Summer is here (for the second time this year!), and the weather is finally starting to heat up again. 🌞
Even on a sunny summer day, we still love our hot brewed tea – but when the temperature rises, there's nothing better than taking a pitcher of iced tea into the garden and relaxing with a good book, sipping away at a refreshing cold brew.
Cold brew, you say? What's a "cold brew"?
Well, the traditional way to make iced tea is to hot brew it and let it cool. This method is still great, but the increasingly popular method is to cold brew it, letting the leaves infuse over a longer period in cold water.
Of course, if you're in a hurry, cold brewing might not be the best choice since it won't give you significant flavour in just a few minutes. In that case, hot brew your tea, wait a bit, and pour it over ice.
But if you're planning ahead, cold brew iced tea is absolutely delicious and can be a bit more nutritious too, retaining higher levels of Vitamin C and polyphenols, which are great for giving your immune system a boost.
Making iced tea is pretty simple, but a little extra care can ensure you get the best taste. We like our iced tea naturally sweet, refreshing, and clean tasting, with minimal astringency. This isn't an issue with infusions, but when using tea leaves, keeping the tannins low is essential, as they can dry out your tongue, leaving you feeling unrefreshed.
So, what's the inside info on amounts and brew times?
Whatever tea or infusions you choose for your cold brew iced tea, our rule of thumb is to use half again as much tea as you would for hot brewing.
As for brew times: for infusions, overnight brewing works well. But for white and green teas, a little less time is better. We recommend 3-4 hours for white teas and 4-6 hours for green teas. More oxidized leaves like Oolongs and black teas are good for 6-8 hours. But we should say, if you're in a hurry, you can achieve some flavour after even 30 minutes. Here at MDTea, we like our cold black teas mixed with a good dose of mint or lemon and maybe a little honey.
Once brewed, just strain and serve with added ice and maybe a garnish or two.
Our favourite teas to cold brew
Our current favorite cold brews are our Sweet White Lelaini, a white tea with pear, passionfruit, and pineapple. But our close second is our lovely Genmaicha Chi-Chi— a gorgeous green tea with toasted rice, licorice, and calendula petals. Each one is different but hits the spot perfectly with a lovely taste of tea and subtle sweet flavors from the other ingredients.
You might also try something fruity and both our berry-infused Deliciously Decadent and our citrussy Fruity Tallulah caffeine-free infusions are incredibly refreshing served cold.
Whatever your cold brew of choice, you can always up the ante with creative garnishes. From mint and berries to dehydrated limes and lemons, let your creativity flow and adorn your drink for a super tasty, super refreshing summer treat.
Cold brews tend to be full of flavour but without the additives or sweeteners found in many soft drinks and bottled iced teas on the market today.
Top Tip: Topping up with soda water adds a little fizz for those seeking low-calorie bubbles and really sets your iced tea off in style. Cheers to a refreshing summer! 🥤✨
