Cold Brew Jasmine Tea Soda: Recipe, Carbonation, and Fixes

Sparkling jasmine tea soda is exactly what it sounds like: jasmine tea with bubbles. It can be a soft, elegant refreshment on its own, and it can also behave like a “non-alcoholic topper” behind the bar, adding aroma and lift without heaviness.

The catch is that jasmine is unforgiving. Over-extract it and it turns bitter or overly perfumed. Under-extract it and the bubbles feel thin and pointless. Carbonate it warm or cloudy and the result often foams, goes flat fast, or tastes muted.

This guide keeps it simple and beginner-safe: a cold brew jasmine tea spec, paper filtration for clarity, and practical carbonation options with fixes for the most common failures.

Recipe Card: Sparkling Jasmine Tea Soda (Cold Brew Base + Carbonation)

Yield: about 500 ml (about 16.9 oz), plus carbonation

Time: 12 hours, plus 5 to 10 minutes active work

Technique: cold brew infusion, paper filtration, carbonation

Glassware: chilled highball, Collins, or small flute (for a more “soda” feel)

Ingredients

• Jasmine tea: 12 g (0.42 oz)

• Cold water: 500 ml (16.9 oz)

  
  

Optional strength dial (recommended if the tea reads too intense):

• Jasmine tea: 10.5 g (0.37 oz) per 500 ml (16.9 oz)

Method

1. Add jasmine tea and cold water to a clean jar. Seal and refrigerate for 12 hours.

2. Strain out the tea leaves or bags.

3. Filter the tea through a paper coffee filter into a clean container.

4. Chill the filtered tea until very cold.

5. Carbonate using one method:

   • Carbonation machine: carbonate per device instructions, then rest cold a few minutes.

   • Soda siphon (CO2): charge, shake gently, rest cold, dispense slowly.

   • No-device: pour tea into a glass and top with chilled sparkling water.

Garnish standard

• Lemon twist (expressed over the glass), optional.

Dilution and temperature notes

• Best served near fridge temperature.

• Over ice, expect gradual dilution. Use solid ice to slow melt.

Tasting notes

Floral jasmine aroma, clean tea finish, soft bitterness if over-extracted, bright lift from carbonation.

Batching and prep notes

• Scale linearly: keep the same tea-to-water ratio.

• Paper filtration is the consistency lever: it improves clarity and reduces harshness.

Ingredient substitutions and acceptable swaps

• Tea style: jasmine green tea, jasmine pearls, or jasmine-scented green tea can work. Strength varies, so adjust tea mass slightly if needed.

• Water: filtered water is preferred; bottled still water is a good fallback.

• Carbonation method: carbonation machine or CO2 soda siphon. If neither is available, mix with sparkling water at service.

Common mistakes and fixes

1. Bitter finish: reduce tea mass next batch, keep time consistent.

2. Too perfumey: serve smaller pours or dilute at service.

3. Cloudy texture: paper-filter again before carbonating.

4. Over-foaming: chill more, filter better, carbonate in shorter bursts.

5. Flat in glass: colder serve, gentler pour, cleaner glassware, solid ice.

What “soda” means here

In this context, “soda” means carbonated. It does not automatically mean sweet. Sparkling jasmine tea can be served unsweetened, lightly sweetened, or used as a mixer where sweetness comes from other ingredients.

A simple rule helps: if it is being served as a standalone soft drink, a small amount of sweetness (for example: 15 g of white caster sugar) usually makes the aroma read clearer. If it is being used to finish a drink, unsweetened often performs better and stays crisp.

Ingredients and tools

Jasmine tea

Most jasmine tea is green tea scented with jasmine blossoms. Some styles are more intense (jasmine pearls), others are lighter. The base spec works best with a quality tea that smells floral and clean, not dusty or stale.

Water

Filtered water improves clarity and aroma. Hard, mineral-heavy water can make delicate tea taste dull.

Filtration

“Coffee filtered” means passing the brewed tea through a paper coffee filter (or paper tea filter) to remove fine particles. Fine particles can taste harsh and can also make carbonation feel rough or foamy.

Carbonation options

• Carbonation machine (countertop carbonator)

• Soda siphon that uses CO2 chargers

• No-device fallback: mix tea with chilled sparkling water at service

How to carbonate it (choose one)

Option A: Carbonation machine

1. Fill the carbonation bottle with cold filtered tea, staying below the max fill line.

2. Carbonate according to the device instructions.

3. Rest the bottle in the fridge for a few minutes, then pour gently.

Tip: If it foams aggressively, the tea is usually not cold enough, not filtered enough, or has too many fine particles.

Option B: Soda siphon (CO2)

1. Chill the siphon and the tea first.

2. Fill the siphon with cold filtered tea.

3. Charge with CO2, shake gently, then rest cold.

4. Dispense slowly into a tilted glass.

If the siphon is designed for carbonating liquids, follow the manufacturer’s limits and safety rules. CO2 chargers are for carbonation. Other charger types are not a substitute.

Option C: Mix at service (simplest)

Pour cold jasmine tea into a glass and top with chilled sparkling water. This gives less integration than true carbonation, but it is fast and reliable.

A practical starting point is 1 part tea to 2 parts sparkling water, then adjust by taste.

Unsure why a soda foams, goes flat, or tastes harsh after carbonation?

Read Cocktail Carbonation: How to Add Bubbles Like a Pro

Serving suggestions that keep the bubbles

• Serve very cold. Use a chilled glass when possible.

• Pour gently down the inside of the glass.

• Use solid, clean ice. Crushed ice melts fast and can flatten the drink.

• Keep citrus pulp out of the base. If adding citrus, add it at service and strain it fine.

• Garnish lightly. A lemon twist works well because it adds aroma without adding pulp.

Troubleshooting (most common problems)

It tastes bitter or “green”

Cause: over-extraction, low-quality tea, or too much leaf for the tea style.

Fix: reduce tea to 10.5 g per 500 ml on the next batch, keep the 12-hour steep, and taste.

It tastes perfumey and overpowering

Cause: tea is too intense for the serving format.

Fix: serve smaller pours, or dilute with sparkling water at service until it reads floral, not soapy.

It is cloudy or gritty

Cause: fine particles in suspension.

Fix: paper-filter again. Do not carbonate cloudy tea if a clean, elegant texture is the goal.

It foams violently when carbonated

Cause: tea not cold enough, too many particles, or overfilling.

Fix: chill harder, filter better, stay under fill lines, and carbonate in shorter bursts.

It goes flat quickly in the glass

Cause: warm serving temp, aggressive pour, or nucleation triggers (dirty glass, rough ice).

Fix: chill everything, pour gently, use clean glassware, and avoid pulp.

Shelf life and storage

Store the cold brew base in a sealed, sanitized container in the refrigerator at or below 4°C. For best aroma and clarity, use within 3 days. After carbonation, quality declines faster: bubbles and floral notes fade with each opening. For best texture and aroma, carbonate close to service and consume the same day. Discard immediately if the tea develops off aromas, visible haze beyond natural tea sediment, or unusual texture.

FAQ

Can sparkling jasmine tea soda be sweetened?

Yes. Sweetness is optional. Add sweetener at service if the drink is meant to stand alone.

Can the tea be carbonated with any charger?

No. Use CO2 for carbonation and use the correct device for carbonating liquids.

Why filter through a paper coffee filter?

Paper filtration removes fine particles that can make the tea taste harsh and can increase foaming during carbonation.

What if the tea is too strong at the base spec?

Reduce tea mass slightly on the next batch. Keep the brew time consistent so the change is measurable.

Does jasmine tea work with citrus?

Yes, but keep citrus pulp out of the base. Add citrus at service and strain it fine.

Is cold brew required?

For this recipe, yes. The spec is designed for cold brew only.

Glossary

• Cold brew: extracting flavor using cold water over time instead of hot water.

• Paper filtration: filtering through a paper filter to remove fine particles.

• CO2: carbon dioxide, the gas used to carbonate beverages.

• Carbonation: dissolving CO2 into a liquid to create bubbles.

• Nucleation: tiny surface points where bubbles rapidly form and escape.

• Dilution: water added by melting ice or by mixing with sparkling water.

• Tannins: compounds in tea that can taste drying or bitter when over-extracted.

• Aroma: smell perceived before and during sipping, a major driver of perceived flavor.

Explore more practical builds and techniques in the Homemade Ingredients section.

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Written by: Riccardo Grechi | Head Mixologist, Bar Consultant & Trainer