Cold brew tea explained

Cold brew tea is tea steeped in cold or room temperature water for an extended period of time. The process brews the tea leaves slowly, using time rather than temperature to release the flavors.

Cold brewing tea is a practice which comes from Japan,^[1] where it is believed to gently extract flavors from the tea, as hotter brewing can scorch the tea, creating a bitter taste.

Method

The ratio of tea to water is typically 40% tea to 60% water depending on the desired strength.^[2] Cold brewing requires a much higher quantity of tea to ensure that enough flavor is extracted into the water. The steeped tea is usually left to brew in room temperature or refrigeration for 16–24 hours.

Chemical composition

Cold brewed white tea is shown to have higher amounts of antioxidants when compared to hot brewed.^[3]

See also

• Cold brew coffee
• Sun tea

Notes and References

1. The Art and Craft of Tea: An Enthusiast's Guide to Selecting, Brewing, and Serving Exquisite Tea, Joseph Uhl, Quarry Books, 2015, page 137
2. Web site: Keep it Chill With Cold Brew Tea. 2020-12-30. Hackberry Tea. en.
3. 10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.09.049 . 119 . 4 . Hot vs. cold water steeping of different teas: Do they affect antioxidant activity? . Food Chemistry . 1597–1604. 2010 . Venditti . Elisabetta . Bacchetti . Tiziana . Tiano . Luca . Carloni . Patricia . Greci . Lucedio . Damiani . Elisabetta .