For a fast, fragrant pitcher of iced tea, brew a strong batch of gyokuro using boiling hot water, and then pour over ice, diluting its strength and balancing its flavor. Iced gyokuro brewed like this is aromatic, soothing, and vividly green.
Brew It Strong, Then Pour It over Ice
When the weather turns too warm for a steaming cup, this is the recipe we reach for, and
it’s a favorite among our staff in Kyoto. A short, strong infusion with boiling water goes
straight into a pitcher full of ice, and the ice does two jobs at once: it chills the tea
and dilutes it to just the right strength. What lands in the glass is aromatic and crisp
rather than watery.
Everything you need is already in the kitchen — ice, loose leaf tea, a kyusu, and a large
pitcher — and a full batch takes only a few minutes. We use it for tea at meetings, and at
home for a pitcher to go alongside dinner. Sencha comes out energetic and refreshing,
gyokuro turns crisper and greener with a beautiful color to match, and hojicha becomes
eye-opening, which is why it wins over so many iced coffee drinkers.
Read more:
A Guide to Japan-Style Iced Tea
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