How to Make Chai Concentrate: Bold Flavor Any Time

If you love chai but find yourself short on time during busy mornings, chai concentrate is your new best friend. This rich, spicy base captures the bold essence of chai and stores beautifully in the fridge—ready whenever you are.

Enjoy it hot or iced. Add dairy or plant-based milk. Making your own chai concentrate at home gives you full control over the flavor, sweetness, and strength.

In this guide, we’ll walk through what chai concentrate is, how to make it, and how to store and use it like a pro.

What is Chai Concentrate?

Chai concentrate is a strongly brewed version of traditional masala chai, simmered spices, and often a touch of sweetener. It's typically more potent than a regular cup of chai. Chai concentrate is best diluted with milk or a milk alternative. (1:1 ratio or to taste).

This makes it ideal for:

• Quick morning lattes
• Iced chai or iced chai latte drinks
• Dirty chais (espresso + chai)
• Batch preparation for gatherings or cafés

Why Make Chai Concentrate at Home?

Grocery stores can be convenient. But many store bought or coffee shop chai concentrates are overly sweetened. They may also contain preservatives and artificial flavors. Homemade chai concentrate, on the other hand, allows you to:

• Control the sweetness
• Adjust spice levels
• Use high-quality tea
• Experiment with herbal or caffeine-free options

Plus, it fills your kitchen with the warming aroma of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and ginger—an added bonus!

Is Chai Concentrate only Made with Masala Chai?

You can make chai concentrate from almost any type of chai tea, not just the traditional black tea base. The key is adjusting the steep time and temperature to match the type of tea used. Here's how it breaks down:

✅ Black Tea Chai (Traditional)

• Most common base for masala chai
• Bold, robust flavor stands up well to spices and milk
• Steep time: 5–7 minutes

✅ Green Tea Chai

• Lighter and more delicate than black tea
• Offers a more vegetal, earthy twist on traditional chai
• Avoid boiling—steep around 170–180°F (77–82°C) for 2–3 minutes to prevent bitterness

✅ Rooibos Chai (Caffeine-Free)

• Naturally sweet and smooth
• Perfect for evening or caffeine-sensitive drinkers
• Boil and steep like black tea (5–7 minutes)

✅ Herbal Chai

• Made with adaptogens or calming herbs like tulsi, chamomile, or peppermint
• Great for wellness blends or bedtime chai
• Steep time: 5–10 minutes, depending on herbs

✅ Oolong or White Tea Chai

• Less common, but unique
• Oolong offers a floral note; white tea is very subtle
• Use lower water temps and shorter steep times: around 160–185°F (71–85°C) for 2–4 minutes

⚠️ Tips When Using Non-Black Chai Teas for Concentrate:

• Use a gentle simmer or steep at lower temps depending on the tea type.
• If using loose leaf chai tea (like rooibos chai or green chai), most already contain spices, so you may not need to add extra.
• Adjust spice levels—light teas like white or green may need fewer strong spices (like clove or black pepper) to avoid overpowering the base.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Chai Concentrate

Here’s a classic chai concentrate recipe. Feel free to tweak spices based on your preferences.

Base Ingredients (makes approx. 3–4 cups concentrate):

• 4 cups water
• 8 teaspoons loose leaf chai tea

1. Steep the Tea

Steep the tea as instructed for the type of tea. Allow black tea to steep for 5–7 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea. Avoid over-steeping to prevent bitterness.

If you are adding extra spices, simmer the spices first. In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, peppercorns, star anise, or spices of your choosing.

Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes. This step allows the spices to fully release their oils and flavor. Then add the tea and steep for the recommended time based on the tea. Allow the water to cool a bit if using green or white chai.

2. Sweeten (Optional)

While the tea is still hot, stir in the sweetener you personally prefer. Experiment with granulated sugar, brown sugar, agave, or maple syrup. Start with 1 tbsp—you can always add more later when making your drink.

3. Strain

Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof container or mason jar. Discard the spices and tea leaves.

4. Cool and Store

Let the concentrate cool, then seal and refrigerate. It will keep for up to 7–10 days in the fridge.

How to Use Chai Concentrate

To make a chai latte:

• Hot: Mix equal parts chai concentrate and your choice of milk. Heat gently on the stove or microwave and enjoy.
• Iced: Pour equal parts concentrate and cold milk over ice. Optional: froth the milk or top with cinnamon for a café-style chai tea latte.
• Dirty Chai: Add a shot of espresso for a dirty chai latte with a bold caffeine kick.

Chai Concentrate FAQ

✅ What makes it a "concentrate":

• It’s brewed with more tea and spices relative to the amount of water
• It's often simmered longer than a regular cup of chai
• Designed to be diluted 1:1 with milk or a milk alternative when served

🚫 What it’s not:

• It doesn’t usually have a syrupy texture (unless you're adding a lot of sweetener or reducing it into a syrup on purpose)
• It’s still a liquid, just bolder and stronger

How long does chai concentrate last?

Store the chai concentrate p to 10 days in the fridge, or freeze in ice cube trays for longer storage.

Do I need to add spices?

Loose leaf chai tea already has spices blended in. For more spice, add more chai spices to your taste preference. Some options include black peppercorns, star anise, fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, or vanilla extract if you prefer.

Whole spices offer a richer, fresher flavor, but ground spices can work in a pinch—just strain extra carefully.

Can I make it unsweetened?

Yes! Just skip the sweetener and adjust when making individual drinks.

Final Sip

Making your own chai concentrate is a simple ritual that delivers big rewards. It saves time, reduces waste from single-serve packaging, and puts the power of spice in your hands. Once you’ve tried it, you might never go back to store-bought versions.