TeaChat

Okay, this can go towards all types of teas, but I mostly want to brew green tea for iced and I'd imagine the same rule follows suit for the other types anyway

I've read a lot where it seems you want to double the amount of tea for iced tea, I've seen a couple things on adagio's FAQS that have got me wondering

To make a cup, simply double the amount of tea leaves (usually making it two teaspoons per cup of water), and steep as usual. Once tea is ready, dilute with an equal amount of ice.

So the reason I've heard that you double for iced is it seems you're supposed to dilute it with equal amount of ice? If I'm just putting it in the fridge to cool it should I use the normal amount of tea for ever how much I want?

Which leads to this

Refrigeration dulls the flavor, while adding ice to a big pitcher of tea will water it down over the afternoon. Enjoy within 12 hours of brewing. Ahh! Refresh and repeat!

So is it not good to put tea in the refrigerator? I like to make a gallon of iced tea and drink it over the week. Is this why I've gotten mixed results with making iced tea?

ACardAttack wrote:So the reason I've heard that you double for iced is it seems you're supposed to dilute it with equal amount of ice?

...

The ice in your cup melts, eventually watering down your tea. That is why you brew it stronger then usual

Personally I would not keep drinking the same iced tea in the fridge throughout the week, for many reasons.

teaisme wrote:

ACardAttack wrote:So the reason I've heard that you double for iced is it seems you're supposed to dilute it with equal amount of ice?

...

The ice in your cup melts, eventually watering down your tea. That is why you brew it stronger then usual

Personally I would not keep drinking the same iced tea in the fridge throughout the week, for many reasons.

Well I never added ice, I would just move to fridge which is what caused me confusion.

Also why wouldnt you keep drinking the same iced tea throughout the week?

Tea doesn't keep without change of flavor. I can 'watch' the flavor change in the teas I hold in my thermos for 6-10 hours, and herbal teas also suffer diminished or off flavor from storage, even in the refrigerator. I think the flavors of tea are more
Delicate and prone to loss through evaporation and oxidation than solid foods.

I try to prepare no more than I'll drink by the end of the next day.

You know green tea is easy to be oxidized when it's exposed to air, right? It's the same even after brewing. If tea extract is kept in hot/warm temperature, oxidation causes loss of flavor and color. To avoid the oxidation, we need to cool it down immediately. Once tea extract become cold, then the speed of oxidation gets slow (almost stop), and it keeps tea's flavor and color for long time. I personally make a pitcher of tea and drink it for a couple days.

FYI, Sugimoto(SA) has a video explaining it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC_fUnyJYZo

Hibiki-an has an article explaining several ways to make iced green tea:

http://www.hibiki-an.com/contents.php/c ... qgu6t5br60

Best wishes,
sherubtse

I've never had problems with leaving iced tea for a day or two, it seems to taste fine then. But I have read that tea breaks down considerably over longer periods of time. This is one reason I avoid bottled iced teas, and always go for fresh brewed.

I'd always put it in the refridgerator though...my experience is that it keeps fresh longer that way. If it's losing flavor, it may be the container; I store mine in the fridge in an airtight jar with a lid. I'd imagine one of the more open pitchers (like one with a semi-open lid) wouldn't produce as good results.

I also avoid plastics...most plastics do seem to leach some sort of chemical taste into drinks stored in them.

I got really good result when used Chip's advice and added few honey drops when preparing cold japanese green teas. Mostly sencha. It doesn't alter taste, but helps to keep it fresh.

I'm using low grade sencha, but which still has a nice flavor. 10g/1L and few drops of honey. Leave in fridge for at least 12h. After it's done brewing i usually filter out leaves and pour it in a vessel with a tight lid. This results in far better taste, than green tea in bottles sold in shops.

Xell wrote:I got really good result when used Chip's advice and added few honey drops when preparing cold japanese green teas. Mostly sencha. It doesn't alter taste, but helps to keep it fresh.

Those few drops have led to a new addiction ... honey!

I usually brew remains of the day with hot water and then chill, but I am about to take the plunge and brew ist steep cold brew sencha. Thing is, there are so many methods out there .... I must choose one method to try first. Such indecision ...

Chip wrote:

Xell wrote:I got really good result when used Chip's advice and added few honey drops when preparing cold japanese green teas. Mostly sencha. It doesn't alter taste, but helps to keep it fresh.

Those few drops have led to a new addiction ... honey!

I usually brew remains of the day with hot water and then chill, but I am about to take the plunge and brew ist steep cold brew sencha. Thing is, there are so many methods out there .... I must choose one method to try first. Such indecision ...

My last step for sencha is usually with boiling water and for over 10min. Can't squeeze enough taste for iced tea, much better result with using tea specially bought for this. My last brew was 12g/1L and honey with low grade sencha, which turned out really nice, quite rich floral body and of course not even a hint for bitterness. Also use this sencha for hot brew during meals with spicy food.

I really wonder, why store bought bottled green tea is so bitter.