I have a fascination with the varying shapes of tea pots, particularly the classic Japanese tea pots made from metal and ceramic. The photos show some of my collection displayed in the AquaNew office. I thought at one time, to make the perfect tea, the water had to reach a super hot boil before pouring into the tea pot and allowing the tea to seep. In recent years, while making homemade kombucha (fermented tea), I have learned that seeping tea for more than seven minutes can result in a more bitter beverage. Of course, for the best flavor, I use Watt-Ahh bottled water.
One of the most frequent questions we receive is whether or not boiling Watt-Ahh will lose its therapeutic structure. We recommend that hard boiling is not preferred but a light boil should be fine.
Well, we continue to learn from our sage customers and one of them, Kaarin, introduced the concept of adding cold-brew organic tea crystals (delivering the maximum beneficial ingredients in tea) into Watt-Ahh. The patented process for making the dissolvable crystals is that it delivers more polyphenols that can improve gut health, sustain energy and reduce stress. Plus no boiling of Watt-Ahh is required.
I like to share some recommendations that we have learned from our customers and also discovered ourselves as we hike along the tea trail.
Morning and Evening Elixirs
Matcha green tea powder has more antioxidants when compared to that of brewed tea. We sprinkle some in our elixirs.
Kombucha
As I mentioned above, we make our own kombucha. I bring the Watt-Ahh to a light boil before adding the tea bags and sugar.
Homemade Cold Brew Tea
I must admit that I have not experimented much in making homemade cold brew tea. I found a recipe on-line of adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of whole tea leaf into cold water in a container with a strainer lid. Then, refrigerate for 4 to 10 hours. It makes sense that a longer time in the refrigerator will extract stronger flavor and more caffeine. This recipe recommends most time in the refrigerator is best for the oolongs, herbal infusions and black teas and less time for the white and green teas. When ready to drink, strain and serve.
Commercial Cold Brew Tea
The manufacturers of cold brew coffee are expanding their product lines and are recently offering cold brew Yerba Mate tea that has a high amount of caffeine compared to other teas. The process appears to be similar in making cold brew high-caffeine coffee by brewing the coffee at low temperatures for approximately 10 hours.
Cold Brew Organic Tea Crystals
Kaarin is right. Cold brew organic tea crystals seem to be the best commercial option plus have the attributes of both convenience and lower caffeine. She adds the crystals to Watt-Ahh for wonderful flavor and transport of the polyphenols into the cells.
Kaarin told me that her favorite organic tea crystal products are made by Pique Tea. On their website, they make this statement about the patented cold brew crystallization …. “we brew our precious tea at low temperatures for up to 8 hours. This process gently extracts all naturally occurring antioxidants and phytonutrients in their entirety and preserves them without any loss. The water in this super-potent brew is then separated away using a proprietary combination of pressure and very low heat. This is simply the most effective way to extract the active ingredients in plants ever invented”. The company also certifies their tea is organic and warns … “Mycotoxins are common in teas and have been linked to a wide range of harmful effects for regular tea drinkers”.