Cold brewing steeps Black Tea slowly in cold water in the fridge rather than hot. Heat pulls tannin and bitterness out fast; cold water takes its time and draws mostly the soft, sweeter, low-astringency notes, so even a brisk builders' blend comes out mellow and gently sweet, with nothing harsh about it.
Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the Cold Brew Everyday Brew recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/cold-brew/cold-brew-everyday-brew/
It uses Teapigs Everyday Brew, a whole-leaf black tea. Five minutes of work, then the fridge does the rest overnight.
You'll need
- 4 Teapigs Everyday Brew tea temples
- 1 litre cold filtered water
- A 1 litre jug or bottle with a lid
- Ice, lemon and mint, to serve
- Sugar or honey, optional, though it rarely needs it
Method
- Put the 4 tea temples into the jug and pour over the litre of cold filtered water. Use cold water only; warm water starts pulling tannin straight away.
- Lid the jug and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours, or overnight. Longer than 14 hours can start to dry it out, so do not leave it days.
- Lift out the temples and gently press them against the side, then discard.
- Taste; cold brew is naturally sweeter, so add sweetener only if you really want it.
- Serve over plenty of ice with lemon and mint. It keeps, brewed and strained, for 3 days in the fridge.
Want the background, not just the brew?
Brewed with: Teapigs Everyday Brew, 15 Tea Bags 50g
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