Cold-Brewed Bancha with Cucumber and Mint
A clean, mellow cold-brew bancha with cucumber ribbons and fresh mint — a refreshing, gentle iced tea that won't keep you up at night.
Cold brewing suits bancha especially well — the slow, cold extraction draws out its soft, lightly sweet, mineral notes while leaving behind any trace of bitterness that hot water might pull from the more mature leaves. The result is an unusually smooth iced tea, almost silky on the palate.
Cucumber and mint are a natural extension of bancha's clean character rather than a cover for it. Both ingredients are about freshness rather than sweetness, which keeps the drink light and hydrating instead of turning it into a dessert in a glass.
Because bancha is naturally low in caffeine, this is a rare iced tea you can drink in the late afternoon or even evening without worrying about sleep — it delivers refreshment without the jittery edge that a cold-brewed black or sencha-based iced tea might carry.
Make a big batch and keep it in the fridge for the week — bancha cold brew holds up well over several days, making it an easy, no-fuss way to stay hydrated through a hot afternoon.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp bancha leaves (or 4 tea bags)
- 4 cups cold water
- 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced into ribbons
- 8–10 fresh mint leaves
- 1 tbsp honey or agave (optional)
- Ice cubes
How to make it
- 1Combine bancha leaves, cold water, and half the cucumber ribbons in a large jar or pitcher.
- 2Cover and refrigerate for 6–8 hours, or overnight.
- 3Strain through a fine sieve, discarding the leaves and steeped cucumber. Stir in honey or agave if using.
- 4Fill glasses with ice, pour the cold-brewed bancha over the top, and garnish with fresh cucumber ribbons and mint leaves.
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