Cold Brew Iced Tea - Rooibos Remix

Despite the joys of having superfluous amounts of Vitamin D in the summertime, it seems to be the season where tea drinking comes to a sad end. It may sound a bit morbid, but I've found it to be fairly true when it comes to drinking tea at home. Who wants to boil water, let it steep, and then pour ice on it, waiting for it to chill to the perfect drinking temperature? The taste is flat and not nearly as appealing as just drinking it as a hot beverage.

But then, you haven't tried cold brewing your tea. It took me a minute to understand the difference between the ordinary way of making tea versus cold brewing. In simple terms, regular brewing means steeping the tea using boiling water, which means a faster result - you would then add ice and water. Cold brewing, on the other hand, uses cold water and ice + a longer steeping time to allow the flavors to soak into the water. In my personal opinion, it tastes smoother and richer. And yes, it works for tea too! One of the best parts about cold brewing is not only that you can cold brew any type of tea and it will taste good, but you can leave it steeping for as long as you'd like. Teas that are left steeping for 24 hours don't taste bitter or noticeably different than something steeping for only, say, 8 hours. In short, this means that it's pretty hard to mess up the process.

If you're looking for an herbal iced tea, a recommendation I have is using our Organic Rooibos. At first glance, that word looks like gibberish. First of all, how do you even say that? Rooie-bos? Roo-I-Boss? Nope, not quite... "ROY-bōs". It took me a while to get it, too. Rooibos is the South African "Red Bush" and let's just say it's short of magic! Here are some reasons why, though there are many others:

You read correctly: 100% caffeine free without going through any type of chemical processing - which, in that case - makes it great for everyone! There is no limit to the amount of Rooibos you can drink in a day, and not to mention that it's good for you, too.

It's a natural guard against "free radicals" or those "little buggers" that attack us during cold and flu season. Few know that rooibos in all actuality contains more antioxidants than green tea, making it an obvious choice for a decaffeinated health beverage.

Rooibos contains necessary minerals we all need for a strong body. This includes Magnesium (an important agent for the nervous system), Zinc (which works with your metabolism), Calcium and Maganese (which aid in strong teeth and bones), and Iron (helps blood and muscles efficiently distribute oxygen to the body). Rooibos has been tested and found to relieve pesky skin conditions, protects against Parkinson's/Alzheimer's diseases, and can help in the reduction of retention for certain types of cancer. 

A good iced tea will taste sweet, balanced, and clean. It will be easy and pleasant to drink, not just "drinkable" which, in my opinion, are two different things. Spending energy on something you have to force down isn't the same as enjoying it. And if it's a routine beverage, it should be pleasant. The benefit of rooibos, in particular, is that it has a slight sweetness, and is very smooth whether you drink it hot or cold. Its sweet and balanced flavor makes it easy to drink iced without any additives, making your iced summer beverage healthier and simpler.

Now, to actually cold brew your tea only takes a couple steps:

1. Gather the tea you'd like to brew and make 6 tea bags (you can use less or more depending on taste preference).

2. Using a large pitcher, fill with cold, filtered water and ice.

3. Allow tea bags to sit on top.

4. Let sit in refrigerator 4-8 hours, or overnight (although it can be left for longer).

Prepping a cold brew beverage at night enables a speedy morning routine. Simply pour the freshly brewed tea in a portable cup of your choice, add ice, and any other additives you prefer. Don't sacrifice quality in the summertime - try cold brewing your favorite teas and tasting the difference yourself!