I am experimenting with cold brewing iced tea and I am not achieving good results.
Yesterday I added 4-tsp of a good Darjeeling tea to a tea ball and added it to a pitcher with 4 quarts of filtered water.
I left it in the refrigerator for about 8 hours and took a taste. It was light and fresh but was lacking tea flavor. I left it for another 8-hours and the flavor was bad.
Looking for some tips for better results.
While I don't have much experience cold-brewing black teas... 4 tsp of leaf for 4 quarts of water seems like not nearly enough leaf. If you were hot-brewing (which would make a stronger infusion than cold brewing, right?).. you'd use 1 tsp per cup.
My cold-brew experience has been mostly with greens. I use the same ratio of leaf to water as I would if I were hot-brewing, and then alittle extra. I find I can reinfuse a number of times, more than with hot brewing. I'm not sure if the same would hold true with black tea or not.
Sarah
My cold-brew experience has been mostly with greens. I use the same ratio of leaf to water as I would if I were hot-brewing, and then alittle extra. I find I can reinfuse a number of times, more than with hot brewing. I'm not sure if the same would hold true with black tea or not.
Sarah
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May 23rd, '09, 23:46
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Victoria
I agree with Sarah, I don't think that is enough tea and also - cold brewing may be fine for green, but I really think you need to brew black with hot first then ice.
Not sure it can even be done with oolongs. Recently I tried popping a silk sachet bag of TGY into a cold water bottle. It never did properly infuse. Some teas just need to heat to properly release.
Not sure it can even be done with oolongs. Recently I tried popping a silk sachet bag of TGY into a cold water bottle. It never did properly infuse. Some teas just need to heat to properly release.
Bump it up.
I go for 3 TBS/qt. cold works great with black.
cold brew, over night. Strain add mint or lemon ,tad honey.
Use med. qual leaf. poor leaf won't shine, but the good will be wasted
Oh, oolong is great iced ( again don't use #1 but don't go cheap)
add a tad of honey ( for preservative , not sweetener)
I go for 3 TBS/qt. cold works great with black.
cold brew, over night. Strain add mint or lemon ,tad honey.
Use med. qual leaf. poor leaf won't shine, but the good will be wasted
Oh, oolong is great iced ( again don't use #1 but don't go cheap)
add a tad of honey ( for preservative , not sweetener)
)
leng pao ("cold brew" in mandarin)
I brew often different teas (baozhong, oriental beauty, red tea, high mountain oolong) in this way :
- a bottle of glass of 1 l
- a good quantity of leaves
- add good water
- keep during 2 hours at ambient temperature
- keep one night in the fridge
The next day it'll be excellent (well, only if your tea is a good one !).
Don't use bags or whatever, tea leaves may like to have space. It's better to filter it.
Take care if the ambient temperature is to high, reduce the "outdoor" brew.
Wa.
- a bottle of glass of 1 l
- a good quantity of leaves
- add good water
- keep during 2 hours at ambient temperature
- keep one night in the fridge
The next day it'll be excellent (well, only if your tea is a good one !).
Don't use bags or whatever, tea leaves may like to have space. It's better to filter it.
Take care if the ambient temperature is to high, reduce the "outdoor" brew.
Wa.