Tea brewing tips: making every cup perfect

Tea Brewing Basics

Choosing the right tea set

Choosing the right tea set is the first step to brewing good tea. For loose tea, a teapot or teacup with a tea strainer in it is a good choice. If you use tea bags, a teapot with a built-in strainer will be more convenient. Make sure the capacity of the tea set is suitable for the amount of tea you are brewing.

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Importance of water quality

Good water makes good tea. Use fresh filtered water to ensure the pure taste of the tea. Avoid distilled water as it can make the tea taste flat. The temperature of the water is also critical; different teas require different water temperatures for optimal extraction.

Tips for brewing various types of tea

green tea

Green tea is brewed at a low temperature, usually between 80-85°C. Higher temperatures will destroy the fresh taste in the tea and lead to bitterness. Brewing time is controlled at 1-3 minutes, the exact time can be adjusted according to personal taste. If you like a lighter flavor, you can shorten the brewing time; if you like a stronger flavor, you can extend the time appropriately.

Oolong tea

Oolong tea should be brewed at a temperature between 85-96°C for 3-5 minutes. Oolong tea needs a slightly higher temperature and longer time to release its complex aroma and flavor. You can smell the aroma while brewing and enjoy the tea when it is fragrant.

black tea

Black tea is suitable to be brewed with boiling water at 93-100°C. The brewing time is usually 3-5 minutes. Black tea is resistant to brewing and you can decide whether to add milk or sugar according to your personal taste. To avoid over-strengthening the tea, remove the tea leaves or tea bags in time.

plain tea

White tea is brewed at a lower temperature, controlled between 71-85°C. White tea has a very delicate flavor and the brewing time is usually 4-5 minutes. Lower temperature and longer time can better show the freshness and lightness of white tea.

black tea

Black tea should be brewed at a temperature between 93-100°C, and the brewing time is 4-5 minutes. The mellow aroma of black tea makes it suitable for brewing in a large pot and sipping several times. Sugar or milk can be added to enrich the flavor.

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yellow tea

Yellow tea should be brewed at a temperature between 71-85°C for 1-2 minutes. The taste of yellow tea is between green tea and black tea, the brewing time should not be too long, otherwise it will lose its unique sweetness.

herb tea

Herbal tea needs to be brewed in boiling water at 93-100°C for 5 minutes or more. As herbal tea does not contain the tannins found in tea, it is not bitter and can be brewed for a long time.

brewing step

1. Measuring Tea: Use one teaspoon of loose tea per cup of water; if using tea bags, each bag fits exactly one cup of water. For accuracy, use a small digital scale to measure.
2. heated water: Heat the water according to the requirements of different teas. Use a kitchen thermometer or a kettle with a digital scale to measure the water temperature to avoid improper temperature affecting the taste of the tea.
3. brewing tea: Pour hot water into a teapot or teacup containing tea leaves and steep for the appropriate amount of time. A timer is very useful to prevent the tea from steeping for too long, causing it to become bitter.
4. Enjoy your tea.: After the tea is brewed, cool it down a little before drinking it, so that you can better savor the aroma and taste of the tea.
5. Adjustment of taste: Adjust the amount of tea, brewing time and water temperature to your taste. It is recommended to keep track of each brew so that you can continuously optimize and find the best brewing method for you.

cold tea

Cold brewing tea is a simple and less likely to fail brewing method, especially for green and white teas. Place 1-2 scoops of tea in a 1-1.5 liter glass jug with room temperature or slightly warm water, cover and place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. Cold brewed tea has a mild flavor without bitterness.

summarize

Brewing a good cup of tea requires mastering many details, but everyone can become a master brewer if you put your mind to learning and experimenting. Different teas have different personalities, and by continually experimenting and adjusting, you are sure to find the brewing method that works best for you. We hope these tips will help you enjoy every cup of tea at home with ease.