The art of brewing tea
In India, tea is not just a beverage, rather a lifestyle routine that helps people stay active throughout the day. A perfect cup of tea is an art that calls for proper brewing with patience, so that the leaves infuse well with water and give you that perfect taste that can revitalize you after a good night sleep. Today we will tell you about some smart brewing tips that will help you make the perfect cuppa. Scroll below to know more.
Choosing the right water!
Quality of water is very important while making tea. No matter how good the tea you are using, if you don’t use the right water, you are going to spoil it. In a nutshell, inferior water results in poor quality tea.
The best quality water for brewing tea is acidic in nature, i.e, with a pH of less than 7 and freshly filtered. Fresh rivers, lakes, streams and glacial water are slightly acidic and hence best for making tea. The rich, complex and delicate notes of tea are best achieved in such water.
A pH above 8 like sea or ocean water will make the tea bitter.
It is important to filter the water as it removes toxic chemicals and microorganisms, which markedly improves the taste of the water.
Bottled spring water is also suitable for brewing tea. Distilled water is comparatively inert and results in a flat-tasting tea given its low mineral content. Mineral water will result in a metallic-tasting tea, which you should avoid.
Correct temperatures and steeping duration for different varieties of tea
The right water temperature varies according to the tea type. Green and White teas require water with low temperatures while Black and Herbal teas need boiling or hot water for all the flavors to come to the fore in the right proportion.
The time duration of steeping the tea depends on the palate of a particular person too. Some people enjoy their tea to be strong and flavourful, whereas on the other hand, some like their tea to be mild and not very strong. However, there are certain standard parameters which need to be adhered to while steeping different kinds of teas.
Average steeping time for different teas
Green Tea – (1-2 mins)
Black Tea – (3-4 mins)
Oolong Tea – (3 mins)
Herbal Tea (4-5 mins)
White Tea (3 mins)
Preheat the teapot
Pre heating your teapot is a simple process which prevents any sudden temperature change when your freshly brewed tea is poured into your teapot. This would maintain the desired temperature of your infusion. Otherwise, if you pour your tea into a cold tea-pot, it will effectively lower the desired temperature of your infusion and the tea will not taste as desired.
The British generally use a traditional ceramic teapot, but many others prefer a cast iron teapot. Not only can cast-iron teapots keep your tea hot, but they look nice too.
Use right quantity of tea leaves
The amount of loose-leaf tea that is used for 1 cup of tea depends on the type of tea. Typically, 2 gms. of tea leaves should be used for every 200 ml of water. There’s no one-size-fits-all method of measuring loose leaves though.
Industry experts and tea sommeliers recommend using 2 - 3 grams of loose-leaf tea for every 6 - 8 ounces of water (1 ounce is approximately 30 mls). Using a measuring spoon can give you an approximate amount. To sum up, it’s best to measure the tea by weight or by volume to get the right flavour and aroma in your tea cup.
When to use milk
Depending on your preference, some people drink their tea without milk, while others like quite the opposite. Although, First Flush Black Teas, White Teas, Green Teas, fruit and herbal infusions usually taste better without milk, CTC Masala Teas, some variants of 2nd Flush Black Teas etc. taste better with milk. Whether you like to drink your favourite beverage with or without milk totally depends on your palate and the type of tea you are drinking.
Contributed by: Madhav Sarda- Expert Tea taster and Managing Director, Golden Tips Tea
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