Cold Brewed Oolong Caffeine

I only drink tea hot. When I do venture out with my version of iced tea, it usually is store brand Orange Pekoe. Not adventurous.

I do not know caffeine content.

I do enjoy coldbrewing my greens and my greeener oolongs. I know your question pertained to caffeine but please take it from me that a coldbrew extracts the full, pure flavors of these teas. No questions as to how hot, how long etc. Put it in the fridge and give it 15 to 24 hours more or less.

For what it’s worth, I feel significantly more of the effects of caffeine when drinking cold brews.

Honestly, there shouldn’t be any difference in caffeine content between hot and cold, the caffeine is going to stay with the water regardless of temperature. The only thing that might slightly tip the scale a little heavier on the cold-brewed tea is that you usually are leaving the leaves in the water over a longer period of time, so a maximum extraction occurs.

Just my understanding, could be wrong, could be right.

It’s the same kind of misunderstanding where people say that you can “decaffeinate” a hot tea by steeping it quickly, pouring that first steep out, then adding more water and letting the leaves steep longer. You’re not really making it “low” caffeine, you’re just pouring off a couple of percentage points – the caffeine will still be strong as you let the leaves sit in the water.

I read somewhere a few months ago that there needs to be a certain amount of heat in order to extract caffeine, meaning that there is a lot less in cold-brewed tea. But, I can’t recall where that was or if it was at all factual.

I am bumping this discussion because I am curious to know if anyone has heard anything different than the opinions expressed here. I would assume that there would be more caffeine in a cold brew. However, I know nothing about tea science!

I’ve always heard there is less caffeine in a cold brew, but I am not sure where I heard that or if there is any research behind it.