Cold Brew Tea

[Mithrea]

Celestial Seasonings and Lipton now have these "Cool Brew" or "Cold Brew" teas. I've tried the Celestial Seasonings because they are flavored and they still have caffeine (so hard to find flavored teas with caffeine!). They are perfect, I love them but I started thinking and I got a little nervous. I can't figure out how they work. What makes them steep if there is no heat?

Here is the ingredients on the lemon: "Tea with tea extract, hibiscus, natural lemon flavor with other natural flavors, citric acid, and whole dried lemons."

Does anyone know how they work?

[Lavender]

Do you just add cold water?

[Danustouch]

Yep, Wild. You just dunk the bags in cold water, and it activates it.

That is a good question though. Normal tea bags don't steep very well in cold water. But...these do. How? How do they differ? I'll bet You Illuminatus could explain this one....

[Tenders]

Most of those teas have a tea extract added to the tea leaves. It works sort of like an instant tea when it hit water. Usually the instructions tell you to just leave the bags in the water which allows some slow steeping from the leaves, but most of what you see right away is from the extract.

At least that's my understanding. Some of the cold brews are tastey, but I'm sort of old fashion and I like brewing the tea in my pot and waiting while I smell it steeping away :)

[Lavender]

Interesting...I'll have to check those out next time I'm at the store. I'm old fashion when it comes to my teas too. Steep in hot water. Let it cool, if you want ice tea. :)