The most stylish method

Brewing a single-estate or premium tea at room temperature and savouring it at the same temperature or chilled offers a new tasting experience that will give you a different appreciation of its complexity. Challenge your preconceived ideas about how these types of tea should be prepared, and you’ll enjoy new flavour sensations!

Preparation

Brew the tea at room temperature for between 45 minutes and an hour at most. That’s long enough for the leaves to release all their aromas without subjecting them to extreme temperature changes. Then simply sip and enjoy! Always be guided by your taste to adjust the quantity of tea leaves and the steep time.

In the cup or glass

The main benefit of brewing at room temperature is to bring out the top notes. At this temperature, the aromatic molecules that produce the most subtle aromas don’t “evaporate”. The other advantage of iced tea brewed at room temperature is the lack of astringency.

When you steep tea leaves in hot water you extract the catechins, which are well known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but you also bring out the bitterness that sometimes comes from teas infused at too high a temperature or for too long. However, these molecules are not soluble in water at room temperature. With no sudden rise in temperature, no tannins are released. You may lose some of the finish in the mouth but you’ll gain an explosion of flavours without the astringency that sometimes bothers people unaccustomed to such textures.

Tea and food pairings

Brewed and consumed at room temperature or slightly chilled, a premium or single-estate tea can enhance even very subtle dishes and are a perfect accompaniment to a meal. You want to find the balance between a dish and a tea that offers rich aromas and that is less structured due to the loss of tannins. You might try pairing a tea with fish or meat with a pronounced texture, or with a creamy, fresh goat’s cheese – the fat will bring out the flavours.