How to Cold Brew Oolong Tea: Refreshing Iced Tea Recipe
By DAVIDsTEA - Buy Loose Leaf Teas Online | Published: 2026-10-17
Category: How-to Guides
Learn how to cold brew oolong tea for a smooth, naturally sweet iced tea. This step-by-step guide covers ratios, steeping times, and tips for the perfect pitcher.
Quick Answer
Cold brew oolong tea by steeping 1 tablespoon of loose leaf oolong in 4 cups of cold water for 8-12 hours in the fridge. Strain and serve over ice for a smooth, naturally sweet iced tea with no bitterness.
Why Cold Brew Oolong?
Cold brewing oolong tea brings out its natural floral and creamy notes without the astringency that hot steeping can sometimes create. The slow, cool extraction preserves delicate flavors and produces a smoother, naturally sweet iced tea that's perfect for warm days. Plus, it's hands-off—you just set it and forget it.
Choosing the Right Oolong for Cold Brew
Lighter oolongs, like milk oolong or jade oolong, yield a floral, creamy cold brew. Darker, more roasted oolongs produce a richer, nuttier flavor. For a café-style twist, try a blend like DAVIDsTEA London Fog Tea, which combines black tea, bergamot, and velvety milk oolong—its creamy notes shine in a cold brew latte.
How to Cold Brew Oolong Tea in 4 Steps
- Measure Your Tea: Use 1 tablespoon of loose leaf oolong tea per 4 cups (32 oz) of cold, filtered water. For a stronger brew, add an extra teaspoon—not more, or it may become too tannic. Common mistake: Overloading tea leaves leads to a bitter cold brew. Stick to the ratio.
- Combine in a Pitcher: Place the loose tea directly into a cold brew tea pitcher or a large jar. Pour the cold water over the leaves, gently stir to ensure all leaves are submerged, then cover. Checkpoint: Use a pitcher with a built-in infuser or plan to strain later. Loose leaves need room to expand.
- Steep in the Fridge: Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. Lighter oolongs are ready at 8 hours; darker oolongs benefit from the full 12. Taste at 8 hours and decide if you want a stronger flavor. Common mistake: Steeping longer than 12 hours can make the tea overly bitter or murky. Set a timer.
- Strain and Serve: Remove the tea leaves by pouring through a fine-mesh strainer or removing the infuser basket. Fill a glass with ice, pour the cold brew over, and enjoy. It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Checkpoint: Don't leave leaves in the pitcher after steeping—they'll continue to extract and turn bitter.
Teas That Cold Brew Beautifully
- London Fog Tea: Full-bodied black tea, soothing & aromatic bergamot and real vanilla bean give you that true iconic flavour, without adding any sweet syrups. Plus, we added our own twist: velvety milk oolong, for an even creamier blend that was born to be a cozy latte—whether hot or iced. The milk oolong in this blend makes it naturally creamy when cold brewed, so you get a latte-like texture without dairy or syrups.
