How to Make Cold Brew White Tea: A Smooth & Refreshing Guide
Summer is the season of cold brew. Among all the options, cold brew from white tea is one of the most rewarding — naturally floral, refreshing, and smooth with absolutely no bitterness. I've been making it for years and I want to walk you through exactly how it's done.
Understanding White Tea
Growing up in Nepal, I only knew one type of tea — the black loose leaf tea my mother used to make. I didn't discover white tea until 2021. The price at most specialty shops was high, and it was a lesser-known tea. Once I learnt to steep it properly, I immediately fell in love.
So, what is white tea? White tea is produced from extremely high-grade leaves — mostly a tip and the first two leaves. It only goes through two manufacturing steps: withering and drying. That sounds simple, but white tea is one of the trickiest teas to produce. Get the temperature and handling right, and you get an extraordinarily aromatic, floral cup. Do it wrong and you get something bitter.
High-end white teas are made from quality leaves or exclusively from tips. The "white" appearance comes from the fine hairs (trichomes) on the young leaves and buds — not from any bleaching or processing.
Picture: The fine hairs on white loose leaf tea — an indicator of high quality and minimal processing
White tea from Farmers Tea Co in Ilam has minimum caffeine, is naturally floral, and is perfect for people who want to drink healthy tea without the jitters.
Why Cold Brew Is Perfect for White Tea
Tea brewing is a dance between time and temperature. In the cold brew method, longer steeping time combined with lower temperature wins — essential oils and flavours are released gently, revealing the true nature of the tea without any bitterness.
At cold temperatures, catechins undergo slower chemical changes. The forms of catechins that contribute to bitterness are not released as aggressively, which means the resulting brew is naturally smooth and sweet-tasting — without needing any additives.
There's also minimal risk of scalding or over-extraction, which is a common mistake with white tea brewed hot. Cold brewing is almost foolproof.
What You Need
- A pitcher or container with a lid (1000 ml capacity)
- High-quality loose leaf white tea (approximately 16g per litre)
- Room temperature water (spring water if possible; room-temperature tap water works too)
- A refrigerator
Note: Use room temperature water at the start, not ice cold. Very cold water delays the initial release of the tea's essential oils. Let the refrigerator do the slow-cooling work.
Step-by-Step: Making Cold Brew White Tea
Pic: Making cold brew from white tea in a pitcher
Step 1: Grab a pitcher that holds around 1000 ml of water, with a lid.
Step 2: Add approximately 16 grams of Floral White Tea or Fresh White Tea to the pitcher. Both are from Farmers Tea Co in Ilam — naturally floral, no bitterness.
Step 3: Fill the pitcher with room temperature water. The leaves will float to the top — this is normal. Good quality tea has low density.
Step 4: Cap the pitcher and flip it upside down so the leaves travel through the water. This soaks the leaves initially and helps the extraction begin evenly.
Step 5: Place the pitcher in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. I normally leave it for 3 days — I like it a little stronger. If you prefer lighter, taste every 8 hours and remove when it reaches your preferred strength.
Step 6: Serve chilled. Add a small drizzle of honey if you like — not too much, or it will overshadow the natural florals of the white tea. Serve over ice.
Picture: Served glass of cold brew white tea (ice added)
Can you re-steep the leaves? Absolutely. Top up the pitcher with 4 grams of fresh tea and cold steep again for longer than the first batch. The second steep is often even smoother.
Benefits of Cold Brew White Tea
Similar to green tea, white tea is loaded with polyphenols called catechins. These act as antioxidants and support overall health. The antioxidant levels in white tea are comparable to or higher than green tea — and cold brewing preserves more of these delicate compounds than hot steeping.
The best benefit is simple: it's the most refreshing thing you can drink on a warm day. Done right, you won't reach for a bottled drink again.
Picture: Cold brew from white tea in a sampler cup
Get Nepal Hills White Tea for Cold Brew
Both white teas from Nepal Hills are sourced from Farmers Tea Co in Ilam at 5,000–7,000 ft — naturally floral, no bitterness, grown on certified organic farmland.
Floral White Tea ($10/25g) · Fresh White Tea ($10/25g) · Tea Sampler Kit ($30 — includes both)
Authored by:
Bhaskar Dahal
2nd Generation Tea Entrepreneur
Founder and CEO, Nepal Hills Tea Inc.
Frequently Asked Questions: Cold Brew White Tea
What is white tea?
White tea is produced from the youngest leaves and buds of the Camellia sinensis plant. It is minimally processed — only withered and dried — which preserves its natural florals and high antioxidant content. The white appearance comes from fine hairs on the young leaves, not from any additive or process. It's the least caffeinated of all true teas and has a naturally delicate, sweet flavour.
Why is cold brew better for white tea?
Cold brewing releases white tea's essential oils and flavours gradually over many hours at low temperature. This prevents the release of bitter tannins that can occur with hot brewing if the temperature or time is slightly off. The result is a naturally sweet, floral, smooth drink with no bitterness — white tea at its very best.
How long should you cold brew white tea?
A minimum of 24 hours produces a pleasant, light brew. For stronger character, 48–72 hours gives a more developed flavour. Taste every 8 hours after the first 24 and remove from the refrigerator when it reaches your preferred strength. Unlike hot brewing, it's very difficult to "over-brew" cold tea in the bitter sense — you just get stronger flavour.
How much white tea do you use for cold brew?
Approximately 16 grams per litre of water for a standard cold brew. This is roughly 1 tablespoon per 250 ml. You can adjust based on preference — more tea and shorter steep, or less tea and longer steep. Both approaches work with whole leaf white tea.
Can you re-steep white tea cold brew leaves?
Yes. Add a small amount of fresh tea (around 4 grams) to the pitcher and cold steep again, for longer than the first brew. Good quality whole leaf white teas hold their structure well and reward multiple steeps. The second and third steeps often produce a gentler, slightly different flavour profile than the first.
Does cold brew white tea have caffeine?
White tea is the lowest-caffeine of all true teas. Cold brewing extracts less caffeine than hot brewing for the same amount of leaf, making cold brew white tea an excellent option for people who want a light caffeine lift without the intensity of coffee or black tea. It's also ideal as an afternoon or evening drink for caffeine-sensitive drinkers.
1 comment
I wonder: in the evening (winter) i like a hot drink but don’t wish to drink caffeine tea. Can i use the cold brewing white tea and warm it up before drink ? And if so to what Temp. ?
Thank you,
Peter