What makes iced tea good?

What makes is so good is the intensity of flavours, perfect sweetness and lots of ice. Iced teas are typically sweetened, although you can drink them pure if they are not bitter. To get the best intensity, you need to find the best tea to water ratio.

Do you have to boil water to make iced tea?

Yes, it’s always best to make an iced tea by steeping tea leaves in boiled water first. If you don’t have too much ice, you can steep the tea beforehand and let it cool in the fridge. This is not the same as cold brewing.

Is cold brew tea the same as iced tea?

Cold brewing is a different method of preparing tea. Instead of using hot water, cold brewed teas are slowly steeped in cold water over several hours in the fridge. You don’t need any ice for cold brewing, or a kettle. Cold brewing will significantly change the flavour profile and nutrient content of brewed tea. Iced tea will have the same flavour profile as regularly brewed tea, except it tends to be stronger.

Tips for making the best iced tea

Making an iced tea at home is easy, but it’s not always straightforward. This is especially true if you are used to drinking pre-made teas. Pre-made iced teas may not always contain tea leaves and may also contain lots of sugar and fruit flavourings. All this will impact the flavour that won’t be easy to replicate at home. However, that’s perfectly ok, as you can make delicious, super flavourful drinks at home using ingredients you already have in your pantry.  

So, how to make the best tasting iced tea?

Here are the 9 simple tips.

1. Choose the right tea

You can use almost any tea you want. However, just like when making a cup of hot tea, if you want to get the best flavour, you have to have the best tea. Best tea doesn’t mean the most expensive tea, but it should be fresh and flavourful.

What tea is best for iced tea? Traditionally, this type of tea has been made with mostly tea bags. Tea bags are a good option if you want to add sugar or honey and prefer an intense flavour. Some traditional tea bags may give a murky and bitter tea. Test it out before. If it tastes good without a sweetener, it will be great for making an iced tea too.

Loose tea leaves, especially pure, will often have less bitterness, and a more complex flavour. Flavoured teas are an amazing choice as well.

But if you want to use pure teas, you can add flavour with:

• Food flavourings
• Steeping it with fresh fruits
• Fruit juices
• Fruit syrups

2. Make a strong infusion

To make the best cup of iced tea, use more leaves than normally. Adding only 50% more will intensify the flavour significantly. 1 ½ or 2 teaspoons of tea leaves per serving will give much more flavour than brewing it for 10 minutes. Over brewing may also increase the bitterness, while adding more tea leaves will intensify the flavour. Furthermore, as the ice melts, tea will become diluted. That’s why it’s always a good idea to add more tea leaves.

So what is the ratio of tea to water for iced tea?

If you are using:

• loose tea, use 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons of tea leaves per serving.
• traditional tea bags, use 1 or 2 tea bags, depending on their strength. Most tea bags will contain dust and fannings that will infuse into a strong tea, so one will be enough.
• pyramid tea bags with loose tea, you may need to add two, rather than one, depending on how many tea leaves they contain.

Use 120-150 ml of water for steeping the tea, then top up with fresh cold water later.

3. Don’t over brew it

Never over brew your tea when making an iced tea. Sure, both sugar and ice will reduce the bitterness, but ideally, you want a flavour that will taste good even without adding sweeteners. How long do you steep tea for iced tea? You can steep the tea leaves a minute or two longer than usual, but not more. This means, 4-6 minutes for black teas, and 3-5 minutes for green teas, 3-5 minutes for oolong teas and 5-10 minutes for herbal teas.

4. Add the right sweetener

If you want to make iced tea that will taste similar to drinks from supermarkets or restaurants, then you will need to add a sweetener.

White or brown sugar and floral honey are all great for sweetening iced tea. Always add sugar or honey before adding ice, so it can dissolve better. For making a calorie-free drink, you can use stevia or sugar alternatives. Iced teas are usually always sweetened.

Some sweeteners you can try:

• Honey
• White granulated sugar
• Brown granulated sugar
• Stevia (calorie free)
• Coconut flower sugar
• Simple syrup
• Flavoured sweeteners (calorie free)
• Xylitol (less calories than sugar)

5. Add more flavour with flavoured ice

You can add more flavour into your iced tea by adding flavoured ice or tea ice cubes. Because tea ice cubes are made with tea, they will not dilute your iced tea. Find the instructions for making iced tea cubes here.

Some wonderful combinations:

• Pure green tea with tropical green tea ice cubes
• Pure black tea with coconut black tea ice cubes
• Pure green tea with earl grey black tea ice cubes

6. Add citruses

Adding freshly squeezed lemon juice to green or black tea will always elevate the flavour. Lemon goes well with many tea types, but don’t add it to chocolate or nut flavoured teas. Other great citruses to add are oranges and limes.

7. Add fresh fruits

For a super fruity flavour, you can add washed and chopped fruit pieces, and steep them together with black or green tea for 5 minutes. Once ready, pour it into a glass, add sweetener and ice. Fresh fruits will make your black tea brighter and super flavourful, regardless of if you are using loose tea or tea bags.

8. Choose special iced tea blends

Many brands are offering special tea blends crafted specifically for making iced teas. These blends will have lots of flavour and usually smaller tea leaves. Although you can use any tea blend you want, special tea blends will usually always offer a desired strength and flavour. You can also use pre-made cold brew blends and brew them with hot water.

9. Use high-quality water

Water quality will significantly impact the flavour of any tea – hot or iced. Use colourless and odourless water that’s not too flat and not too hard. Avoid distilled water. Using tap water will usually be fine, unless it’s murky and smells of chemicals. If that’s the case, bottled spring water may be a better choice. Also, avoid re-heating the same water multiple times.

Print

How to make iced tea

The BEST homemade iced tea

Course Drinks

Keyword Iced Tea

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Equipment

• Kettle
• Serving glass

Ingredients

• 1/2 – 2 teaspoons loose tea leaves or 1-2 teabags
• 150 ml freshly boiled water
• 1-2 teaspoons sugar
• 50-100 ml fresh cold water

Instructions

• Bring fresh water to a boil.
• Measure 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons of tea leaves* and steep them in 150 of water.**
• Strain the tea into a serving glass.
• Add sweetener and stir until dissolved.
• Add ice.
• Top up with fresh cold water.

Notes

* If you want to make a whole pitcher rather than just a glass of iced tea, use at least 2 tablespoons of tea leaves per 500 ml of water, then top up with more cold water later. If you are using tea bags, add 4-6 tea bags per 500 ml of water, and top up with cold water later.

** Black tea – 4-5 minutes at 95-98 degrees Celsius
     Green tea – 3-5 minutes at 75-85 degrees Celsius
     Oolong tea – 3-5 minutes at 85-90 degrees Celsius
     Rooibos and other herbal teas – 5-10 minutes at98 degrees Celsius

The post How to make iced tea? appeared first on All That Tea.

Get your tea ready and let’s dive in!

Health Benefits of Tea

One of the main reasons green tea gained so much popularity is the high amount of EGCG. EGCG is a catechin linked to many health benefits. Teas that are less oxidised will have higher levels of this catechin, and green tea is one of them.

Both hot and cold brews can provide antioxidants and boost the immune system and provide an energy boost. However, specific health benefits can vary depending on the type of tea and the brewing method used.

What’s super interesting is that there are many studies on the right water temperature and steeping time for hot brewing to extract the most polyphenols and caffeine, and they all showed the same results – the higher the water temperature, the better.

It was until recently that hot brewing seemed like the best brewing methods for making green tea.

But recent studies showed that cold brewed green tea may actually provide better antioxidant properties and have less caffeine at the same time (1).

Hot Brewing Method

Hot brewing method is one of the most popular ways to make tea. Although hot brewing is simple, it requires a bit more patience and the right water temperature. Don’t use boiling water to make green tea because it will get bitter.

The right temperature for hot brewing green tea is usually between 75 to 85 degrees Celsius, depending on the tea type. Some teas, like gyokuro, require even lower temperature – from 45 to 65 degrees Celsius.

Cold Brewing Method

Cold brewing is steeping tea leaves in cold water for at least 2 hours in the fridge, preferably overnight. Different tea types will require different steeping time. Cold brewing is a fast and easy method that offers a very refreshing flavour with zero bitterness. Besides, tea brewed this way will contain less caffeine than hot brewed tea.

How Was Tea Prepared for This Test?

To determine which brewing method gives a better tasting tea, we did a taste and colour test that involved brewing loose leaf flavoured green tea – the type that’s commonly used for making a cold brew tea.

We used:

• 2 heaped teaspoon per 600 ml of water for cold brewing
• 1 teaspoon per 200 ml of water for hot brewing

Cold brewed tea was steeped for 12 hours in the fridge and hot brewed for only 1 minute at 80 degrees Celsius.

Comparison of Hot and Cold Brew Tea

So, what is the difference?

Without even trying the tea, you can see how different the colour is. 12-hour cold steeping gives a much lighter tea than 1-minute hot steeping.

You may already know that the darker the colour, the stronger the green tea will be. A great example of this is a comparison between popular gunpowder green tea that has a deeper yellow colour and lighter Dragon Well. The first one will usually be stronger and sometimes astringent, while the other one is much lighter and sweeter.

Then, there’s the flavour. Cold brewed tea is very light, fresh and sweet. It has more intense green notes than a hot brewed one. Hot brewed tea, on the other hand, is less fresh but more mellow and sweeter (especially since it’s a flavoured tea). Neither is bitter, but that’s because the steeping time was 1 minute for hot and 12 hours for cold tea.

Cold Brew vs Hot Brew, Which One is Better?

If you want to sip tea throughout the day and enjoy cold, and generally prefer unsweetened drinks, cold brewing is a wonderful option. It’s very refreshing, not overpowering and light.

But, if you like stronger taste or you’re looking for more flavour and caffeine, then hot brewing is a way to go. To explore complex flavours of pure, very high quality green tea hot brewing is actually a must – including re-steeping.

Tips For Brewing the Perfect Cup of Tea

1. Use filtered water: The quality of the water you use can significantly affect the taste of your tea. Filtered water with neutral taste is the best choice for both hot and cold brewing.
2. Use the correct temperature: The temperature at which you steep your tea can also affect the taste. When making green tea, keep it at 75-85 degrees Celsius. When making cold brewed tea, use cold or lukewarm water.
3. Steep for the right amount of time: Steeping for too long can give a bitter taste, while not steeping long enough can give a weak flavour. Cold brew green tea for at least 2 hours, but no longer than 24. When making hot tea, keep the steeping time at up to 3 minutes. However, 1 minute should be enough to get the right flavour.
4. Add more flavour: If you prefer a sweeter taste, hot brewing may be a better option. Sweeteners will balance out any astringency. Cold brewed tea is usually much lighter and doesn’t need any sweeteners. For both methods, you can add fresh fruits and even vegetables.
5. Store your tea properly: To keep your tea fresh and flavourful, store it in an airtight container away from light, moisture, and heat. Stale tea will never have a good flavour. However, if your tea doesn’t taste as nice when you hot brew it, try cold brewing because cold brewing results in a completely different flavour. You may discover you like it after all!

Cold Brew Tea vs Hot Brew Tea Recap

Both hot and cold brew tea have unique advantages when it comes to taste and health benefits.

While hot tea offers bold flavour, cold brew tea may be a wonderful choice for daily drinking.

If you’re looking for a healthier option, then cold brew tea may be a winner. However, preference plays a significant role, so it’s essential to experiment and find what suits you the best.

Remember, the quality of water, temperature, and steeping time are essential factors in determining the taste and health benefits of your tea.

Sources

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4648929/

The post Cold Brew vs Hot Brew Tea – Which is Better? appeared first on All That Tea.

Find out:

• What’s the right water temperature
• How to choose the best teas for cold brewing
• Pros and cons of cold brewing
• Benefits compared to traditional hot brewing

And much more.

The best thing about this brewing method is that you can try it straight away. You don’t need any special equipment, any special teas or even a water thermometer. You can make the best cold brewed tea with what you already have at home.

Let’s start.

What is cold brewing?

Cold brewing is brewing tea in cold, rather than hot water. Cold brewing was invented centuries ago in Japan, and it was used for making coffee. Since then, it expended to tea and became enormously popular over the last decade. Today, there are even special tea blends intended for cold brewing that will allow you to have a cold brewed tea in a matter of minutes.

Another interesting brewing technique from Japan is ice brewing – used for pure, usually steamed green teas.

Unlike traditional hot brewing, cold brewing doesn’t require a kettle or a stove – but it does require a fridge. Tea leaves or tea bags are usually steeped overnight in the fridge, which allows them enough time to release flavour and nutrients.

Do you need any cold brewing equipment?

No, you don’t need any special equipment to make tea using this method. You can use a simple, clean jar or a jug, or even a regular cup. However, larger vessels are a slightly better option as it’s easier to make more tea at once. Cold brewed tea will stay fresh for 24 hours (including steeping time, or slightly longer if you strain it).

However, always cover the teapot, jug or mason jar when cold brewing to prevent fridge odours to get into your tea. Next, glass or transparent vessels will help you see if your tea is ready, so they make a better option than non-transparent vessels.

You can use:

• Tea infuser bottle
• Glass teapot
• Large mason jar
• Glass pitcher with a strainer
• Glass jug without a strainer

Can any tea be cold brewed?

The second question you may have if you have never cold brewed tea before is can any tea be cold brewed and which type of tea is best? The good news is, almost all teas will be great for cold brewing.

The best types for cold brewing are green, white, oolong and black teas, but you can cold brew tisanes too. Red and green rooibos, mint, chamomile and fruit teas can all be prepared using this method. However, you will need different brewing time for different tea.

You can use both loose leaf tea and tea bags. Tea bags that usually offer a strong brew may be especially good for this method, as the tea will be lighter and fresher.

How to choose the best teas for cold brewing?

Some teas will be better than the others. Green tea is usually the best type of tea for cold brewing, followed by white, twisted oolong and black tea. Flavoured teas are especially delicious and refreshing when prepared in the fridge.

What makes green tea such a superb choice? One of the reasons is that it will release less caffeine and preserve catechins, which will make it healthy, refreshing, less bitter and flavourful.

This method is amazing for teas that you don’t particularly enjoy hot, that are too bitter or too strong, or maybe even of a lower quality.  

Best teas for cold brewing:

• Pure green tea
• Fruity green teas
• Pure black tea
• Fruity black tea
• Floral black tea
• Twisted leaf oolong tea
• Fruity flavoured white tea

Best tisanes for cold brewing:

• Yerba mate
• Red and green rooibos
• Chamomile tea
• Mint tea
• Honeybush tea
• Moringa tea
• Fruit teas

But the list doesn’t stop here. You can try cold brewing any tea you want. However, keep in mind that especially tisanes may provide different benefits when prepared using cold or hot water.

Cold brew tea bags

Cold brew became so popular that many tea brands are now offering special cold brew tea bags. They may contain other ingredients and flavours and may be suitable for a super-fast brewing. You won’t need to wait hours for tea leaves to infuse, you can make an instant cold brew tea in a matter of minutes. While delicious, cold brew tea bags are slightly different from regular cold brewing as they won’t need hours to infuse. They are a wonderful option if you want to enjoy iced tea asap, and don’t want to go through trouble of making an iced tea. Plus, they are just amazing for travelling – no worrying about the kettle, no mess, and super easy to transport and enjoy anywhere you want.

Check out some of these:

• Twinings cold water infusions
• Whittard cold brew teabags
• Tea pigs cold brew taster pack
• Mission tea hot or cold brew
• Chaiwallah Margate caffeine free cold brew teas
• Seein Korean cold brew teas

Is cold brew tea safe?

Yes, cold brew tea should be perfectly is safe to drink. Always use clean vessels and tea from reputable sources, and water that’s filtered and safe to drink.

If the tea smells strange, mouldy or stale, don’t use it. Flavoured teas blended with other ingredients are more likely to go bad past their shelf life than real pure teas.

Also, drink it within 24 hours and don’t let the tea stand out in the sun. You will notice a significant different in flavour once the tea is not good for drinking anymore – it will become bitter, darker and heavier.

Pros and cons of cold brewing

Just like with any other methods, there are pros and cons to this method too.

Is cold brewing the same as iced tea?

While both these drinks are served cold, they are different. Iced tea is usually made with a stronger tea base, and steeped in hot water, then served over ice. It’s also mostly sweetened, and you can add fruits and citruses as a decoration and to infuse a bit more flavour. Cold brew tea is made without hot water, it’s often served unsweetened and fruits and other ingredients are usually added to steep together with tea.

How to cold brew tea

Water quality

Always choose good water for making any tea – cold or hot. Water will have a lot of impact on the flavour. Use either fresh bottled spring water or filtered tap water. It should have a neutral flavour and be neither too hard nor too soft.

Water temperature

For making cold brewed tea, use either lukewarm or cold water, but never hot or hot boiled water. The temperature will impact the flavour and nutrient profile. If you steep it first in boiling water, even if it’s for a minute, it won’t be a cold-brewed tea anymore.

Steeping time

Steep your tea in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably longer. Green tea and white tea will take less time than black or darker oolong tea. For the best results, steep it overnight, regardless of the type. Black or dark teas, and herbal teas such as red rooibos and chamomile may be the best when steeped longer.

Black tea, lighter herbal teas, oolong teas and rooibos teas may need at least 8 hours to infuse. However, since flavour preferences are always personal, try your tea after steeping it overnight and infuse longer if needed.   

Straining the leaves

If you plan to drink the tea within 24 hours, there’s no need to strain it. You can simply pour the tea into the glass using a regular strainer. You can even top it up with more cold water.

How much tea to use

Use 2 tablespoons of loose tea per one litre of water or at least 3-4 tea bags. If you are using special cold brew blends, follow the instructions instead, as these blends are crafted specifically for this type of brewing. Did you notice that’s exactly how much you would use for making 4 cups of tea?

Do you need condiments?

You don’t need any condiments for cold-brewed tea as it won’t be bitter, and it will be much lighter than a regular cup of hot tea. If you still want to use a sweetener, add it to your glass, not to a teapot. You can add different fresh fruits or herbs and steep them together with tea leaves.

Benefits of cold brew tea

One of the reasons why cold brew is enjoying so much attention are the potential health benefits. Until recently, all studies suggested that to extract the most catechins, caffeine and other compounds, the hotter the water, the better.

However, recent studies showed that the truth may be more complicated. In fact, cold brewing proved to be a better choice than hot brewing if the catechins are what you are looking for, but for black tea, the values won’t be much different (1). Besides, cold brewing will extract less caffeine, which makes it even more convenient for making tea for all-day sipping, especially in spring and summer.

However, as always in the world of tea, there are exceptions. One study showed that after 12 hours of cold brewing, semi-ball shaped oolong (dong ding) released more caffeine and 4 times more catechins than when hot brewed (2). This actually showed that rolled oolong tea, if you don’t mind waiting for 12 hours and some extra caffeine, may be better cold than hot brewed. However, there’s a “catch”. Study tested rolled oolong brewed for 4 minutes at 85 degrees Celsius, which may not be enough for leaves to fully unfurl.

Cold Brewing Recap

Cold brewing is the easiest way to make tea at home. You can experiment with literally any tea to find out which flavours you like the most. For the best results, always leave it overnight.

Need an extra idea? You know that tea you have but seem you just can’t get to like? Try making it using this method – it will have a completely different flavour. Whichever Camellia sinensis tea you choose, it’s likely it will have at least a slightly higher catechin content and lower caffeine content than hot tea, with some exceptions.

Once is for sure, if you need a lighter, refreshing tea with no bitterness, cold brewing is a no-fuss and must try method.

Print

How to cold brew tea

Instructions for cold brewing loose leaf tea or tea bags

Course Drinks

Keyword Cold Brew

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Steeping 8 hours hours

Servings 1 litre

Equipment

• Teapot, jug or a jar

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of loose leaf tea

Instructions

• Clean and dry your teapot/jug.
• Measure 2 tablespoons of tea leaves or take 4 tea bags and add them to a teapot.
• Add cold filtered tap water or bottled spring water.
• Add fresh herbs or washed and sliced fruits. (optional)
• Cover the lid.
• Let it steep in the fridge for at least 2 hours (green tea,white tea), 4 hours (black tea) or 8 hours (other tea types). For the best results, steep at least 8 hours for any type of tea.
• Pour into a glass and add sweetener if needed.

Sources

(1) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319352099_Evaluation_of_Antioxidant_Status_in_Cold_Brewed_Tea_with_Respect_to_Hot_Decoction_Comparative_Study_Between_Green_and_Black_Varieties

(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4648929/

The post How to cold brew tea appeared first on All That Tea.

How to add condiments to green tea

Not all condiments will go well with all green teas. Some green teas, like Dragon Well, are very light and will taste better with no condiments. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t add any. Choose ingredients that are light and won’t overpower the flavour of the tea. Other teas, such as Chun Mei, Gunpowder, or some Indian green teas, are stronger and deeper. Condiments with stronger flavour and more sweetness will be a perfect match for these teas.

What to add to green tea?

1. Fresh fruits

When you want to add a lot of flavour to green tea, fresh fruits are a brilliant choice. Many of them will add not only sweetness, but a rich, intense flavour too, and you can literally choose any fruit you want. Wash, peel and slice the fruit first, or if you are using berries or small fruits, gently crush them before steeping. Simply add them together with tea leaves and steep for 3 minutes. Because of their natural fresh flavour, fresh fruits are great for both lighter and stronger green teas. If you are adding them to flavoured teas, match the fruit with the flavour of the tea.

Try it with:

• Raspberries – washed and gently crushed
• Strawberries – washed and sliced
• Blueberries – washed and gently crushed
• Apples – washed and sliced

2. Flavour extracts

Adding a drop or two of flavour extract will give a lot of flavour to your tea. There are different flavour extracts. Some are intended for baking and don’t contain a sweetener, and some are for sweetening drinks and contain a sweetener. Both will be great for adding flavour to tea. Start with a drop or two first and add more if needed. Some flavour extract may contain colouring and will change the colour of green tea. Because of their intensity, favour extract may work better with stronger pure teas.

Try it with:

• Almond extract
• Orange extract
• Pistachio extract
• Strawberry extract

3. Fresh vegetables

Steeping tea with vegetables may seem weird and even unappetizing, but it’s actually great for adding flavour and freshness to pure green tea. Many green teas have a naturally fresh and light flavour, and so do many vegetables. That’s exactly why they make a great pair. Always wash vegetables first and peel them if you need to. Choose vegetables that can be eaten raw. Fresh vegetables are great with lighter fruit teas.

Try it with:

• Cucumber – washed and sliced
• Carrot – washed and sliced
• Celery – washed and sliced
• Baby spinach – washed

Get inspired – Is cucumber tea tasty? Steeping 5 different vegetables with green tea.

4. Fresh herbs

Herbs are super popular for scenting water, and they go well with green tea too. Almost any herb will taste great with tea, and many of them can be used for making pure herbal infusions. What’s great about adding fresh herbs is that they will add a lot of flavour but may provide additional potential benefits as well. Herbs will usually have an intense flavour, so you don’t need to add more than a few leaves only. Depending on their intensity, they can go well with both lighter and stronger pure green teas.

Try it with:

• Rosemary
• Basil
• Mint
• Lemongrass

5. Dried fruits

If you like sweet teas, try steeping green tea with dried fruits. Dried fruits may not add as much fruity flavour as fresh fruits, but many of them they will add a delicious sweetness. To get the most out of dried fruits, chop them up first. Unlike fresh fruits, dried fruits won’t get mushy, so you can even eat them after you finished your tea. Great with stronger pure teas and flavoured blends.

Try it with:

• Prunes
• Dates
• Raisins
• Pineapple chunks

6. Jam or jelly

Jam is not only great for scones but also a great sweetener for tea too. It’s one of those ingredients almost everyone has at home. Adding a teaspoon or two will add flavour and sweetness and make your green tea truly irresistible. Adding jam is a wonderful way of adding more flavour to teas that are naturally more astringent or deep.

Try it with:

• Lemon jam
• Orange jam
• Apricot jam
• Pineapple jam

7. Honey

This condiment may seem obvious, but honey is not only a sweetener – it may also add some amazing flavours to green tea. There are hundreds of different honey out there, each having a different flavour profile. Some are lighter, such as acacia honey, and some may have a distinctive flavour, such as chestnut honey. Lighter honey will be better for lighter green teas, and darker honey may be a wonderful choice for stronger, deeper green teas.

Try it with:

• Eucalyptus honey
• Fir honey
• Chestnut honey
• Orange blossom honey

The post What to Add to Green Tea? 7 Ingredients You Already Have at Home appeared first on All That Tea.

What is milk tea?

Milk tea is a drink made with tea, water, milk, usually a sweetener and sometimes spices or other ingredients such as tapioca pearls or jellies. While a typical cup of tea with milk is made by adding a splash of milk to a regularly brewed cup of tea, a typical milk tea is made with more than just a splash. There are many types out there, but lately, the word  became a synonym for boba tea. However, you can make a regular creamy tea with as little as 4 ingredients – plain black tea leaves, whole milk, white sugar and water. And it will still be absolutely delicious.

Making milk teas often includes specific methods, such as pulling or simmering too. We’ll get to that in a second, but let’s first see what the perfect water to milk ratio.

How much milk to use for milk tea?

You can use different ratios of water and milk or make it with milk only. Some recipes will only ask for one tablespoon of milk, while others will require more milk than water. Malaysian Teh Tarik is made using only a small amount of condensed milk, while a typical Indian chai may contain the same amount of milk and water.

Which milk can I use?

You can use any type of milk you want – whole, semi-skimmed, skimmed, plant-based, condensed, evaporated, or powdered. But if you are looking for a classic flavour, regular whole milk is the best choice. If you are adding condensed or evaporated milk, add only a tablespoon or two, not more.

Which teas can I use?

Many teas will be great for making milky teas, including some tisanes. The  classic cup will contain plain black tea leaves such as Assam or Ceylon. A caffeine-free tea will usually be made with red rooibos. The simplest rule would be, if it tastes good with a splash of milk, you can likely use it for making a proper milk tea too.

How to make milk tea at home

The first step of making a good tea is to make a strong and flavourful base. To make a tea base, use more tea leaves than you would normally use. That means 2-3 teaspoons per serving, depending on the type of tea. Teas with broken leaves will usually be the best choice, but you can make a delicious tea with some whole leaves too. Steeping tea leaves longer doesn’t necessarily mean getting a better tea base – using more leaves and slightly prolonging the steeping time is often a better way.

There are two methods you can use for making a tea base.

1. Steeping tea leaves

Steeping means infusing tea leaves in freshly boiled water. It’s the most common way of making a regular cup of tea. When making milk teas, it’s good to adjust the steeping method slightly:

• use double or triple the amount of tea leaves
• use teas or blends with smaller broken tea leaves or tea dust
• use strong teas and strong blends that infuse into a dark coloured and hearty infusion
• cover the leaves while steeping
• steep the tea leaves for 5-10 minutes depending on the type

2. Simmering tea leaves

Simmering method is a preferred method for some teas, and a common method of preparing many herbal infusions. Simmering means boiling tea leaves in water over (usually) low heat until they release flavour. This method usually results in a stronger brew, and it’s suitable for teas that can tolerate high water temperatures such as black, dark oolong, pu’erh, or rooibos.

Print

How to Make Milk Tea at Home

Simple 5 step guide for classic milk tea

Course Drinks

Keyword Black Tea, Milk Tea

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Equipment

• saucepan
• cup

Ingredients

• 2-3 teaspoons of tea leaves
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of whole milk
• 1-2 teaspoons of sugar or honey

Instructions

• Add water and tea leaves into a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Add milk and sugar, stir until sugar is dissolved, and bring it to a boil again.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Strain into a cup and serve.

The post How to Make Classic Milk Tea in Only 5 Steps appeared first on All That Tea.

Should you mix them?

There are many reasons you could try blending these two drinks. Many tea drinkers are coffee drinkers as well, usually choosing coffee for a stronger energy boost in the morning and tea in the afternoon. Over the last couple of decades, both tea and coffee became much more than just simple caffeinated drinks. There are thousands of leaves and beans to choose from, each with its unique flavour and terroir.

Mixing coffee and tea is not just about getting a stronger drink. Yes, you could boost a caffeine content of your tea by adding a shot or two of espresso. And it’s not only about enjoying the benefits of both. By mixing tea and coffee together, you can get a truly unique flavour and customise your tea to suit your preferences.

Let’s get back to benefits. Tea contains both L-theanine and caffeine, and it offers a more sustained energy rather than an immediate energy boost. By blending coffee and tea together, you can enjoy both at the same time.

Feel adventurous enough to try it?

3 ways of mixing tea and coffee

These are the three ways you can mix tea with coffee, and each will provide a different result.

1. Mixing dry tea leaves and coffee beans

The most convenient way of blending tea and coffee is by blending dry tea leaves with coffee beans. This method will cause the weakest coffee flavour, but it’s the fastest and probably the prettiest one. It’s great if you want to add light coffee notes, but not if you want to significantly increase the caffeine content of your tea, as each cup will only contain one or a few whole coffee beans.

Some suggestions:

• Indian Assam black tea and dark roast coffee
• Chinese Dian Hong black tea and medium roast coffee
• Indian green tea and green coffee

Check out these delicious tea and coffee blends.

2. Adding an espresso shot into a cup of tea

Heard of Dirty Chai? It’s a delicious drink made with spiced masala chai latte and a shot of espresso. Try making it at home and there’s a chance it will become your favourite way of drinking morning coffee.

You can blend other teas and coffee in the same way, not only the spiced Indian tea. Use stronger blends that go well with milk and make a cup of milk tea or tea latte first – whichever is more convenient for you.

Some teas that are great for making milk tea and adding a shot or two of espresso:

• vanilla flavoured black tea
• chocolate flavoured black tea
• spiced black teas
• pure Assam or Kenyan black teas
• Dian Hong black tea

To make sure tea leaves infuse into a stronger infusion, use blends with smaller broken leaves, tea dust in tea bags or CTC teas. Use 2 teaspoons of tea leaves and steep them for 5 minutes, then add steamed milk and a shot of espresso. Two shots of espresso may provide over 100 mg of caffeine, plus the caffeine from 2 teaspoons of tea leaves will offer a proper morning energy boost.

3. Mixing instant tea powders with instant coffee

If you prefer instant drinks that are ready instantly, then the best way of making a coffee and tea blend is to blend both instant powders together. Add more tea and less coffee to balance the flavour, and steam and froth the milk.

Tea types you can try:

• Powdered tea lattes
• Instant tea powders such as hojicha or English Breakfast tea
• Black tea granules

Instant coffee will usually be milder than regular espresso coffee, and some types may be very mild, so are suitable for blending with lighter teas.

The post Can You Mix Tea and Coffee? appeared first on All That Tea.

Tea Question #1 – Am I choosing the right tea?

The most common question every tea drinker will eventually have is how to choose the right tea. There are thousands of different tea types, and thousands of tisanes to choose from, some similar, some different, but all of them unique.

What to do?

The best way to know if you are choosing the right tea is by defining why you want to drink tea in the first place. To ditch a habit of sipping sugary drinks? To improve your wellbeing? Maybe you want to practice tea meditation? Or simply to explore different flavours?

Once you know what your reason is, it will be easier to choose the right tea. The next step is to read a tea description and to ask more questions. Pure unflavoured teas will be great for tea meditations, pure unflavoured tisanes and real teas are a perfect choice if you want to enjoy the benefits, and flavoured teas and tisanes are flavourful enough to keep you away from sugary drinks. Strong blends and tea powders are great for cooking and aromatic strong teas make delicious tea syrups.

Tea Question #2 – Am I buying high-quality tea?

One of the most complicated questions to answer is how to know your tea is of the high quality. All teas should be of a high quality, regardless of their classification and type. That means, even if you are choosing broken leaf tea, it should be flavourful and stored properly. Some high-quality teas will have a lighter scent and flavour– such as Dragon Well green tea – but that doesn’t mean the quality isn’t high. Some tea contain only small leaves particles or even dust, but they should still be flavourful and tasty.

What to do?

Buy tea from dedicated and specialised tea sources. Learn more about the type you want to buy. Every cup of tea you drink should be a tasty one, cheap or expensive. Tea liquor shouldn’t be murky (unless it contains powders such as matcha tea). Learn the difference between different leaf grades, to know exactly what to expect.

Tea Question #3 – I have a tea I don’t like. What should I do?

Every now and then you will try a tea you don’t like. Maybe you don’t like one of the ingredients, maybe it’s too bitter, and maybe it just doesn’t taste right. If you don’t want to throw it away, there are ways to both use it and enjoy it.

What to do?

If the tea is fresh, try to give it a second chance or find an alternative use. You can try to:

• experiment with steeping time and leaf-water ratio – you could try using less leaves and more water, or try to steep it for only 30-60 seconds.
• add different condiments and try different sweeteners – adding milk or/and sugar will reduce bitterness.
• steep it with fresh fruits – find out which fruits are great for steeping with black tea
• use it for cooking – intense teas are great for making tea sugar syrups and for adding to cakes and cookies.
• add food flavourings such as vanilla, caramel, lemon or orange
• cold brew it in the fridge – cold brewing will reduce bitterness and offer a completely different flavour profile.
• make a milk tea – stronger black teas, darker oolong tea and some white teas are great for making milk teas

Tea Question #4 – I would like to drink tea, but I’m afraid it has too much caffeine. Which tea shoud I choose?

Unless you are highly sensitive to caffeine or need to avoid it altogether, a cup of tea in the morning is unlikely to give you the same energy boost as coffee. In fact, even a cup of tea in the afternoon is unlikely to keep you awake at night. Tea contains caffeine, and some teas may contain more caffeine than the others, but rarely more than coffee. For example, a shot of espresso is likely to have 60 mg of caffeine, while you can expect 10-50 mg of caffeine in a cup of tea. Some may contain more, but on average, expect 20-30 mg per cup.

What to do?

All real teas contain caffeine, regardless of the type. White tea can have more caffeine than green tea, and green tea may have more caffeine than black tea. You can choose to use less tea leaves, steep them for 1-2 minutes, opt for unbroken longer leaves rather than tea dust or teas with broken leaves, and choose teas made from older mature leaves such as bancha, or teas with stems such as kukicha.

Alternatively, choose tisanes – herbal teas with no caffeine such as chamomile, rooibos or peppermint or decaf teas.

Tea Question #5 – How to save money on tea?

You tried it; you liked it, and now you want to have it all. It’s very easy to get hooked on tea. And yes, it may become quite an expensive hobby. But a very fun one too.

What to do?

If you want to try as many types as possible, try subscription boxes. They allow you to test different teas for a fraction of a cost of a full-size packaging. Next thing you could do is swapping teas with other tea drinkers. Homemade tea samples make for a great and thoughtful gift. You can also try to experiment with making your own tea blends using some of the most common teas – Assam, Darjeeling, Sencha or Dark roasted oolong. And last, you can plan your tea purchases in advance and buy it when it’s on offer.

Tea Question #6 – I would love to drink tea, but it’s just too complicated to brew. Is there an easier way to do it?

One of the most common tea questions many new tea drinkers have is how to make a good cup of tea fast. The truth is, different teas will require different brewing techniques, but it doesn’t need to be complicated. Brewing tea may sound easy, but some teas are not so forgiving to brewing mistakes. Dan Cong oolong teas are a great exampe – you over brew them and they may turn very bitter. Regular green tea may also become undrinkable if you steep it in boiling water for 5 minutes.

What to do?

Until you are comfortable brewing different types, choose teas that are good for beginners and will not be bitter or too strong, even if you over-brew them. Flavoured blends are often easier to brew than unflavoured pure teas because they may be more forgiving to brewing mistakes.

Investing in a simple to use teapot will also make brewing much easier. Our recommendation? 300 ml side handled teapot with a removable mesh filter. It’s easy to clean, easy to use, and suitable for all tea types. Alternatively, try novelty blends that don’t require any brewing.

All teas usually come with brewing instructions, so pay attention to temperatures and steeping time to get the best flavour.

Final Thoughts on the Most Common Tea Questions

If you are new to tea, the number of types and flavour may seem overwhelming and you will undoubtedly have many tea related questions. But that’s also what’s great about tea. Even if you try a new type every day, it will still keep surprising you. Each type will offer something different and with every cup you drink, you will learn more about tea and your own preferences.

The post 6 Tea Questions All Tea Beginners Have + Solutions appeared first on All That Tea.

In western countries, there’s no wrong or right way to make or drink chai, as the word itself became a synonym for spiced tea. And, there are many ways to make it.

What is Chai?

Chai is an Indian tea made with black tea, sugar, water, and milk. Rather than steeping the tea in water and just adding a splash of milk, tea leaves are simmered in a pan together with milk. It’s highly aromatic, creamy and complex. It can’t be compared with a regular black tea with milk, although that’s exactly what it is – a sweetened black tea with milk.

Read more: Making Chai You Will Love – 2 methods compared

Proper traditional chai can be made (and often is) with black tea bags. Although it has an amazing flavour, it usually contains lower quality tea leaves. But low-quality tea leaves doesn’t mean bad or stale tea. Teas with broken leaves and tea dust will give a stronger flavour and are more suitable for making a milk tea than high quality gentle tea leaves.

What is Masala Chai?

Masala chai is a black tea with milk and spices. The most common ones are cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, fennel seeds, star anise, aniseed, black pepper, nutmeg and cloves. Each masala chai tea will be different, with a unique blend of spices and of a different intensity. The best tea is usually made with freshly crushed ingredients, to release flavour more easily.

Today, the word chai can mean:

• Black tea with milk made using traditional methods – authentic chai
• Black tea with milk and spices used traditional methods – authentic masala chai
• A drink made with an instant chai powder
• A drink made with chai concentrate where you only need to add milk
• Spiced black tea with steamed and frothed milk – western chai latte
• Tea made by steeping spiced black tea blend in water only
• Tea made by steeping spiced black tea blend in water and adding a splash of milk

And, it can mean much more. If you order a chai in any western country, you may need to be more specific about your preferences. But if you get chai from chaiwallah in India (a person who makes and sells it), there won’t be any misunderstandings – you will know exactly what to expect – a creamy, aromatic and delightful tea.

 Learn how to make masala chai from a scratch in only 10 minutes.

How to make Chai tea – 7 ways and their pros and cons

1. Make it by boiling black tea and fresh spices

If you are looking for an authentic experience, there’s only one way to make masala chai. Boiling black tea leaves and fresh spices in water and milk is the traditional way of making masala tea. Fresh spices are crushed, added to water, brought to a boil and then tea leaves are added and simmered together with spices. Milk comed next, and the tea is further simmered and finally aerated. Sweetener is rather mandatory than optional and it’s used to balance the flavour and improve the texture.

Ingredients:

• Black tea leaves or tea bags
• Fresh whole spices
• Milk
• Water
• Sugar

Pros of this method: the authentic way to make it, complex flavour, intense aroma and a very creamy texture

Cons of this method: requires time and patience and fresh spices

2. Make chai from a concentrate

Making it from a concentrate is the second-best method of making chai at home, providing you have a good tea concentrate. Tea concentrates usually already contain sugar, and you will only need to add milk. They are often used for making lattes, too. You can make your own concentrate or buy a pre-made one.

Ingredients:

• Pre-made chai concentrate
• Sugar if the concentrate is sugar free
• Milk

Pros of this method: saves a lot of time and it’s easy to use

Cons of this method: flavour and ingredients will differ from a brand to a brand

3. Pre-made chai blends

If you don’t know how to make chai and you never tried it before, it’s likely that your first encounter with this tea will be with pre-made masala blends, either loose tea or tea bags. There are hundreds of teas to choose from, containing different teas and different spices. Pre-made chai tea bags or loose tea is usually intended for steeping in hot water for 3-5 minutes, but you can simmer them in a saucepan too. You can drink them pure or add milk.

Ingredients:

• Pre-made chai blend, loose tea or tea bags
• Water
• Milk (optional)
• Sugar (optional)

Pros of this method: you don’t need to worry about different spice ratios or choosing the best tea base, they are easy to steep, suitable for office

Cons of this method: flavour may be weaker, especially if you only steep it in water, quality and flavour may differ.

4. Mixing instant powders with milk or water

Instant powders and latte powders are easy to use, and you can be mix them with both water or milk. They usually contain sugars and powdered milk and may be very sweet. One of the major benefit is the ease of use. There are many delicious instant  tea powders out there, but the texture and flavour will differ from the authentic chai. Many powders contain non-traditional ingredients such as vanilla or chocolate.

Ingredients:

• Instant chai powder
• Water OR milk, or both
• Sugar (optional, usually already highly sweetened)

Pros of this method: Very easy to use, often a decadent drink with no bitterness

Cons of this method: Other ingredients and potentially lots of sugar, the furthest from an authentic chai of all methods

5. Using steamed milk

Chai with steamed milk is called chai latte. It’s an alternative to regular milk tea, but with a very different texture and flavour. It’s great for making a cup of spiced tea fast, especially if you have a milk steamer and a loose tea blend or tea bags. Latte will have a better texture than regular cup of tea with milk, but it will still be less rich than the proper authentic chai – even if you start with the same ingredient ratio. Furthermore, it will have a layer of milky foam that’s not spiced.

Ingredients:

• Pre-made blends or chai concentrate
• Water
• Steamed and frothed milk
• Sugar

Pros of this method: easier to make than the authentic tea, usually made with pre-made blends

Cons of this method: texture will be less creamy and more watery than an authentic tea, requires a milk steamer or an electric hand frother

Read more: Chai tea vs Chai latte

6. Adding powdered spices to black tea

Another way of making chai tea is by adding powdered spices to steeped tea. While this may be convenient, if you don’t have any whole spices and want to make a cup of spiced tea fast, it will have downsides, too. Powders don’t really dissolve and have a less intense flavour than whole spices. This method works well when making lattes, but it may not be a great choice for making a regular cup of tea without milk or with only a splash of cold milk.

Ingredients:

• Black tea leaves or tea bag
• Powdered spices
• Steamed milk
• Sugar (optional)

Pros of this method: easier to use than whole spices, suitable for making lattes

Cons of this method: not suitable for making authentic chai or for adding to tea without milk

7. Using chai pods

The fastest and newest way of making a milky tea is by using tea pods. Just like coffee pods, tea pods will offer an ease of use and will usually already contain sugar and milk. While you can’t use chai pods to make an authentic chai, you can use them to make a delicious cup of spiced drink. Pods are easy to use, provided you have a pod coffee machine, but the price per cup may be higer than using fresh ingredients. However, it’s probably the most conventient way of enjoying spiced tea in the office.

Ingredients:

• Chai pods
• Water

Pros of this method: easy to use, great for offices

Cons of this method: cost, some may be more watery than the others

Final thoughts

The best way will ultimately depend on your preferences. If you want an authentic experience, there’s only one way to make it – by gathering all ingredients and simmering it to a perfection. But if only want to enjoy a spiced drink, there are many ways you can try. Experimenting with different methods will help you find the perfect one.

The post 7 Ways to Make Chai + Their Pros and Cons appeared first on All That Tea.

Tea steeped in milk can have dozens of different uses. You can simply enjoy it cold, or use it for recipes that include milk – and make a truly unique dessert.

What is a milk steeped tea?

Milk steeped tea is simply a tea infused milk – instead of water, you use milk to allow tea leaves to release their flavour. Now, maybe you ask yourself why would you steep tea in milk in the first place? Because it can give a whole new flavour profile to many regular dishes or desserts. Combinations are countless and so are the tea flavours.

Tea infused milk can both have a strong or weak flavour, depending on the way you infuse it, tea and milk type.

What are the best teas for steeping in milk?

The best tea types for steeping in milk are stronger, flavourful teas.

• Earl Grey black tea
• Strong malty Assam tea
• Masala Chai blend
• Pure or flavoured rooibos tea
• Fruit flavoured black teas

Some of the best tea choices for steeping in milk

Use only the tea that is strong enough to go well with milk. Teas with strong broken leaves will release more flavour than teas with unbroken leaves. You can gently crush the leaves before steeping them to release more flavour.

What is the best milk for steeping tea?

You can steep tea in any milk. Depending on the milk you want to use, there are two methods you can use. Different types of milk have different flavours, so it’s always good to match the flavour profile of your tea with the milk you are using. Cow’s milk is the most neutral, and there are many plant-based alternatives that have a neutral flavour too.

Check out the test with 5 different plant-based alternatives for black tea.

1. Simmering method

For regular cow’s milk, the best way to steep tea in milk is by simmering it on low heat for 5 minutes, removing from the heat and steeping for another 5 minutes. Do not add water. Strain the tea and store milk in the fridge.

2. Cold brewing method

Plant-based milk alternatives may curdle if you boil them. The best way to steep tea in plant-based milk is to cold-brew it in the fridge. You can use regular dairy milk for cold brewing too. Add 1 heaped spoon of tea leaves per 0.5 litres of milk at room temperature. For this method, always use teas with smaller broken leaves. Cold brew tea in milk overnight in the fridge. It may take longer for tea to cold steep in milk than it would in water, and it works best with stronger black teas.

How to use tea infused milk?

Always strain the milk before storing it in the fridge and use it within expiry date.

You can use tea infused milk for making:

• Pancakes – for example a maple, chocolate or caramel flavoured teas
• Milkshakes – for example, fruit based black tea blends
• Whipped cream – for example, fruity rooibos blends or fruit teas
• Ice-creams – for example citrus flavoured black tea blends
• Savoy dishes – for example, smoky lapsang souchong in mushroom pasta with a milk-based sauce

Or drink it on its own.

Read more:

• 5 milk alternatives for tea tested

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