Cold Brew Tea

Mizudashi Cold Brew

Cold brew is a particularly refreshing method of tea preparation that uses cold water instead of hot water for extraction. This method, known in Japan as mizudashi (水出し, meaning “cold water extraction”), brings out the full aroma of the tea while reducing bitterness and enhancing its naturally sweet, fresh notes.

The slow extraction process creates a smooth, incomparably refreshing tea that’s perfect for hot summer days or whenever you fancy something light and flavourful. Cold brew tea isn’t just a cooling alternative to traditional tea; it also makes a healthy, versatile substitute for alcoholic drinks, pairing wonderfully with fine food or used as a base for unusual mocktails and more.

Which teas are best for cold brew?

Almost all high-quality teas are suitable for making cold brew, whether it’s green, white, or black tea. We highly recommended our Yoshi en Mizudashi Sencha teas, which our sommeliers, in collaboration with our tea farmers, developed specifically for cold brewing.

The Yutakamidori cultivar selected for this cold brew guarantees a unique burst of freshness with green, fresh notes of cucumber, melon and a hint of lemon. Yutakamidori also has an ideal balance of EGC and EGCG catechins, making our Mizudashi Sencha not just delicious, but healthy, too. The deep steaming of the leaves (fukamushi) ensures that the flavours develop beautifully in cold water, making for a rich, smooth taste.

If you prefer something fruitier, our signature Mizudashi Sakura Rose is a perfect pick. This house blend combines fragrant Chiran Mizudashi Sencha with Japanese cherry blossom leaves and Italian rose petals for a light, floral brew. Jasmine tea and our tangy yuzu blends also make wonderfully refreshing cold brews, perfect for cooling down on warm summer days.

How long should cold brew tea steep?

Making cold brew tea is simple. Just measure out your tea leaves, place them in a cold brew bottle, top up with cold water, and let it steep in the fridge – that’s it! You can adjust both the amount of tea and the steeping time to suit your personal taste. We recommend experimenting with different infusion times to find the perfect balance for your favourite mizudashi cold brew.

You can refer to our list of suggested measurements and steeping times for different teas here:

Brewing instructions (per litre of water)

Japanese green tea: 10-20g, 1-2h

Chinese green tea: 8-10g, 2-3h

Black tea: 8-10g, 6h or overnight

White tea and oolong tea: 8-12g, overnight

Herbal tea: We recommend preparing herbal teas as iced teas. More information on this can be found in the last section.

Cold brew tea bottles – designed for cold infusion

Our practical cold brew bottles are ideal for preparing cold brew tea. The bottles feature integrated filters that make pouring and serving tea a breeze. This makes them perfect for use at home, in the office, or on the go. Beyond functionality, they also feature a stylish, clear, minimalist aesthetic, beautifully displaying the infusions.

What is the difference between cold brew and iced tea?

Cold brew and iced tea differ significantly in preparation and flavour. Iced tea is first brewed hot and then cooled via the refrigerator or ice cubes. This process results in a stronger release of bitter compounds, caffeine, and tannins, resulting in a more robust flavour. Mizudashi cold brew tea, on the other hand, is brewed with cold water and refrigerated for several hours. The result is a milder, sweeter flavour as fewer bitter compounds are extracted.

Most teas can be prepared as both mizudashi and iced tea. For herbal teas, we recommend preparing them exclusively as iced tea rather than cold brew for hygiene reasons. For a delicious iced tea, brew the tea a little stronger than usual and pour it directly onto a generous amount of ice. At least three ice cubes should be used per 100ml to ensure the tea cools immediately and retains its flavour and colour.