Cold Brew Tea. Chill Out This Summer.
This summer in the UK has been pretty warm so far and this has meant that my favourite drink of a freshly brewed cup of tea hasn't had quite the appeal that it usually does. In today's blog post I'm going to write about a healthy alternative that has kept me cool through the summer and which takes 5 minutes to make - the humble cold brew tea.
Why Home Made Cold Brew Tea?
Compared to iced tea, cold brew teas do not taste bitter and some fans prefer the brighter, more refreshing flavour. This is because using cold water slows the brewing process which allows the subtler flavours to be extracted before the bitter tannins. With the tea being less bitter, there isn't any need to use additional syrups or sugar like you would find in most pre-made iced teas bought from the shops or supermarkets. This means more depth of flavour and without the sugar - who could say no?
What Are The Health Benefits?
Cold brew tea has many of the same potential benefits as tea that's brewed with hot water. These benefits include:
- Containing a high level of anti-oxidants;
- Containing lower levels of caffeine compared to coffee;
- May help to lower cholesterol; and
- May help to lower blood pressure.
As with most things though, it's important to note that tea should always be drunk in moderation. Some researchers are currently exploring the potential effects tea has on lowering iron absorption rates and how it might be interfering with folic acid absorption. Because of this, anyone with a condition that requires higher levels of iron absorption or folic acid absorption, such as pregnant women or those with anaemia, should moderate their tea drinking.
The Recipe
To make cold brew tea you will need the following:
- 4 to 5 grams of loose leaf tea - black or green tea will work
- 500ml of room temperature water
- A fridge
- A glass container to hold the tea in (A jar or French press works great)
- A small sieve or tea strainer.
Simply add your 500ml of water and tea leaves together in your glass container and leave in the fridge overnight or up to 24 hours. You'll find that the tea will brew slowly leaving you with a fresh yellow tea that you can either strain directly into your cup or into another glass jug for serving throughout the day. It's as simple as that! If you use a French press, you can plunge the tea as you would with coffee which will save you the need from having to use a strainer or sieve.
Top Tips
Have a little fun with your cold brew teas by varying the following things:
- Using different tea leaves and at different quantities will bring out different depths of flavour.
- Try adding herbal teas such as camomile as this can add another dimension in flavour.
- Experiment with different amounts of water to vary the intensity.
- Vary the brew times - the recipe I've given is just something that's worked for me so feel free to explore your own length of brew.