Beer + tea??
If you would have told us five years ago that we would one day sample cold-brew teas in beer, we would have laughed...an enormous, beer belly laugh.
But we did it. And it was an enormous success.
These cold "brews" (and yes, we giggle at the double usage every time) have exploded throughout the nation's larger cities, and we thought to ourselves, why not hang with the big guns and bring the idea to Volant? So, on a hot Saturday afternoon in July, we hosted our first tea lager tasting. The two favorites? Yeungling paired with our vanilla creme rooibos and Corona paired with a fruity Provence rooibos.
The process
Got a sachet? Great. Got a tea ball/infuser? Fill it.
Dunk it in your beer.
Wait a bit.
Drink.
Our findings? Well, if you're not a beer lover but are a tea lover, the chances of you becoming an imbiber of ale is unlikely. However, those who enjoy a refreshing cold one will be pleasantly surprised with the creaminess and flavor that many teas add. And don't be afraid to experiment. Found a sachet of cherry rose green tea in the back of your cabinet? Pop it into your Miller Lite!
Another quick note: unlike hot brews, you can steep your leaves in cold liquids without the fear of bitterness. So, if you want a strong infusion of citrus green tea in your Blue Moon, there's no shame in allowing those leaves to stick around for the duration.
Now, we may have laughed five years ago with the thought of these cold "brews." (There it is again. Teehee.) But as we sit back on a hot July night enjoying our Red Stripe and Earl Grey, our smiles appear for a much different reason.
Cheers!