How To Make Cold Brew Tea (And Jasmine Lemonade)

The secret behind cold brew tea is simple: It’s just chemistry.

Ever brewed a cup of tea too bitter to drink? Tannins — a naturally occurring compound commonly found in tea — are likely to blame. To avoid the astringency often associated with certain teas, the common advice is to brew at a cooler temperature, leading to a sweeter, mellower cup. 

Just like tannins, caffeine is more soluble in hot water. When brewed cold, the natural caffeine in tea becomes more difficult to extract, leaving you with a less caffeinated cup that is easier on the stomach and smoother on the tongue. 

For the perfect cold brew, study up on Tea Chemistry 101 and remember: Without the element of heat, you’ll wind up with half the caffeine and fewer tannins, resulting in a less bitter and cleaner-tasting tea…and no caffeine jitters. 

But great taste and less caffeine aren’t the only benefits that cold brew tea offers — extracting tea with cold water may also boost its antioxidant properties, making for a more vitamin-rich, anti-inflammatory cup.

In short, it's cold and refreshing, while maintaining the same health benefits. Better yet, it’s incredibly straightforward to make.

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What to brew? The right tea for you

If you're wondering which teas taste best when brewed cold, the answer is straightforward: Most unfermented teas are equally delicious when steeped and served cold. It just depends on what you’re looking for.

• Craving a lightly perfumed, elegantly aromatic tea with a hint of floral sweetness? Try Ancient Tree White Tea (best when brewed for 10-14 hours).

• Missing the comforting richness of a warm mug of black tea? Cold brew a winter classic like Assam or Darjeeling, or try our Taiwanese Ruby Black tea.

• Seeking a subtle sip without the astringency? Brew low-tannin green tea with ease using our Premium Green Tea.

To brew the teas above (or to follow in the footsteps of our founder, Caroline Lee, who loves how cold brew brings out the richness of her favorite Taiwanese oolong teas, Supreme High Mountain or Golden Lily), simply follow four easy steps.

Cold Brew Tea: Our Favorite recipe

Before you brew, you’ll need to make sure you have a few things on hand, including:

• A clean, 16- or 32-oz container, ideally made of glass or another food-safe material

• A tea strainer or infuser

• Filtered water

• Loose leaf tea

Notes:

When cold brewing tea, the steeping time can depend on several factors, including personal preference and tea strain. To adjust the recipe to your palette (and the tea you have on hand), keep these guidelines in mind: 

• For green tea, steep tea for 2-4 hours.

• For black or heavily oxidized teas, steep for 4-6 hours.

• For oolong teas, steep for 6-8 hours.

Steps:

1. Pour filtered water into container, adding 4 grams of loose leaf tea (adjust according to your liking) into tea strainer or infuser for every 16 oz. of water. 

2. Cover container, then refrigerate. Allow to steep for a minimum of two hours (for a light, subtle tea) but no more than 4-6 hours (for a more robust flavor and fragrance). 

3. Once the desired steep time has been reached, strain leaves and enjoy. Refrigerate tea when not serving. 

4. Looking to level up your cold brew tea? For a Young Tea twist on a summer classic, snag a handful of extra ingredients and try out our recipe for:
   

Jasmine lemonade: A Tea-Lovers twist on a summertime classic

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Ingredients

• 1/4 cup hot water

• 1 Tbsp white sugar*

• 2 Tbsp lemon juice**

• 3/4 cup cold water

• 1/2 cup cold brew Jasmine Green***

• Ice, as needed

• Garnish****

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Recipe

1. In a tall glass, dissolve sugar into hot water, stirring until smooth and syrupy.

2. Stir in lemon juice and ensure mixture is well-combined.

3. Combine mixture, cold water, cold brew Jasmine Green, and ice. Stir until drink chills completely.

4. Serve drink and garnish as desired.

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Notes

* For a subtler, floral sweetness, replace sugar with honey or agave nectar, keeping the ratio of hot water to sweetener the same and adjusting amount used to taste.

** Though freshly squeezed lemon juice is ideal — if only for evoking the summertime feel — bottled works in a pinch, though expect a slightly dulled sourness and adjust sweetener as needed.

*** If green tea isn't for you, try our Organic Assam or Darjeeling Souchong for a robust, Arnold Palmer-style beverage, or an herbal or white tea for a softer, more fragrant drink.

**** Jasmine and lemon are versatile flavors and can pair well with just about anything you have on hand — whether that's fresh strawberries and garden-picked mint, or just a few slices of extra lemon to complete the look.