COLD BREW
COLD BREW
THE ULTIMATE THIRST QUENCHER
SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS
Drinking cold-brewed tea is an excellent option for those who want to replace the lemonade or the soda, whether it's summer or not. The cold brewing process is relatively simple and you get a wonderful iced tea that is both refreshing and delicious. The tea leaves, which contain many flavour compounds and volatiles, are placed in cold water and extracted at a slow rate.
When brewing tea in hot water, the time difference between the first and last compounds released is very small. This makes it extremely important to be able to stop the brewing (i.e. the extraction) at the right time to achieve the flavour profile you are looking for. In cold brewing, the time difference between the first and last compounds that are released is much greater, which significantly simplifies the possibility of achieving one's desired flavour profile.
HOW TO BREW
YOU NEED
2 vessels (bottle or carafe)
1 sieve or strainer
1 liter cold water
45-50 g loose-leaf tea
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Pour the tea leaves into the one empty pitcher.
2. Let the tea leaves steep freely in the water.
3. Place the pitcher in the refrigerator for approximately 60-90 minutes.
4. Taste it. If you prefer, you can let the tea continue to steep.
5. Take the pitcher out of the refrigerator and strain the tea into the other pitcher.
6. Pour into glasses with ice and optionally fruit. Enjoy!
Your cold brew is now ready to quench your thirst and can be preserved for approximately 3-4 days with a lid.
CUSTOMIZE TO YOUR TASTE
The later flavour compounds released in the tea tend to be the more tannic, bitter notes. One example is catechins - the antioxidants in green tea, which in addition to their health benefits also contribute to the bitter/astringent notes in the tea. By cold-brewing the tea for a shorter time, you therefore have the opportunity to reduce the bitterness and harshness in it. Conversely, you can also choose to brew the tea for a longer time and thus get a stronger tea with more theanine, umami and the vegetal notes you desire. You can also get more of the high fresh notes without being burdened with bitterness and harshness. This is why cold brew is used predominantly in green teas.