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Cold Brewing for Iced Tea

Making Cold Infusion Tea

Many teas can be infused very successfully in cold water. Cold infusion is ideal for making iced teas. Teas that would normally be cloudy when brewed hot and then chilled, most Assams for example, will produce a beautiful clear brew with cold infusion.

This method should make 2 qts of tea at a light and refreshing strength. If you prefer strong iced tea, start with just 1 quart of water and, after infusing, add more water as needed to reach the strength you prefer.

Tools needed:

  • 2 qt. iced tea pitcher (glass or polycarbonate preferred)
  • Room temperature filtered or spring water
  • 1 #4 size t-sac
  • 1 t-sac clip
  • 15 grams or 0.5 ounce premium loose leaf tea*
  • Long handled tongs

* Between 6 and 8 tablespoons of loose tea - 6 tablespoons of finely cut black tea, 8 tablespoons of full leaf teas or herbals.

Instructions:
  1. measure the loose tea and pour into a t-sac. (For larger quantities of tea, use one t-sac for each 0.5 ounce or 1/4 cup.)
  2. fold the long flap of the t-sac down to close the top of the t-sac. Secure this with the clip. (if you don't have a clip, a staple will work.) Leave plenty of room for the tea to expand.
  3. place the filled and closed t-sac into a pitcher and add 2 quarts of filtered water.
  4. Refrigerate for 4 - 6 hours (or overnight) if you have the time, otherwise brew for 1 - 2 hours at room temperature, 75 degrees or less and indoors. Judge readiness by color and taste, not time. Remove tea and serve immediately over ice or refrigerate until needed.

Be sure to write down your results. You may find that some teas are best strong, while others are best diluted. After the first time of testing and expanding the tea you will have you own recipe to use to make a 2 qt. pitcher. Use your recipe from then on and start with 2 full quarts of water.

Notes from our staff: Some of our staff prefer a stronger glass of iced tea. For them we use the "hot tea standard" of 3 grams for 8 ounces. For a 2 qt pitcher (64 oz) we would use 24 grams of tea ((64/8) = 8 x 3 = 24) , or about 1.5 times the amount above.



Be sure to check out the sampler cold infusion iced tea kits on our website for some great loose leaf teas to try along with the tools recommended in this article.

How much iced tea in a 4 oz. bag? Using the 0.5 ounce formula above you will get 8 two quart pitchers or 4 gallons. If you make the tea 1 gallon at a time be sure to use multiple t-sacs. Put no more than 1/4 cup of loose leaf tea in each #4 t-sac. Loose tea expands as it infuses. If it is packed too tightly it will not infuse properly. This will result in a weak infusion and/or wasted tea.