Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Drew345]

I've been enjoying green tea in the morning to cut down on my coffee. I just got some "Cold Green Tea" (a Korean brand, Sollok, from Cheju Do) and brought it with me to Thailand. Now I am not sure how to make it.
It comes in regular tea bags. The directions just say something about leaving in the water 50 to 80 seconds longer than usual tea. What I don't know is: do I make the tea with hot water first, and then dilute the heck out of it with ice to make it cold? Or do I just put the tea bag in cold water straight away. The directions aren't clear about this, should be common knowledge I guess.
Anyone else make "cold green tea" (in the summer anyway) with regualr tea bags? Do you use hot or cold water first?
Thanks,

[timhorton]

This is what I would do:

1) get two cups

2) put tea bag in each cup

3) put hot water in one and cold in one

4) taste them and see which is better

Unless you have just 1 tea bag then never mind Don't forget to take the wrapper off first!

[swigs]

There is such a thing as cold brewing green tea, although I have never done it.

Give it a try. With regular tea I think you're supposed to let it sit for about 8 hours, but if that tea is meant for cold brewing then I'd see what it tastes like after 3 to 5 minutes. Let us know the results.

[highstreet]

Wouldn't the water need to be hot to get the flavor from the tea bags?

[swigs]

From what little I've read, cold brewing pulls while hot water pushes, giving a different taste, and I don't even know what that means, other than cold brewing tea is supposed to be a bit more naturally sweet.

NYTimes article on the subject: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/20/dining/cold-brewing-coffee-and-tea-the-curious-cook.html?pagewanted=all

I've heard about tea that the OP is talking about, but have never tried it.

[12ax7]

Brew it cold. That's the way my wife prepares it. She leaves the tea bag in the water while she's drinking it. It's not really meant to be drunk as a morning cup of tea. You're supposed to put it in a bottle of water and drink it throughout the day, which is probably ideal for you since you're in Thailand where the weather is hot.

Sullok, by the way, is probably the best brand you'll find at the supermarket. I recommend you visit their "museum" if you're ever in Jeju.

[Drew345]

I've brewed it twice using room temperature water. I let it sit in the water about 5 minutes before adding ice, and keep the tea bag in there til I'm almost done drinking. Tastes good.
Yes, it seems to brew fine in room temperature water. I was thinking it had to brew in hot water, but this bag works well at room temperature (flavorwise anyway, not sure about any health factors).
A visiting friend told me about the Sollok brand, and it does seem to be high quality for supermarket tea. I got it at E-mart, Home plus didn't have it. There is also a big shop up near the top of Insadong road.

[matthews_world]

Do they have the bottled stuff in Seoul yet?

Lipton sells their own flavor with lemon and comes in a diet variety which I drank recently on a trip back to the States.

Chinese brands of bottled green tea with honey are quite tasty.