The Sugimoto Guide for Delicious Cold Brew Green Tea

Cold brewing isn’t just limited to coffee. It’s also a super easy way to make incredibly delicious tea that is perfect any time of day and especially during the summer. Here’s how to cold brew tea.

What You’ll Need

• Water
• Cold-brewing vessel (We recommend the Hario Cold Brew Bottle)
• Tea (Loose-leaf, teabags, or powdered)
• Ice (if you’re doing a quick cold brew)

Step 1: Add Tea Leaves

Here’s how much tea leaves you should add based on the size of your teapot or bottle:

• 12 oz (350ml): 5-8 grams (1 Tbsp)
• 25 oz (750ml): 10-15 grams (2 Tbsp)

You can use the cold brew method for any green tea, but here are our favorite cold brew Japanese green teas combos:

• Sakura Sencha with Matcha: 2 Tbsps Sakura Sencha + 1 tsp Matcha (for a 750 ml bottle)
• Fukamushi Sencha & Matcha Cold Brew Green Tea: 1 Tbsp Fukamushi Sencha + 1 tsp. Matcha (for a 750 ml bottle)

Step 2: Add Water and Ice

Fill up your container or bottle with room-temperature or cold water.

• If you’re brewing on the go, fill ¾ of the container with ice, then fill up the remaining with water.
• If you’re willing to wait a little and have access to a fridge, fill all the way with cold or room-temperature water.

Step 3: Swirl and Steep

Once the tea leaves and water are in the bottle, put the cap on, then lightly swirl to stir up the leaves.

• For quick brewing with Japanese green teas, you only need to wait around 10 minutes before serving (matcha cold brews are ready instantly). When your tea is ready, turn the bottle upside down a couple of times before serving.
• You can also just leave your tea in the fridge even overnight to enjoy it the next morning. Cold brew tea stays fresh for up to three days in the fridge. You can also add other ingredients, like fruit or mint, to create your own cold brew green tea blends.

Note: Steeping times vary for different varieties, so there’s no standard on how to cold brew all green tea varieties. Fukamushi Sencha requires as little as five minutes, while Hojicha may need up to an hour to fully steep.