As another winter rolls behind us and the sun begins to stay longer in the sky, it’s a great time for trying new and exciting ways to enjoy the drinks we love. The ingredients in every Birchall product are chosen with the pursuit of perfection in mind at all times, so you can rest assured that they are versatile enough for the occasional experiment too so let’s explore Birchall Cold Brew Infusions.
First, let’s start by busting a big myth. The famous old wives’ tale would have you believe that hot drinks are the perfect way to cool down as the mercury rises from spring into summer. However, the logic of this fails to stand up to any scientific scrutiny, as you probably have already guessed, and the only sure-fire way to cool down on those long, lazy days is through drinking refreshing chilled water. That doesn’t mean that you can’t add a little something for flavour though.
Iced Tea or Not Iced Tea?
You could be forgiven for assuming that iced tea and cold brew infused tea are pretty much the same thing. The reality is that they are entirely different drinks, each with their own preparation, recipes and benefits. Iced tea is a simple process of preparing your drink in a traditional way and cooling down over ice, but cold brew has an art of its own that’s well worth investigating and trying out for yourself.
At Birchall, we strongly favour the cold brew flavours for a number of reasons, with their health benefits and more rounded taste being chief amongst them.
Due to the longer steeping time, cold brews preserve much more of those wonderful antioxidants within the leaves, and, on average, it produces much fewer of the bitter tannins than a traditional hot cup. With added benefits from raised levels of vitamin C and an overall smooth flavour, there are plenty of incentives to occasionally swap your favourite cup, or mug, for a frosted glass.
The Art of a Birchall Cold Brew
We can get you started on your journey with a step-by-step guide through two of our favourite Birchall Tea cold brew recipes.
Birchall Chilled Red Bush Infusion
Birchall Cederberg Red Bush is a sweet and earthy tea made from the very finest grade rooibos plant found on South Africa’s Cederberg mountains in the Western Cape Province. Naturally caffeine free, with a deep red colour, it delivers a clear and clean taste that’s ideal for a revitalising cold brew.
This recipe is perfect to share at a garden party or barbeque and will stay fresh for well up to 5 days when covered and refrigerated.
You will need:
· 1 Teaspoon of Birchall Red Bush Tea for every 200 ml of chilled water
· 1 Large Mason Jar or Pitcher
· A fine mesh sieve
· 1 Lemon – sliced
Preparation
· Add the chilled water and Birchall Red Bush into the Mason Jar/pitcher and cover.
· Place in the fridge for at least 8 hours.
· Letting it steep overnight works best.
You can just check the weather for the next day and knock up a batch when you see that sunny forecast!
· When you’re ready to serve, strain the tea through the sieve.
· Add a slice of lemon to taste.
· Enjoy!
Perfect Peppermint Cold Brew
Birchall Peppermint Leaves are a fresh and invigorating ingredient that serve as the textbook foundation for a cold brew infusion drink. Our vibrant and awakening single mint infusion is also entirely caffeine free and has long been associated as an aid for digestion and greater gut health.
This simple recipe works as a great summer cool-down for an afternoon with your feet up under those wonderful blue skies!
You will need:
· 2 Teaspoons of Birchall Peppermint Leaves
· 500ml chilled water
· Small jug or pitcher
· A fine mesh sieve
· Fresh mint
· 1 lime to squeeze
Preparation
· Add the Birchall Peppermint and chilled water into the small jug/pitcher and cover.
· Place in the fridge for at least two hours – it’s good to do this first thing in the morning ready for that afternoon break.
· When you’re ready to serve, strain the tea through the sieve into a glass over ice.
· Add a good squeeze of the lime straight into the tea
· Garnish with fresh mint
· Enjoy!
Over to You
It really couldn’t be easier to begin experimenting with cold brew infusions and Birchall Tea. Why not relax with your own soothing Birchall Camomile Flowers concoction for the ultimate in wind-down and relaxation?
Or maybe even give yourself an intense fruity boost using Birchall Red Berry & Flower.
The fundamentals of cold brew infusions remain the same whatever you choose. So, with a little time to prepare, and plenty of imagination to work with, you can start creating your own recipes to accompany those amazing cloudless days and alfresco nights!
Check out our full range of Fruit & Herbal Teas here and feel free to send us your own recipes once they are perfected!
