Looking for a light and refreshing drink to cool down this summer? This cold-brewed green tea lemonade is just what you need. It combines the gentle umami of green tea with bright, citrusy lemon — a perfect balance of calm and zing.
It's interesting that “lemonade” can mean different things depending on where you are. In some countries, it’s fizzy and sweet; in others, it’s a still (non-carbonated) mix of lemon, water, and sugar.
For this recipe, I’m sharing two versions—one with sparkling lemonade and one with still lemonade. Both pair beautifully with cold-brewed green tea, making a delightful drink for a hot day.
What is Cold Brewing?
Cold brewing, Mizu-dashi(水出し) in Japanese, as the name suggests, is a method of steeping tea using cold water instead of hot. Compared to tea brewed with hot water, cold-brewed green tea contains less caffeine and bitterness, resulting in a cleaner, more refreshing taste with noticeable sweetness and umami.
This is because the bitter and astringent compounds in tea are more easily extracted at higher temperatures. Tea leaves contain amino acids and theanine, which contribute sweetness and umami, as well as tannins and caffeine, which can cause bitterness or astringency. Hot water quickly extracts all of these compounds, but cold brewing slows the release of tannins and caffeine, allowing the gentler flavors—like theanine and amino acids—to come forward.
If you'd like to learn more about cold brewing, check out this article: Tips to Make Perfect Cold-Brewed Black Tea
Besides the delicious flavors, it's great that you can make it without using any heat - perfect for hot days.
Tea Leaves Used in This Recipe
You can use almost any types of green tea for this recipe, but for this version, I used Fukamushi sencha (deep-steamed green tea).
Fukamushi sencha products from here.
Fukamushi sencha ,also called Fukamushicha, is a type of sencha that is steamed for about twice as long as regular green tea. This extended steaming process softens the leaves, reduces bitterness, and results in a rich, mellow flavor with a vibrant green color when brewed. The leaves also become finer, making it easier to extract flavor. Since it's easy to extract, it's also well suited for cold brewing.
To learn more about Fukamushicha : Fukamushi sencha and how it differs from a regular sencha
Tools to Make Cold-Brewed Tea Even Easier
Here’s a couple of convenient tools:
HARIO: Heat Resistant Glass Tea Bottle 750 ml
A stylish and practical way to brew and serve tea. With its built‑in infuser, you can brew tea and pour directly without needing a separate strainer. Made from durable heat‑resistant glass, it's perfect for both hot and cold drinks.
Biodegradable Cotton Fillable Tea Bags (Bemliese™)
They make brewing loose-leaf tea mess-free. Just fill with tea leaves, brew, and remove cleanly — no stray leaves in your cup or teapot.
Cold-Brewed Green Tea Lemonade Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 g green tea leaves (or tea bags)
- 700 ml water
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 lemon, juiced (plus 1–2 lemon slices to garnish)
- Herb leaves to garnish, to taste
Instructions
- Pour water into a bottle, add the tea leaves, and refrigerate for 4-5 hours.
- Remove the tea leaves from the bottle. Stir in lemon juice and honey until well mixed.
Tip: To help honey dissolve more easily, dissolve it in a little warm water before adding.
Variations
Green Tea Still Lemonade
- Pour into a glass and garnish with a lemon slice and a few leaves of fresh herbs. Ice is optional.
Green Tea Fizzy Lemonade
- Fill a glass 2/3 with the cold-brewed green tea, then top with ginger ale or sparkling water. Ice is optional.
Why not enjoy the combination of green tea and lemonade this summer? Please savor this natural and refreshing flavor.
Today's Recommendation
Award winning Saemidori cultivar kabusecha from Kagoshima. This tea offers a harmonious balance of flavors, especially popular among women.
Murata Tea Garden: Tsuyuhikari Fukamushicha From Kikugawa, Shizuoka
Fukamushicha from the Murata family, Kikugawa, Shizuoka is made from the tsuyuhikari cultivar. Grown without shading, it has a slightly bitter, grassy flavour.
Yamane-en: Yuikamatsuka Village Fukamushi Sencha 煎茶 湯日鎌塚
From the village of Yuikamatsuka (now simply Yui) in Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture, the area is blessed with a morning mist that is evidence of the temperature difference between night and day that produces great tea leaf.
HARIO: Heat Resistant Glass Tea Bottle 750 ml
Biodegradable Cotton Fillable Tea Bags (Bemliese™)
Articles
Tips to Make Perfect Cold-Brewed Black Tea
Fukamushi sencha and how it differs from a regular sencha
