A Comprehensive Guide To Kouridashi Tea

You need to try brewing your iced tea using a Japanese technique called “kouridashi” for better flavor. Even if you’re no tea drinker, you might want to try it!

You’ve heard of cold brew coffee, and it’s become the chosen technique used to brew your iced coffee. What if you could do the same with tea? Well, the Japanese have beat you to it because you can!

Summer is here, and there’s nothing better than sipping some iced tea to cool you down at the end of a hot day. Say goodbye to steeping your tea leaves in hot water; you need to turn the gas off and try something different!

What is kouridashi?

Kouridashi is a Japanese tea brewing technique where the tea leaves are left to steep in melting ice. Brewing tea in hot water brings out a bitter and robust flavor that is especially found in caffeinated teas.

You need to use larger pieces of ice so that it melts a lot slower, making your tea more concentrated and filling it with flavor and sweetness. The method isn’t well-known, but it might transform the way you enjoy your tea!

The intensity of flavor also changes throughout the brewing process. Earlier on, in the ice melting process, the flavor is more subtle compared to waiting a bit longer where the tea has fully brewed in the water.

The trick to this technique is to use Japanese blends of teas and using actual tea leaves, not tea bags. The best-suited teas for kouridashi are seasonal green shincha, gyokuro, or Bao Zhong oolong teas.

Shincha tea is a unique Japanese green tea that is harvested in the early spring, so it’s very limited; you can find it on Amazon for $15,74. Gyokuro tea is fully grown in the shade and is $26,24.

Bao Zhong oolong tea can be harvested either in the spring or the winter, but the spring harvest is best for kouridashi. It’s well known for its long tea leaves and floral notes, and you can find it on Amazon for $14,56.

How to make kouridashi tea

Throw a few large pieces of ice into a glass or bowl; using large ice cubes like the ones used for whiskey is perfect! You can pour a bit of water over to get the ice to start melting and then add two teaspoons of tea leaves.

Leave it to steep for about half an hour at room temperature, then strain it out into your serving glass! If you’ve left it for too long and it’s very strong, you can try diluting it with more water.

You can also try adding flavored syrups to the tea if you’re looking to create a fruity blend. Otherwise, brew and enjoy your fresh cup of kouridashi tea!