Today, I felt like having some iced oolong tea. It’s pretty simple, and I’ve done it a bunch of times, so I thought I’d just share my little process here.
Getting Started
First off, I grabbed my tea leaves. I’ve got this aged oolong that I’ve been saving for like, seven years. It’s good stuff. I remember reading somewhere that oolong tea is best after aging for at least six to eight years.
Prepping the Tea
So, I put some of those tea leaves into my glass teapot. I didn’t really measure, just eyeballed it. I like my tea pretty strong, so I used a good amount. I use one teaspoon of tea leaves for one cup, that is 8 oz or 240 ml. Then I poured in some room temperature water, just enough to cover the leaves. Gave it a quick swirl and poured the water out. This is just to kind of rinse the leaves and get them ready.
First Infusion
I heat up some water. The hot water is around 200-205 degrees Fahrenheit (93-96 degrees Celsius). And I made sure the water wasn’t boiling, I think I let it get to around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Then I poured that over the leaves. I let it steep for about 2 minutes. I always use a timer because I always lose track of time. Then I poured it into my cup.
Cold Brewing
Next up, I filled up my container with cold water. Normally, I use 2 teaspoons of oolong tea leaves in a container and pour 16 oz of cold water over the leaves. Then, I just popped it into the fridge. I had read that you can let it sit there for several hours, depending on how strong you like your tea.
Enjoying the Tea
After a couple of hours, I took the pitcher out of the fridge. It was this beautiful golden color. I poured myself a glass over some ice. I took a sip, and it was perfect. Just the right amount of that oolong flavor, and super refreshing.
That’s pretty much it. Making iced oolong tea is super easy, and it’s definitely worth trying if you have some good oolong tea leaves lying around. The cold brew method is great if you have some time and want a really smooth tea.
