Ah, cold brewing loose leaf tea leaves. It's like making a cup of tea's chilled-out cousin. Cold brew tea is a refreshing and an easy-to-make beverage that's perfect for hot summer days or anytime you want a cool and refreshing pick-me-up. First things first, let's talk about what you'll need. You'll need some loose leaf tea leaves, Brackendale Tea ones of course, as well as a bottle, (jar or jug) with a lid, cold water, and some patience. Yes, patience is key when it comes to cold brewing tea. It's not like making a cup of tea where you can just pour boiling water over the leaves and be done with it. No, no, no. Cold brew tea takes time, my friend. Once you've got all your ingredients ready, it's time to start brewing. Take your loose leaf tea leaves and put them in the bottle, jar or jug. How much tea you use depends on how strong you like your tea, but a good rule of thumb is to use double the amount of leaves you would if you were making one litre of hot tea. If you're not sure how much to use, just wing it. That's the beauty of cold brew tea - it's forgiving! Now, pour in the water. You can use tap water, filtered water, or even fancy mineral water if you're feeling fancy. Just make sure the water is COLD. This is called "cold" brew tea, after all. Once you've added the water, give it a stir and then put the lid on. Here's where the patience comes in. You'll need to let the tea steep for at least 8 hours, but preferably overnight. This gives the tea leaves plenty of time to release their flavour and aroma into the water. If you're feeling really impatient, you can check on the tea after a few hours, but don't be tempted to drink it until it's fully steeped. Trust us on this one. Once your tea has steeped for the appropriate amount of time, it's time to strain it. You can use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to strain out the tea leaves. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even strain it through a tea brew filter for extra clarity. Also, if you want you're a sweet tooth and you want your cold brew tea sweet, dissolve sweetener of choice a little warm water and add to the mix when straining the leaves - adjust to taste! And that's it! You've successfully cold brewed loose leaf tea leaves. Pour it over some ice and enjoy your refreshing, chilled-out cup of tea. Now, let's be real. Cold brewing tea isn't exactly rocket science. It's a pretty easy process, but that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun with it. So, here are a few humorous tips to keep in mind when cold brewing your tea:
1. Don't forget to add water. This might seem obvious, but you never know. we've seen people put tea leaves in a jar and forget the water. Don't be that person. 2. If you're using a jar with a lid, make sure the lid is on tight. Otherwise, you'll end up with tea all over your counter and that's no fun. 3. Don't drink the tea before it's fully steeped. We know it's tempting, but trust us on this one. You'll end up with weak tea and a sad heart. 4. If you're feeling fancy, add some fruit or herbs to your tea. Mint, lemon, and berries all make great additions to cold brew tea, so does a splash of alcohol! 5. Finally, don't take yourself too seriously. It's just tea, after all. Have fun with it and experiment with different flavours and brewing methods.
And there you have it, folks! A guide to cold brewing loose leaf tea leaves.
Happy Sipping!
Alex & Anthea