August 17, 2022
Primer Cold Brew Tea
What is cold brew?
Cold/icy water is used from the beginning. Instead of steeping with hot water intensely but shortly, the brewing takes place slowly over time in a low temperature environment. This allows flavors intrinsic to tea leaves to comes out.
What makes it special?
Bitterness and astringency are the flavor profiles that one usually try to balance in cup of tea, which comes from tannin and caffeine. Sweetness and umami comes from theanine and other amino acids.
Tannin and caffeine dissolve into water when the temperature is high. However, when cold brewed, these substances hardly dissolve into the water while the umami substances are being accentuated. Thus, this extracts a fraction of substances in tea that are light, aromatic, fresh, mellow and sweet. It's perfect for summertime and anytime when in a light mood.
How to prepare it?
Add your favorite tea leaves into a glass bottle. Cha Moods prefers certain green tea, red tea and Oolong tea where you will find here. Add soft cold/icy water with a tea/water ratio of 1g/100ml. Close/seal the glass bottle and let the tea brew in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours. Each tea might have a different optimal brewing time. Experimenting is also part of the fun.