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Cold-Brew Moroccan Mint Tea Concentrate

By • Updated September 2026
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This cold-brew Moroccan mint tea concentrate delivers all the refreshing sweetness and bright mint flavour of traditional atay bi naʿnaʿ without any risk of bitterness or astringency. By steeping Chinese gunpowder green tea and fresh spearmint in cold water overnight—using a cold brew jug with a fine-mesh infuser—you extract smooth, rounded flavour whilst leaving behind the harsh tannins that hot water can pull from the leaf. The result is a concentrated base that you dilute with cold water or sparkling water, sweeten to taste, and serve over ice with a sprig of fresh mint.

Unlike traditional Maghrebi mint tea brewed in a berrad teapot with boiling water, this cold-brew method is perfect for UK summer days when you want a refreshing iced tea without turning on the kettle. A good cold brew jug keeps the tea leaves neatly contained and makes straining effortless—essential when you're working with loose gunpowder pearls and fresh mint stems. The concentrate keeps in the fridge for up to three days, so you can pour yourself a glass of authentic, cooling mint tea whenever you like.

Cold-Brew Moroccan Mint Tea Concentrate
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Servings500 ml concentrate (makes 4–6 servings)
DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

  • 30 g Chinese Gunpowder Green Tea (rolled pearls)
  • 20 g Fresh Spearmint (about 1 large bunch, leaves and stems)
  • 500 ml Cold Filtered Water
  • Ice cubes, to serve
  • Caster sugar or honey, to sweeten (optional, to taste)
  • Extra Fresh Mint Sprigs, to garnish
  • Cold water or sparkling water, for diluting
Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 8 kcal
Fat: 0g
Sugar: 0g
Protein: 0g

Instructions

1
Load the infuser: Rinse the fresh spearmint under cold water and shake dry. Place the gunpowder green tea pearls and whole mint (leaves and tender stems) into the fine-mesh infuser basket of your cold brew jug. The mesh will keep the pearls from floating into the finished concentrate and makes straining completely fuss-free.
2
Add cold water: Pour 500 ml of cold filtered water over the tea and mint in the jug. Give the infuser a gentle swirl to make sure all the tea is moistened, then secure the lid. This cold extraction relies on time rather than temperature, so there's no need to stir or agitate further.
3
Steep overnight: Place the jug in the fridge and leave to steep for 8–12 hours (overnight is ideal). The cold water will slowly draw out delicate green-tea sweetness and bright mint oils without extracting bitter tannins. The longer you steep, the more concentrated the flavour—taste at 8 hours and decide if you'd like to go longer.
4
Strain and store: Lift out the infuser basket (the gunpowder pearls will have unfurled into full leaves) and discard the spent tea and mint. Pour the concentrate into a clean glass bottle or jar and keep refrigerated for up to three days. The concentrate will be a pale, clear green-gold.
5
Dilute and serve: To serve, pour 100–125 ml of concentrate into a tall glass filled with ice. Top up with 100–150 ml of cold water or sparkling water (adjust to taste—some prefer it stronger, others lighter). Sweeten with caster sugar or honey if you like (traditional Moroccan mint tea is quite sweet), stir well, and garnish with a fresh sprig of mint. For a party or large-batch service, scale up the concentrate recipe and set out a dilution station with ice, water, sweetener, and fresh mint.

🫖 Equipment You'll Need

A cold brew jug with a fine-mesh infuser is essential for this recipe because it keeps the unfurling gunpowder tea pearls and fresh mint stems neatly contained during the long, overnight steep, then lifts out cleanly for effortless straining. Without a good infuser, you'd need to fish out loose leaves and mint bits through a separate sieve—messy and wasteful. A fine mesh also prevents any sediment from clouding your finished concentrate, so every glass pours crystal-clear.

See our cold brew jug picks →

Expert Tip: Adjust Sweetness After Dilution

Don't sweeten the concentrate itself—wait until you've diluted each serving. That way, everyone can tailor the sweetness to their own taste, and you avoid over-sweetening if you decide to top up with more water or sparkling water later. Traditional Moroccan mint tea can be very sweet, but cold-brew concentrates are often enjoyed lighter in the UK summer heat.

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