Ingredients:
- 10–12 grams High-Quality Loose Leaf Tea (Black, Green, Oolong, or Tisane)
- 1 Litre Filtered Cold Water (4 cups)
- Ice (For Serving, as needed)
- Sweetener (Optional, to taste)
- Garnish (Optional: Fresh lemon, orange, or mint sprigs)
Instructions:
- Measure the loose leaf tea (10–12g) and place it directly into a 1-Litre pitcher or jar. Pour the 1 Litre of cold, filtered water over the tea leaves.
- Give the mixture a very brief, gentle stir (about 5 seconds) to ensure all the leaves are fully saturated and submerged.
- Secure the lid tightly on the pitcher. Place the pitcher in the refrigerator immediately. Allow the Cold brew tea to infuse for a minimum of 12 hours and a maximum of 18 hours.
- After 12 hours, pour a small spoonful and taste the flavor. If it tastes robust but smooth, proceed to straining. If it seems too weak, steep for an additional 2–4 hours.
- Strain the Concentrate: Carefully pour the entire contents of the pitcher through a fine-mesh sieve (and optional cheesecloth) into a clean serving or storage container. Discard the spent tea leaves. Do not squeeze the leaves, as this releases bitter tannins.
- Seal the finished cold brew concentrate. It is ready to serve immediately but will keep well, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.
- To serve, fill a glass with ice. Pour the cold brew concentrate over the ice and customize with sweetener and garnish (like lemon or mint) if desired.