Cold brew tea

Cold brew tea is made by steeping loose leaves in cold or room-temperature water for an extended period, often several hours in the refrigerator, instead of using hot water for a few minutes. It skips the kettle entirely and relies on time instead of heat to pull flavor from the leaf.

Because extraction happens slowly at a low temperature, cold brewing tends to pull out less of the harsher, more bitter compounds than a hot steep does, which is why the result usually tastes smoother and naturally sweeter without added sugar. It works well for green tea, white tea and many fruit or herbal blends.

When buying gear, a pitcher with a built-in fine infuser or a dedicated cold brew maker keeps leaves contained through a long steep in the fridge. A common mistake is using tea ground very fine for hot brewing, which can turn cloudy and hard to strain in a cold brew, or steeping for too short a time and ending up with a weak result.