How to make delicious cold brew tea? The secret to a great cold brew lies in the quality of the tea leaves—truly good tea will taste fantastic no matter how you brew it cold. With great tea on hand, here are 3 simple steps to help you effortlessly brew a golden cup of goodness!
How to make the best cold brew tea? 3 simple steps for a golden brew
| Step | Instructions |
|---|---|
| 1. Prepare quality water, good tea, and a pitcher | It is best to avoid pure or distilled water; mountain spring water or mineral water is ideal. If neither is available, you can boil tap water, let it cool, and chill it to 4°C before use. As for the tea, choose loose-leaf whole-leaf tea, such as Taiwan High Mountain Oolong Tea or other high-grade teas. |
| 2. Add tea leaves and chilled water to the pitcher | Place the tea leaves into the pitcher, then pour in 4°C cooled water according to the tea-to-water ratio. Adjusting the ratio is crucial for cold brewing, with a common range between 1:50 and 1:120. For Taiwan High Mountain Oolong Tea, we suggest beginners start with a 1:50 ratio—meaning 1,000 cc of cooled water to 20 g of tea leaves. |
| 3. Refrigerate | Place the pitcher in the refrigerator and let it steep for 4 to 10 hours before serving. High Mountain Oolong can be cold-brewed for about 4 hours, though steeping time can be adjusted to personal preference. Once done, you can enjoy a sweet and refreshing cold brew tea. |
How to make simple cold brew tea?
Find using 4°C chilled water too much trouble? Actually, you can also make a delicious cold brew using room-temperature water (around 25°C)! Here is an even more convenient way to cold brew:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Prepare quality tea, a pitcher, and good water | The water selection is the same as before; spring water, mineral water, or tap water are all fine. Use room temperature water at around 25°C. |
| 2. Add tea leaves and room temperature water | Place the tea leaves into the pitcher and pour in room temperature cooled boiled water. Since the water temperature is higher than 4°C, you can slightly reduce the amount of tea leaves used. For high mountain oolong tea as an example, a 1:100 ratio is recommended—meaning 10g of tea leaves per 1000 cc of water. |
| 3. Refrigerate | Refrigerate for 8 hours and it’s ready to enjoy! The aroma and sweetness are just as delightful. |
If you are looking for the lowest bitterness and the most perfect cold brew flavor, we recommend using the 4°C cold brew method. If you value convenience and economy, the room temperature cold brew method also yields a great flavor. Every tea has its own unique character, so a few tries will help you find the best brewing method.