Aren’t You Cold Brewing Yet? 6 Reasons Why You Should Start Today - Loose Leaf Tea Market

Aren’t You Cold Brewing Yet? 6 Reasons Why You Should Start Today

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Cold brewed tea is a thing, and it's not just for hipsters. The premise of cold brewing is simple: you brew your tea using cold water instead of hot. This means you can make it any time, anywhere, using any type of tea that your little heart desires. So grab a glass mason jar or pitcher, your favorite loose leaf tea, and let's go!

 

tea cup with steeper, honey, and limes

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The cold brew method is different than making iced tea, which is made by brewing tea in hot water and pouring it over ice. I call this the standard method of making iced tea, and of course, keep doing that if you're pressed for time. But it's well worth your while to try cold brewing, at least once. 

I have been making cold brewed teas every summer for several years now, and I prefer it to the brew-hot-and-chill standard method.

Here are 6 reasons why:

1. The cold brew process is idiot-proof.

You use the same measurements of tea as you would with traditionally brewed hot teas (typically a teaspoon per 6 – 8 ounce cup of water) so you don’t need to do any weighing or purchase any special measurement devices.

You can place the tea straight into a glass jar or bottle, or use your favorite strainer or infuser. (Check out your tea infuser options right here)  

Fill the container with lukewarm or cool water, and allow it to infuse (the technical term for "let it sit") for several hours (or overnight) in the fridge. Lots of folks cold brew their tea overnight in the refrigerator and have a thermos full of good-to-go refreshing tea for the following day.  

 

loose leaf tea on spoon

 

2. You don’t need fancy equipment.

A mason jar and a strainer are really all you need to make perfect tea. (Technically, you don't even need a strainer, if you don't mind getting the leaves stuck in your teeth.)

 

3. Cold brew teas are less likely to become bitter

If you accidentally over-brew hot tea, it can become undrinkable if you forget about it and let it steep too long. Hot water extracts the bitter compounds that turn so many people off of drinking tea. Those compounds take much longer to extract in cold water. 

 

two glasses of iced tea with lemon, straws, herb garnish

 

4. You're getting lots of antioxidants

The high concentration of antioxidants contained in certain teas are actually more stable when extracted in cold water. This means you get more of the stuff that helps fight disease and signs of aging. 

Buy antioxidant-rich caffeine-free rooibos teas here 

 

5. You get more vitamin C in your cold brew tea

The vitamin C content of many teas is also more stable in cold brews. Vitamin C can be destroyed at high temperatures, but is retained when brewed in cool water. In the summertime, you really need to load up on vitamin C to protect your skin from sun damage. You might not care when you're 20, but you will totally kick yourself at 50 if you don't, so load up on the C. 

 

three colorful glasses of iced tea

 

6. Cold brewing produces some lovely flavors 

The flavors in cold brew teas are more nuanced, complex, and full than with hot teas. The flavors slowly release into cool or cold water, giving you a fuller spectrum of both flavor and aroma. Cold brew enthusiasts use these words to describe the experience: "Mmmm", "yum", "fresh", and "ooooh". 

Here are Loose Leaf's most popular cold brew teas:

Whether you're a fan of unsweetened plain black teaherbal tea blends, or traditional green tea, any tea can be made into refreshing cold brews. 

Shop all bestselling teas here

 

Stay hydrated, and let us know your faves in the comments below!

 

 

1 comment

debbie
debbie

I love the convienience of cold-brewing my iced tea. I throw the tea leaves in my pitcher in the morining, and put it in the fridge. By the time I am ready for my first refreshing glass, around 11 am it is all ready. It never gets bitter, and I usually don’t dump the leaves until I am done with the whole batch. When I drink the last glass I take the leaves out to my compost bin, wash out the pitcher and it is ready for the next batch!

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