By now you’ve heard of cold brew coffee. But did you know you can cold brew tea, too? This chilly method promises a smooth, sweet beverage that’s perfect for summer sipping.
What is different about cold brew tea?
Cold brew tea stands apart from traditional tea because it never comes in contact with heat. For cold brew, tea is placed in cold water and steeped for several hours. Just like cold brew coffee, the end result has fewer tannins and tastes less bitter. By the way, this is the real difference between iced coffee and cold brew.
Does cold brew tea have the same benefits of hot tea?
For the most part, yes. Cold brew tea is full of the same antioxidants and health benefits of hot tea. The only drawback is that hot tea can soothe a sore throat or reduce nasal congestion when you have a cold. Cold brew won’t do that.
Is cold brew tea good for you?
Yep! In fact, the cold brew process helps the tea retain some of its natural sweetness, whereas steeping tea in hot water can extract a bitter flavor. Thus, you may end up using less sugar or sweetener in cold brew tea.
How to Cold Brew Tea
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold, filtered water
- 1 tea bag
- Fresh ice
Editor’s Tip: You can adjust this ratio to make cold brew tea for a crowd, or to craft a stronger or weaker brew.
Step 1: Add the tea
Get started by placing your tea bag in the water. If desired, you can also use loose leaf tea—just keep in mind that you’ll need to strain the finished beverage.
Step 2: Let it steep
Place the tea in your refrigerator and let it steep for several hours. Anywhere between 12 and 24 hours will work.
Step 3: Dress it up
Remove the tea bag from the water. Add any desired mix-ins, like simple syrup, citrus slices, fresh fruit, etc. Serve over ice and enjoy!
Next, learn how to make sweet tea like a Southerner.