Why does brewed tea turn cloudy

So, the better the quality of the tea, the greater the potential chemical change. Restaurant operators do not like throwing food away, as this affects the bottom line. When dealing with prime cuts of meat and top quality fish, this is a good mindset to have. However, when it comes to tea, it is not! Tea is the most profitable item on the menu.

On average, one glass sold per brew up to and including a 3-gallon brew pays for the entire batch brewed. Based on this, there is no financial reason to save the tea overnight in the refrigerator. Especially knowing that doing so will significantly lower the quality of the tea.

In fact, there is a solid case, that selling such tea will reduce overall sales due to unhappy customers. This is due to the fact that, often, tea is the first and last item customers consume. Fresh brewed iced tea should be held at room temperature and served within 6—8 hours of brewing, to meet food safety and quality guidelines. This will ensure your customers have the best experience possible and are sure to come back again and again.

If you found this article helpful, please share it with coworkers, colleagues, and fellow lovers of tea. Art of Tea Academy. Subscribe to Email Updates. Recent Posts. When tea is hot, the microscopic particles spin and the heat keeps them together.

As the temperature cools down, the particles stop spinning and separate, and with nowhere to go, they hang out, causing the tea to cloud up. Besides the separating particles, there are other factors that come in when you see cloudy tea. Here are a few:. It is important to make sure you thoroughly clean your cups and tea equipment. When making iced tea at home in a pitcher, mix the brewed hot tea with room temperature water and allow it to cool thoroughly.

Once the entire pitcher is at room temperature, then pour over ice and serve. This allows the tea to stay clear and have a fresh presentation. The type of water used for your tea is very important. If you use tap water, make sure the quality is good for consumption. If you use filtered water, make sure to be aware if the filter needs to be changed.

A bad filter can also result in cloudy tea. The refrigerated room-temp brew, meanwhile, was still crystal clear but tasted weak compared with teas brewed with hot water. To make it: Steep 10 tea bags in 1 quart of room-temperature water for eight hours and then refrigerate or serve over ice. For crystal-clear, full-flavored iced tea, steep at room temperature, using 10 tea bags per quart instead of five.