Cold-brewed tea is incredibly easy to make and when served over ice, it's sure to hit the spot on hot days! All you need is your favorite tea, water, a French press carafe or a jar, and some time. Flavor your tea simply with sweetener, slices of lemon or lime, or other fruits like berries or mango. You'll love the smooth, pure taste of tea without the bitterness!
This recipe was inspired by my recipe for Cold-Brewed Coffee, as well as the much-loved iced lemon tea here in Hong Kong! My sons and I really enjoy the flavor of cold-brewed tea and I think you will, too!
Ingredients and Equipment
- Tea leaves
- Water
For equipment, you can use a French press carafe like I have shown here or a jar. That's it!
Instructions
Using a French press carafe
Add the tea leaves to the French press carafe. Add water.
Stir the tea leaves. Place the lid on the carafe (plunger is up) and leave at room temperature for at 12-24 hours.
Press the filter plunger down.
Transfer the tea to a bottle (pour the tea through layers of cheesecloth or a fine-sieve to catch any stray leaves or debris). Keep in the refrigerator.
Using a jar
Add the tea leaves and water to a jar, stir, place the lid on a let steep for 12-24 hours.
Pour the tea through a fine sieve to catch any stray tea leaves or debris, then transfer the tea to a bottle.
Serving Suggestions
You can't go wrong with pouring cold-brewed tea over ice and enjoying it as is. You can also go the traditional route and add slices of lemon, lime, or even orange for a citrusy touch. Be creative and add other fruits to your tea like sliced strawberries, fresh raspberries, or mango.
To sweeten, I like having a little pitcher of simple syrup on the side so everyone can sweeten their own glass of tea to their taste. I love the taste of unsweetened cold-brewed tea!
Commonly Asked Questions
How much tea do I add to the water?
A standard ratio for good flavor is to use 1 - 1.5 grams of loose tea to 100 mL of water. I have experimented using a higher ratio of tea to water and have found that the tea gets cloudy while brewing which may not be bad to drink, but it does not look very nice! More does not necessarily mean better.
Can I use tea bags?
Yes! Cut the tea bags and use the loose tea. I have used 1 tea bag per 1 cup of water. Because the tea bags contain more dust, it is best to pour the tea through a few layers of cheesecloth to filter it.
Can I use any kind of tea?
Yes! Use whatever kind of loose tea you like. I like using Ceylon Orange Pekoe for a basic black tea flavor, but Earl Grey, Asam, green will all work.
Can I reuse the tea leaves after brewing?
I do not recommend reusing the tea leaves. I have found that reusing the tea leaves makes a very weak and cloudy tea.
How long does the tea keep in the fridge?
I keep the tea for no more than 3-4 days in the fridge.
Other Recipes You Might Like
If you like the idea of cold brewing, be sure to check out my recipe for Cold-Brewed Coffee, and while you're at it, take a look at how to make Cold-Brewed Coffee Ice Cubes!
For other refreshing ideas, consider:
Once you realize how easy it is to make cold-brewed tea and how good it is, you'll want to have a pitcher of it handy all the time! The tea is smooth, pure, and without the bitterness that you can get from brewing in hot water, and it's delicious unsweetened or flavored with some sweetener and lemon. It's the perfect drink to enjoy on a hot day!
~ Lisa.
Cold-Brewed Tea
Ingredients
- 10 grams Loose tea leaves (use whatever your favorite tea is)
- 1 litre Filtered room temperature water
Instructions
Using a French press carafe:
- Add the tea leaves to the French press carafe. Add water.
- Stir the tea leaves. Place the lid on the carafe (plunger is up) and leave at room temperature for at 12-24 hours.
- Press the French press plunger down.
- Transfer the tea to a bottle, pouring the tea through a fine sieve or a few layers of cheesecloth to catch any stray tea leaves or debris.
Using a jar:
- Add the tea leaves and water to a jar, stir, place the lid on a let steep for 12-24 hours.
- Pour the tea through a fine sieve or a few layers of cheesecloth to catch any stray tea leaves or debris, then transfer the tea to a bottle.
Notes
- Use 1 - 1.5 grams of loose tea to 100 mL of water.
- If you use more, the tea will be cloudy.
- 1 litre of water = 1000 mL = 4 cups = 32 ounces (approximately)
- If you are using tea bags, cut the bags and empty the loose tea into the French press or jar. I use 2 tea bags per 1 cup of water.
- Depending on the size of the tea leaves or how much dust is in your tea, you may need to pour the tea through a few layers of cheesecloth to filter it all.
- Use whatever tea leaves you like. I like using Ceylon Orange Pekoe for a basic black tea flavor.
- I do not reuse the tea leaves. I have found that reusing the tea leaves makes a very weak and sometimes cloudy tea.
- Add slices of lemon, lime, or orange to flavor your tea, if desired. Pineapple, cucumber, raspberries, strawberries are all delicious!
- Keep simple syrup on the side so people can sweeten their tea to their liking.
- Keep the tea in the fridge for 4-5 days.
**This post was originally published July 16th, 2017 and republished April 27th, 2025 with an updated recipe, new writing, and new photos.
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