The World Seems To Be Warming Up To Cold Brew Tea, Here’s Why!

The world of tea transcends boundaries of countries that their specialties reside in. Across the world, cultures celebrate life and heritage over a simple cup of tea.

Throughout the ages, tea has been involved in every aspect of people’s lives. At this point in history, you may have heard of unique tea flavored chocolate and alcoholic beverages, specialty infusions, and tea extracts, but have you heard of the simple method of cold brewing?

You may be familiar with the term via your local coffee shop, but did you know that cold brewing is a popular process for brewing tea at home? Let’s work through the rising trend of cold brew, the different methods of brewing your drink, and how that impacts the world’s current tea obsession.

Cold brew tea is capturing a global attention

Studies show that cold brew coffee and tea are on the rise, and also show little influence on slowing down anytime soon. You may have noticed major retailers of coffee have been adding cold brew tag lines to their lengthy repertoire. As people continue to make smarter choices with what they decide to put into their body, consumers are asking for a much purer tasting tea.

That is why all around the world, companies are embracing the way of the cold brew. When it comes to the growing process, specialty camellia sinensis (tea plant) varieties are harvested in order to take advantage of the slower rate of transfer of nutrients in the steeping process.

Along the same lines as craft brewing kombucha and beer, tea has started taking over with unique batches. When you cold brew a tea, you generally receive more or less the same amount of refreshing polyphenols and antioxidants.

Experts say that white tea though, when using the cold brewing method, has the most amount of antioxidants.

That’s more disease fighting power working to your benefit! And with the heat of summer in full force in many areas of the world, what better time could you think of to try this intuitive way of enjoying your favorite tea? Now, how do we make cold brew tea?

Standard cold brewing can involve your favorite loose leaf tea, or tea bag, and is often referred to by the Japanese term ‘Mizudashi.’ For some of us fanatics, loose leaf tea is what we turn to, but we all indulge in the simplicity of a bag of tea every once in a while. Either will work, especially while you’re sleeping soundly at night.

Grab a large pitcher and fill with purified water, and grab your favorite loose leaf tea. With time, you will have a predisposition to how many leaves to use in your brew. Eight to twelve hours later in the refrigerator, and you have a deliciously cold, scrumptiously flavored blend.

Some say that using time as opposed to temperature to release the flavors has a better outcome, and in some cases, it has been proven that more of the nutrients and benefits get released anyway.

The tannin and caffeine can cause bitterness sometimes when using boiling water, especially if the temperature is off.

When drinking your concoction, you will notice a delectable, mild flavor, which is pleasant. All of the subtle flavors are clearly devisable, and an addiction will occur if you’re not careful, at least I think I’m addicted. And the best part for me is that you don’t have to mess around with the precision involved with steeping using boiling water over a short period of time, you can kick back and relax while your drink is prepared for you in the refrigerator.

For those who can’t heat water up to a precise temperature, cold brewing may be the best option after all. For an even better taste, add your favorite fruit for even more flavor.

Most people are introduced to the world of tea by the way of green tea, a gateway tea so to speak. Some people still rely negatively on mass produced bland leaves or bottled drinks, when they could be enjoying artisan crafted leaves. Picking up your favorite box of tea bags used to be a grocery store staple of mine, and in the last year, the selection has more than doubled on shelves.

Now, select stores are including small batches of loose leaf tea, which most buyers use in their effective cold brewing recipes. Stubborn people have their favorites, but timeless classics will always shine in the face of the way the market sways.

Here is a list of some of the best loved versions of cold brew tea for that unquenchable summer thirst.

BLUEBERRY MINT: 1 cup of fresh blueberries, 1 tablespoon of mint, and your favorite green or oolong tea makes a large palate cleansing super refreshment. You can put it all in together. Enjoy while relaxing poolside with good company. My go to green tea for this mix is the Vahdam ‘Organic Himalayan Green Tea.’

LEMON TWIST: 1 sliced lemon, 2 tablespoons of white tea to a gallon of water and let it stand. If you wish to sweeten the pot, generously add your favorite honey. Enjoy on your lunch break for a deliciously soothing escape from the workplace. My go to white tea is the Vahdam ‘Imperial Himalayan White Tea.’

CAFFEINE ZINGER: 1 tablespoon of your favorite loose leaf green tea, 1 tablespoon of your favorite ground matcha, and generously add your favorite honey to a gallon of water. Steep them all together and let it stand overnight. Skip the coffee and try this blend for a morning pick me up. If you’re feeling risky, you can replace the green tea with black tea. My go to black tea is the Vahdam ‘Halmari Gold Assam Black Tea.’

Steep these teas for eight to twelve hours in your refrigerator and you can create delicious blends crafted for specific scenarios. As tea lovers, we constantly indulge, and to have another way to have some tea on standby makes life a little easier.

I know that when I’m getting ready in the morning, it can be nice not to have to scramble to prepare a hot beverage. In my forgetful nature, I have done everything from leaving the tea leaves in too long, to knocking over my brew to the dismay of my significant other.

No one wants to start out on the wrong foot, so simplify, get with the times, and try cold brewing. You won’t be disappointed!