Cold-Brewed Red Oolong Tea
Growing up, I visited boba tea shops at least once a week—sometimes more. I’d spend $5–$8 on sugary, indulgent drinks that often left me feeling sluggish afterward. After college, I became more health-conscious and started ordering boba with only 25–50% sweetness, realizing how overly sweet and unhealthy they could be. These days, I rarely get boba unless I’m out with friends. However, I still miss having a refreshing drink to enjoy during my afternoon energy crash.
That’s why I’m on a mission to create delicious, authentic, and guilt-free beverages for BokJoyTea, my dream tea shop. At home, I love cold-brewing tea—it’s easy, convenient, and makes a perfect base for my drinks. My favorite is red oolong tea from YunHai, which has a nutty, complex flavor that cold brews beautifully and is sourced from an organic tea farm in Nantou, Taiwan.
Image source: Red Oolong (Fall '23) | Yun Hai Taiwanese Pantry
The first time I made the tea, I brewed the entire pack for an 8-cup pitcher. The leaves expanded significantly, so I realized it was more than I needed. However, I kept rebrewing by adding water each time the pitcher ran out. Amazingly, the tea lasted through at least three rebrews! Each batch tasted different—stronger at first and lighter over time—but oolong tea is delicious at every stage of its brewing cycle.
Ingredients:
1 pack of red oolong tea (62 g)
10 medjool dates (or more, depending on sweetness preference)
At least 24 cups of water (brewed in 8-cup batches)
Instructions:
For cold brewing, use more tea leaves than the official YunHai recommendation of 4 g per 206°F water for 60 seconds. This ensures a stronger flavor.
Add half or the entire pack of red oolong tea leaves to your pitcher (I used the whole pack for my 8-cup pitcher).
Add medjool dates for natural sweetness. Adjust the number of dates based on your taste—10 dates create a lightly sweet tea, perfect for my preference.
Brew the tea in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours, best overnight. When it’s done, refill the pitcher with fresh water for multiple rebrews.
Once you’ve finished the tea, blend the dates with a little soy milk to make a versatile date paste for desserts or other recipes.
This easy and nutritious cold-brewed red oolong tea is the perfect base to make tea lattes, boba drinks, and more!
