Hot summers mean cold drinks.
Here are our tips on how to make cold brew and iced teas.
The Tea
When it comes to iced tea, our first thought is - black tea. You’ll want to pick a bold flavor that will brew without bitterness. Our favorites are Assam - known for its sweet caramel notes, Jin Hou Golden Monkey for its notes of peach and honey, and Nepalese Black for its floral flavor. Flavored black teas bring their own sweetness; try Mango Ceylon for its fruity and malty flavor, Gita Anjali Chai for a floral, spicy drink, or Vanilla Black and top off with foam.
But don’t overlook green teas, white teas, oolongs and herbal tisanes. Green teas’ crisp and bright notes are perfect for summer and pair well with other flavors. Try an iced Matcha, a Moroccan Mint, or a Pomegranate Hibiscus for a fruit and tart treat.
White teas pair well with fruit; try adding fresh peaches and berries. The natural sweetness of Black Dragon Oolong makes it the perfect thirst quencher when iced.
Tisanes have the benefit of generally being caffeine free so you don’t have to feel bad about drinking a gallon. Their range from herby to fruity means you can usually find something for everyone. We like the sweet and minty cup of our Tulsi Tisane, the citrus notes of Ayurvedic Immune, the fruitness of Spiced Rosehip, and the tart and refreshing combination of simply brewing hibiscus and mint together.
The Method
The quickest way to get a cold tea is simply brew as normal and then add ice. However, you will want to make a more concentrated tea either by doubling the amount of tea you are using or halving the amount of water. Ice will dilute the flavor of the tea as it melts so you want to account for that extra amount of water.
We prefer cold brew as it means we don’t have to turn on the kettle. Use the same proportion for cold brewing as is recommended for hot.
For many teas, it will be 1 teaspoon for 8 ounces, or you can do 1 ounce of tea for a gallon of water.
Then simply put it in a container and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours. Strain and serve. The teas will keep for at least a week, if they even last that long.
The Sweetness
Sweet tea is a lifeline in the south but you can change up how you sweeten your teas. When brewing and icing teas, add your sweetener while brewing you tea so that it dissolves. If you are cold brewing, use a liquid sweetener like Agave or a simple syrup so it mixes well with the cold liquid. If you are keeping a batch of cold brew in the fridge, make sure to give it a stir or shake before drinking.
Simple syrups are easy to make and you can flavor them to flavor your tea. To make a simple syrup add equal parts water and sugar (for example 1 cup of each) and simmer until the sugar completely dissolves.
You can add rosemary or basil to the simple syrup and mix it with cup of Orange Jasmine or Pearl Gunpowder. We add our Chai Masala to the simple syrup and mix it with cold brew Assam for a cold Masala Chai. You can also add sweetness with fresh or dried fruit.
We’ve soaked peach in the cold brew Masala Chai and added freeze dried strawberry to Sencha and let them cold brew together.
