Yes, the name is a bit of a mouthful, but this cold brew strawberry green tea is one of the best tea recipes that you can try out. It is healthy, refreshing, and – because you are making it yourself – cost-effective too. This recipe is especially great if you aren’t the biggest green tea fan in the world, but want to try it every once in a while.
Now, this recipe does involve a few different steps. However, the end result is definitely worth it. Before you get started, though, you do have to be aware of a few points.
What is Cold Brew Tea?
Most people have heard of cold brew coffee, but what on earth is cold brew tea? Well, it’s like iced tea, only better. Here, the tea bags or leaves are steeped in cold water for much longer than usual. Depending on the type of tea used, this could be anywhere from half an hour to overnight.
So, why go through this method? Well, as you may have noticed, iced tea can often be a bit bitter. This is due to the tannins that are released when the tea leaves meet hot water. With the cold brew method, the various flavors and components in the tea leaves seep out more slowly.
This means that the tannins will only move into the water at a much later period. Before this happens, you will strain the tea leaves out of the tea. This means that cold brew is naturally sweeter and tastier.
Choosing Quality Green Tea
Be honest, how much attention do you pay to the green tea that you buy? Probably not much – this is because you assume that all green tea is the same. This isn’t the case, though. There are different types and grades. Well, it is a good idea to select a slightly higher grade of green tea.
Higher quality green tea actually tastes better. It is sweeter and doesn’t taste quite as grassy. In addition, you should also try to buy green tea leaves instead of tea bags. The loose leaf tea is less likely to produce a bitter brew.
Now, it is only natural to assume that good green tea isn’t going to cost more. This isn’t the case at all! As green tea becomes more popular, better grades are available at cheaper rates. So, make it a point to look for one of these.
Cold Brew Method with Green Tea
As far as teas go, green tea tends to be a little bit more delicate. This is why when you brew it, you use cooler water than with black tea. Not to mention, you have to steep the green tea for a shorter period of time as well.
Due to this, you don’t need to steep the tea leaves in cold water for as long as you would with other teas. Of course, the exact steeping time does depend on how strong you like your tea. Start by steeping the tea for around 3 hours. If you feel like it isn’t strong enough, try steeping for longer – you should be able to steep it for up to 4 hours.
Making the Fruit Syrup
With cold brew tea, you have to use simple syrup. This is because the tea is very cold and sugar won’t melt in the drink. Now, for this recipe, we are making strawberry syrup made from real strawberries. This adds a more authentic – and healthier – component to the drink.
Strawberries are plenty sweet by themselves, so may not want to sweeten the syrup any further. However, you should taste the syrup and add sugar or honey to taste. It is better to sweeten the syrup rather than the tea as the flavor will blend more effortlessly.
Cold Brew Strawberry Green Tea
You’ll Need:
2 quarts or 8 cups of cold water
2 tablespoons of loose leaf tea or 4 tea bags (with tags removed)
16 ounces of strawberries, stems removed and diced
4 tablespoons of lime juice
Ice* (optional)
Directions
Steep the Tea
Pour water into an airtight glass container. Add the tea leaves and stir. Close the container and place in fridge for 3 to 4 hours.
Blend Strawberries
Place the strawberries in a blender or food processor and mix.
Blend on high until the strawberries turn to liquid and there are only few pieces of pulp.
Heat the Strawberries
Pour the strawberry liquid into a small pan and place on low heat.
Add the lime juice and stir.
Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat. The mixture should have reached syrup consistency.
Remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool.
Mix the Tea and Syrup
Remove the tea from the fridge. Strain the tea leaves from the drink or remove the tea bags from the tea.
Pour the tea into a large jug. Add the syrup and stir until combined well. You can also divide the tea into individual glasses and add the syrup accordingly.
Yield: 8 Servings
*Note: You can add ice to individual glasses when serving. Bear in mind that this will dilute the tea and take away from the flavor. However, because the tea has been refrigerated for a while, there is no need to do this, it will be plenty cold.
Storing the Green Tea
If you don’t want to enjoy this beverage right away, don’t add the strawberry syrup to the tea straight away. Instead, store them separately in the refrigerator in airtight containers. The tea can be stored for around 48 hours, while the strawberry syrup can last for a few days. Only mix them when you are about to drink the tea.
This is your guide to making cold brew strawberry green tea. As you can see, it can take some work, but is relatively simple to figure out. Once you get the hang of it, you will want to make this tea all the time.
Not only is it pretty healthy, it is delicious and refreshing. And, what’s more, you are sure to never look at green tea the same way again.
