China's tea-drinking culture has flourished since the Tang and Song dynasties. Gathering with friends to savor tea amid its fragrant steam is a delightful experience. However, in the scorching summer, drinking hot tea can lead to discomfort and excessive sweating.
Many might opt for iced tea beverages to cool down, but these often compromise health benefits. Cold brew tea offers a perfect solution—refreshing, thirst-quenching, and full of flavor.
Cold brew tea, as the name suggests, is steeped in cold water—not ice water, but room-temperature or chilled mineral water.
Compared to hot brewing, cold water extracts flavors more slowly, often requiring several hours. Brewing times vary by tea type; for example, green tea needs 2–4 hours.
Cold brew tea tastes crisper and sweeter, with a milder aroma that lingers pleasantly. Its light color adds to the summer appeal. It reduces tannin release, minimizing bitterness while enhancing natural sweetness. Amino acids dissolve more readily in cold water, while caffeine and tannins remain subdued, making it gentler on the stomach. Cold brewing preserves catechins and polyphenols, aiding digestion and offering health benefits like weight management and cancer prevention.
Not all teas suit cold brewing. Lightly fermented teas like green tea and oolong are ideal due to lower phosphorus content.
Brewing Method: Use 10–15g of tea per liter of water. Add tea to cold water, steep at room temperature for 3–4 hours, then refrigerate. Alternatively, steep in the fridge for 8 hours. For travel, simply add tea to a water bottle.
Homemade cold brew avoids additives, offering a healthier, more flavorful alternative to bottled teas.
Customize with honey, milk, fruit juices, or alcohol. Try infusing with lemon, plum, or olives for fruity variations.
Tips: Rinse tea leaves first. Opt for minimally processed teas like green, oolong, or white. Lightly fermented teas can be rinsed with hot water without losing much flavor. Cold-brewed green tea is aromatic, while oolong is mellow.
Cold brew tea lasts up to 8 hours at room temperature but may turn bitter over time. Refrigeration extends its shelf life. Reduce tea quantity for longer storage when traveling. Those with weak digestion should avoid overly chilled versions.
Four Principles of Cold Brew: 1. Use fresh tea, not aged. 2. Prefer unfermented or lightly fermented teas. 3. Choose high-quality leaves. 4. Brew with mineral water.
Top Teas for Cold Brew: Taiwan high-mountain tea, Longjing, Biluochun, and Junshan Yinzhen (the standout). —Lin Yutang
Ideal For: Office workers, students, drivers, hikers—anyone can enjoy this portable, healthy drink. Unlike rushed hot tea, cold brewing invites patience and simplicity.
This summer, embrace cold brew’s crispness—try iced green, white, or black tea. Its subtle sweetness and freshness make it a perfect morning or cooling drink. Imagine being a tea tree bathed in dew, revitalized by nature’s simplicity.
Life needs no extravagance; tea, like life, thrives in simplicity and authenticity.