Updated July 2026.
Cold brew tea is tea steeped in cold water for several hours instead of hot water for a few minutes. A good starting ratio is about 1 gram of loose leaf to 100 ml of water, left in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours. It comes out smoother and less bitter than hot tea, sweet enough that you won't reach for sugar.
The short version
- Cold brew is leaves plus cold water plus time: 6 to 8 hours in the fridge, no heat.
- A rough ratio to remember is 1 gram of tea per 100 ml of water. Greens need less time, blacks and pu-erh a little more.
- Cold water leaves most of the bitterness and tannin behind, so cold brew tastes naturally sweeter than the same tea brewed hot.
- It still has caffeine, usually similar to or a little less than hot-brewed tea, not more.
In this post
What is cold brew tea?
Cold brew tea is exactly what it sounds like: tea leaves steeped in cold or room-temperature water, slowly, usually in the fridge. No kettle involved. The method isn't new. In Japan it's called mizudashi, a traditional way to brew green tea in summer without heat. Because the water is cold, the leaves give up their flavour slowly and gently, which changes the taste in a way I'll come back to.
Cold brew tea ratio and time
The one number to remember is roughly 1 gram of loose leaf per 100 ml of water, which is about 10 grams per litre. From there, the steep time depends on the tea. Here's a starting chart. Treat it as a guide and adjust to your own taste.
| Tea type | Leaf : water | Fridge time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green (Dragon Well, Mao Feng) | 1 g : 100 ml | 4–6 h | Sweet and grassy; don't over-steep |
| Jasmine green | 1 g : 100 ml | 6 h | Keeps the flower aroma intact |
| White (Moonlight) | 1 g : 100 ml | 6–8 h | Delicate and honeyed |
| Oolong (Tie Guan Yin) | 1.5 g : 100 ml | 8 h | Floral; likes a bit more leaf |
| Black (Dianhong) | 1 g : 100 ml | 8 h | Malty and smooth |
| Raw pu-erh (sheng) | 1 g : 100 ml | 8–10 h | Bright and fruity |
How much caffeine is in cold brew tea?
Cold brew tea has caffeine, usually similar to or a little less than the same tea brewed hot, not more. Cold water pulls caffeine out more slowly than hot water, so a short cold brew is gentle. But cold brews steep for hours, and a long steep keeps extracting, so the gap narrows the longer you leave it. It is not decaf. If you're watching caffeine, a shorter cold steep of a lighter tea like a green or white is your friend. For rough numbers by drink, the Mayo Clinic caffeine chart is a good reference.
Cold brew vs. hot brew
The difference is temperature, and temperature changes the taste. Hot water pulls caffeine, tannins, and the compounds that read as bitter out of the leaf quickly. Cold water leaves most of that behind, so cold brew tastes rounder and sweeter from the exact same leaf. The trade-off is time: minutes for a hot cup, hours for a cold one. Neither is better, they're just different tools. When it's 35 degrees out, I reach for the cold jug every time.
Cold brew tea vs. iced tea
People use the two names interchangeably, but they're made differently. Iced tea is brewed hot and then chilled or poured over ice. Cold brew skips the heat entirely. Iced tea is faster and has a brighter, more aromatic top note; cold brew is slower, smoother, and less bitter. Both are good with no sugar at all. If you want recipes for both methods, we put together 9 iced tea recipes you can make with real loose-leaf tea.
Is cold brew tea good for you?
Here's the honest version. The everyday advantage of cold brew isn't some miracle; it's that the tea comes out naturally sweeter and less bitter, so most people drink it plain instead of loading it with sugar or syrup. On a hot day it's an easy way to enjoy real tea and stay hydrated. Tea also contains L-theanine, an amino acid a lot of people associate with a calm, steady kind of focus. Beyond that, I'm not going to make medical claims about cold brew tea. The science on tea and health is genuinely mixed and depends on far more than the temperature of your water. If you have specific health questions, your doctor is a better source than a tea seller.
How to make cold brew tea
The whole method, start to finish:
- Add loose leaf to a jug or bottle at roughly 1 gram per 100 ml of water.
- Fill with cold, filtered water.
- Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours (see the chart above for timing by tea type).
- Strain, and keep it in the fridge.
If steeping for hours doesn't fit your day, that's exactly why we make an instant cold-brew line: single-origin sachets in Dragon Well green, jasmine, Dianhong black, and raw pu-erh, or the variety pack to try all five. Drop one in cold water, shake, and it's ready in minutes.
FAQ
Does cold brew tea have more caffeine than hot tea?
No. Cold water extracts caffeine more slowly, so cold brew tends to have a similar amount or a little less than the same tea brewed hot. A very long steep narrows the gap, but cold brew isn't a high-caffeine drink and it isn't decaf either.
How long does cold brew tea take?
Most loose-leaf teas are ready after 6 to 8 hours in the fridge. Greens and whites can be good a little sooner; blacks and pu-erh like a bit longer. Leaving it overnight is fine, since cold water extracts gently and is hard to overdo.
Can you cold brew any tea?
Yes. Green, white, oolong, black, and pu-erh all cold brew well. Lighter teas need a little less time, darker teas a little more. The ratio chart above gives a starting point for each type.
How long does cold brew tea keep in the fridge?
It's best within 2 to 3 days. Keep it cold and covered, and strain out the leaves once it's brewed so it doesn't keep getting stronger and eventually turn bitter.
Is cold brew tea healthier than hot tea?
The clearest real difference is taste: cold brew is smoother and sweeter, so it's easy to drink without sugar. We don't make medical claims beyond that. If health is your main question, talk to your doctor rather than relying on a tea company.