Brewing Tea

Brewing tea is easy, but it isn't like brewing coffee. It takes a certain amount of attention to produce your best cup of tea. Yet, it is truly one of life's simple pleasures.

Good Tasting, Cold Water is Important

First fill a kettle with just enough cold water for the tea you are going to drink soon. Use good tasting cold water; it doesn't matter where it comes from as long as it tastes good. Don't use hot water because it will taste flat from the lack of oxygen while standing in the water heater; also the oxygen in the water is necessary to get good flavor from your tea.

When the kettle starts making that knocking sound, pour a little hot water into the tea pot or cup to pre-warm it. If using a cup, be sure to cover it with a saucer while waiting for the water to finish boiling.

Water Temperature is Important

Black tea needs more time to brew than green and white tea and the water must be boiling for black tea . Do not use boiling water for green or white tea or your tea will taste bitter.

The rule of thumb is to let the water cool for 30 seconds for white tea and 60 seconds for green tea or simply use a thermometer and measure until the water is about 180'F or 80'C.

Measure 1 to 1/2 tsp. of tea per cup into your pre-warmed teapot or cup and let the tea steep for the recommended time listed below:

How Long to Infuse

The time it takes to infuse different teas depends on the size and type of tea. Tea bags filled with fannings (small leaf bits) or dust may only require only 30 seconds to infuse. If possible, check the label on the tea box for times.

You will probably like some teas stronger than others so try different steeping times to find what you like best. Try tasting the tea while its steeping until you find the taste you like, then write down the steeping time for that particular tea.

When the Tea is Ready

You don't want to "stew" your tea so be ready to remove the teapot's infusing basket or pour the tea leaves through a strainer into your teapot. I recommend not using a tea ball strainer unless you half fill it so that the leaves can fully open. The tea leaves must have circulating hot water all around them to open fully.

How Many Infusions?

This really depends on your taste and the quality of the tea. Old tea that has lost its fragrant oils or has been heavily processed will likely only do with one infusion. Better quality teas will infuse better. Generally, green and white tea can be infused a number of times and good Oolong tea can be infused as many as seven times with the same leaves. The Chinese say you derive different pleasures from each successive infusion.

Cleaning Up

Washing a teapot is simple. Just rinse, dry, and put away. The residue left on the inside of the teapot is considered a blessing and some people keep a separate teapot for each type of tea!

Brewing Chai Masala

Brewing Iced Tea

Place 6 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. Makes 1 quart (liter).

Note: A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water. 

Making Yerba Mate Iced Tea

I sometimes like to make my Yerba Mate by the gallon, and drink it iced. I use a large gallon pot and put about 4 tablespoons of Yerba Mate in boiling water, reduce the temperature, and simmer. I let it infuse for ten minutes. I then strain the pot through cheesecloth into another pot full of ice and let it cool for a minute. I then pour the tea, leaving the un-melted ice in the pot, into a gallon container and put it into refrigerator.

Article provided by :