What you'll need
Cold Brew and Carry On: Let the Fridge Do the Work
Cold brew tea is what happens when good tea takes its time.
Instead of using hot water, the leaves infuse slowly in cold water in the fridge. The result is smooth, refreshing and beautifully easy to drink—without boiling a kettle or performing any urgent ice-related calculations.
Make it plain, pile in the fruit or create a new combination every time. The basic method stays exactly the same.
How to make it
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Add your chosen tea to a clean jug, bottle or jar.
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Pour over 500ml of cold water and stir gently to make sure all the tea is wet.
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Add any fruit, cucumber or herbs you’d like to infuse—or leave them out and add them when serving instead.
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Cover and place in the fridge for 6–8 hours. For a stronger flavour, leave it a little longer or use more tea next time rather than cramming half the tea cupboard into the jug.
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Remove the teabags or strain the leaves and any fruit.
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Taste, pour over ice and add fresh fruit or herbs to finish.
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Keep refrigerated and enjoy within 24 hours.
Why cold brew?
Cold water extracts flavour from tea more slowly than hot water. This often creates a softer, smoother drink with less of the bitterness that can appear when tea is brewed too hot or for too long.
It’s also gloriously low effort. Prepare it before bed and your fridge does all the work while you sleep—which is frankly the sort of teamwork we appreciate.
Add some fruit
Fruit can be infused with the tea for a gentler flavour or added after brewing for a brighter, fresher finish.
🍓Berries
Try raspberries, strawberries, blueberries or blackberries. Gently crush a couple before adding them to release more juice.
🍊Orange
Adds juicy sweetness and works brilliantly with black tea, Earl Grey and berry blends.
🍋🟩Lemon or lime
Creates a cleaner, sharper finish that pairs particularly well with green tea. Use only a couple of thin slices during a long infusion, as too much peel can become bitter.
🥒Cucumber
Light, crisp and extremely refreshing with green tea, mint and softer botanical blends.
🍏Apple slices
Bring gentle sweetness without taking over. Try them with spiced, fruity or warming blends.
You can also add fresh mint, basil or a small piece of ginger. Start with a little, though—eight hours gives even the most innocent-looking mint leaf plenty of time to make itself known.
Sweeten it properly
Taste your cold brew before adding any sweetness. Fruit may provide all it needs.
If you do want it sweeter, use honey or simple sugar syrup. Granulated sugar doesn’t dissolve particularly well in a cold drink and tends to sit sulking at the bottom.
Add half a teaspoon at a time, stir and taste before adding more.
Cold brew or pour over ice?
Choose pour over ice when you want a bolder iced tea right now. It’s brewed hot and strong, then chilled instantly over plenty of ice.
Choose cold brew when you want something smoother and can plan a few hours ahead. Add the tea and water, put it in the fridge and wander off. Your future self gets the reward.
Blends to try
Rosy Berry + mixed berries
Juicy, vibrant and very difficult to stop refilling.
Clean Green + cucumber and lime
Fresh, crisp and perfect when you want something clean and cooling.
Earl Great + orange
Fragrant bergamot, juicy berry and fresh orange make a particularly good trio.
The best combination may well be the one already waiting in your fruit bowl. Add water, give it time and let the fridge work its magic.
