East Forged is at the forefront of the craft tea industry with its ready-to-drink (RTD) Cold Brew Nitro Tea brand, positioning tea as a sophisticated beverage suitable for social occasions.
Using cold brew tea infused with nitrogen and CO2, East Forged has created a new beverage and a new way to enjoy the world’s second most consumed beverage.
Founders and tea specialists, Kym Cooper and Tania Stacey, discovered that cold brewing tea leaves reduced the need for sugar or other sweeteners. Looking for ways to revive tea’s reputation and dispel its “grandmother’s drink” image, the pair turned to specialised processes, quality ingredients and local touches with the goal of producing a ready-to-drink (RTD) tea that was sophisticated as well as a natural, healthy beverage option.
The journey wasn’t without its hurdles. Finding a brewery willing to experiment with tea and nitrogen was the first challenge. Many breweries were hesitant to venture beyond beer-making, but East Forged persevered.
The next hurdle was commercialising the product, as each type of tea reacted differently to the cold brewing process and gas mix. The team had to master the delicate balance between nitrogen and CO2 to create the perfect frothy cap.
The nitrogen/CO2 combination creates a creamy, silky-smooth texture with a frothy cap, which adds body without interfering with delicate tea flavours. By using nitrogen, the tea also retains its natural smoothness without the bitterness and astringency that usually end up requiring sugar to mask or balance out the flavours.
Ultimately, East Forged has developed three flavours using three different teas – Australian Black, Australian Green, and Chinese White tea.
The company is committed to ethical sourcing and supporting local and female-led tea cooperatives to ensure a better life for tea farmers and workers.
Today, East Forged is listed nationally with Harris Farm Markets, WH Smith, and Metcash, with trials at Woolworths set to begin in the first half of 2023.
