Making Tea
When making a fine tea a few things must be kept in mind. It
is not difficult or time consuming, but care is required to
ensure an outstanding cup of tea. The following elements play
important roles in producing a fine cup of tea.
Water
quality and temperature
Water quality has a great effect on the quality of tea. The
more delicate the tea, the more important the water quality.
In general, if you like the taste of your tap water, it will
probably make good tea. If not, use a good bottled water or a
filter to remove chlorine.
Do not use distilled water, as it lacks the minerals that bring
out the flavor of tea.
The right water temperature is key to preparing quality tea.
Most black and oolong teas should be infused with water that has
just come to a full boil, approximately 200 to 210 degrees F.
Limited boiling increases the amount of oxygen in the water and creates
a fresher-tasting tea. However, if the water continues to boil
it will loose oxygen and taste flat.
Quantity of
loose tea
leaves
The most common recommendation is to add one heaping teaspoon
of tea per cup. However, while this may be true for a particular
person and tea, it doesn't take into consideration the
great variations in volume and strength among loose teas.
For example, a teaspoonful of a strong, broken Assam tea
weighs about 2.2 grams, while a full leaf Darjeeling weighs about
1.5 grams. Teas with even larger leaves may weigh less than a gram
per teaspoon. It is therefore possible and proper to brew tea
with as little as ½ a teaspoon to as much as a heaping teaspoon per
cup, depending on personal taste.
With a little experimentation and practice you will be able
to consistently brew a superior tea.
Steeping
time
A steeping time of 4 to 5 minutes is a good guideline for most
sturdy or flavored black teas. In general the smaller the
particle size, the shorter the steeping time. Small variations
in steeping time will produce equally good cups with different
levels of flavor and aroma. However, steeping
too long will invariably produce a poor product.
Green oolong and the more delicate black teas require
different steeping times to bring out their flavors and subtle
characteristics.
Most green teas are best if steeped no more
than 2 to 3 minutes. Some tightly rolled teas, like
"Gunpowder", may go a little longer.
Darjeelings are delicate with a fruity aroma
and can quickly become bitter if steeped too long. As a
rule, steeping should not exceed 3 minutes. Small
differences in time can make huge differences in the
product.
Some flavored teas and formosa
oolongs
may steep for 6 to 7 minutes.
Obviously tea should be made by the clock. An accurate
kitchen timer should always be used to take out any guesswork.
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