing, healthy hot weather beverage. I will try the cold brew method with my next batch.

    Reply
  24. Stephanie Lockard says

    June 21, 2017 at 11:51 am

    I love cold brewing tea. Green tea is a favorite!

    Reply
  25. Diane K says

    June 22, 2017 at 7:11 am

    They all sound wonderful. I love to mix different tea’s when brewing cold.

    Reply
  26. Joy Stewart says

    June 22, 2017 at 7:21 am

    I love Numi tea! I have it all day, every day! I never heard of the cold brew method, but excited to try!

    Reply
  27. Mary Ramirez says

    June 22, 2017 at 8:05 am

    HONEYBUSH TEA

    Reply
  28. abby ray says

    June 22, 2017 at 8:06 am

    Honeybush
    makes a lovely iced tea for summers!

    Reply
  29. Kate says

    June 22, 2017 at 8:07 am

    Moroccan Mint is wonderful cold!

    Reply
  30. Kindra Herrera says

    June 22, 2017 at 8:45 am

    I love cold brew aged earl gray tea as strong as possible! So yummy!

    Reply
  31. Gloria Sciuto says

    June 22, 2017 at 9:31 am

    Earl Grey is a favorite, but the tumeric root sounds interesting.

    Reply
  32. Maria Aguilera says

    June 22, 2017 at 9:33 am

    Turmeric tea and the Earl Grey!!! I swoon………..

    Reply
  33. Jan Robinson says

    June 22, 2017 at 9:34 am

    I love gunpowder green but I think the lemon mate would be awesome cold brewed.

    Reply
  34. Rose says

    June 22, 2017 at 12:48 pm

    I love cold brewing green tea! I’d love to try fruit infused iced tea.

    Reply
  35. Sandy G says

    June 22, 2017 at 2:13 pm

    Never tried cold brew tea. Sounds interesting. Mixing tea flavors is fun.

    Reply
  36. Marie Crandall says

    June 22, 2017 at 3:09 pm

    I’d love to try Jasmine Green tea in a cold brew.

    Reply
  37. Kristen says

    June 22, 2017 at 4:28 pm

    Since peaches are my all time favorite summer fruit, i choose Honey bush tea.

    Reply
  38. Martha says

    June 24, 2017 at 12:41 pm

    Entered and the all sounds delicious! If I’m a lucky winner, I’d definitely write a blog about it!

    Reply
  39. Tori Fowler says

    June 24, 2017 at 8:00 pm

    We drink cold brew tea everyday at our house. Would love a new experience.

    Reply
  40. Heather says

    June 25, 2017 at 7:53 am

    Matcha for sure

    Reply
  41. Lynn Dobriko says

    June 25, 2017 at 11:09 am

    I would love to try the Honeybush Tea.

    Reply
  42. Marcquitta Hamm says

    June 25, 2017 at 9:14 pm

    I would love to try thi s.

    Reply
  43. Virginia says

    June 26, 2017 at 7:45 am

    I never knew you could make cold brew tea! I love tea, it’s an awesome idea! I always make overnight cold oats!!

    Reply
  44. Zachary Endres says

    June 26, 2017 at 10:57 am

    These look fantastic!!

    Reply
  45. Elaine Black says

    June 26, 2017 at 11:12 am

    Earl grey has always been a favorite of mine!

    Reply
  46. Calshondra Williams says

    June 28, 2017 at 10:11 am

    Great recipes! Fingers crossed and I’d love to win and try cold brew tea. Thanks for the opportunity & chance.

    Reply
  47. Linda says

    July 29, 2017 at 12:59 am

    Cold brew tea is so new to me. I have to try this. Thanks Anna for sharing these awesome tips and tricks!

    Reply

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