Secrets to brewing tea-small details that can make a big difference

The Tea Detective
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea

Brewing Tea - Small Details
That Can Make a Big Difference

Brewing tea is a fairly easy and simple task that takes no more than a few minutes to do. You
put water in the tea kettle, boil it, pour it over the tea leaves or add a tea bag, let it steep for
two or three minutes and it's done. You have yourself a nice hot cup of tea.

When it comes to brewing tea most people don't
spend much time thinking about the details. You
run some tap water into the kettle and wait for it
to heat. You know the water is hot when steam
starts to rise, bubbles form, and it turns into a full
rolling boil. Then you pour it over the leaves or
add a tea bag, let it steep for what seems like the
right amount of time, or until it looks about right,
and you have an okay cup of tea.

Alright...sometimes not even an okay cup. But you
drink it anyway.

But did you know that you could have an awesome
and perfectly delicious cup of tea with the very
same steps and same amount of time (or even
less), just by making note of a few small details?
Here's how.

The Devil is in the Details - How to
Brew a Perfect Cup of Tea Every Time

First off, use good cold water. If your tap water tastes good, then it's fine to use. But if it has a
bad taste or odor, use filtered or bottled spring water. You will be surprised at the difference this
one small step makes.

Second, if you don't have a good tea kettle, invest in one. You can find a
good kettle anywhere from $15 to $25, on up to $100 or more that should
last forever. (See The Tea Detective's Gift of Tea Store under the tea kettle
category for a nice selection of tea kettles that will do the job right, with a
price range that fits everyone).

A simple porcelain enamel over steel, like Le Creuset will do the job. Try to
avoid using aluminum to heat water for tea, as you'll end up with a metallic
tasting cup.

Now that we have good tasting water and a proper tea kettle, let's get down to business
heating the water. Different teas require different water temperatures to brew properly. The
Chinese have a unique method of telling the temperature of the water by watching it for signs.
They describe the four basic temperatures needed to brew most teas, like this:

1. Column of Steam Steadily Rising - this means the water temperature is between 170-180 F
(72-82c). You will see the steam rising from the water's surface in a nice, steady plume. This
water temperature is perfect for brewing all standard green teas.

For white teas, new spring green teas, and Japanese green teas, let the water cool down for a
minute or two. These teas brew perfectly at between 160-170F (71-77c).

2. Fish Eyes - this is when you see large bubbles rising slowly and just begin breaking the
surface at approximately 180-200F (82-93c). This water temperature is just right for brewing
oolong teas.

3. String of Pearls - this is when the water is nearly at the point of boiling, when strings of small
bubbles begin to rise and form a sort of loop at the surface around the perimeter of the pot at a
temperature of approximately 190-200F (88-93c). This water temperature is just right for
brewing black teas, Lapsang Souchong, and teas with a base of black tea.

4. Turbulent Waters - this is when the water is at a full, rolling boil at between 200-212F
(93-100c), and is best for brewing pu-erh teas.

Next comes the last...and possibly most important step of all, and that is steeping. This is the
step where most people go wrong and do incorrectly, and can have the most impact on the final
taste of your tea. If you steep it for too long you can end up with a bitter, overly astringent cup
of tea. Steep it for too short a time, and you'll likely have a weak, bland watered down cup.

As with water temperature, steeping times also vary for each type of tea. We will start with
black tea because it is the only type that cannot be infused more than once. Black tea should be
steeped anywhere from 3-5 minutes with only one steeping.

Oolong teas are made to be infused many times. Large, more mature tea leaves are used to
manufacture oolong teas. The more mature the leaf, the more flavor is packed in, which means
they are perfect for multiple infusions. Oolong tea should be steeped from 60-90 seconds, up to
two minutes.

This is the same for spring or new green teas, white teas, and yellow teas-several steepings of
one to one and a half minutes, up to two minutes.

Standard green tea should be steeped for two to three minutes with several steepings.

Lastly, pu-erh teas should be steeped for two to five minutes, with many steepings.

As with all tea preparations, there are no hard and fast rules. You should feel free to experiment to find just the right
combinations of water type, temperature, and steeping times that creates a cup of tea that tastes absolutely perfect
to you.

You may want to infuse it less times, but for a longer period of time for a stronger tasting cup-or vice versa-steep
more often for a shorter amount of time for a less assertive taste.

Use this information as a guide and experiment with different types of water, steeping times, and number of
infusions-even water temperature, going a few degrees higher or lower. Try brewing your tea a number of different
ways until it truly is "your cup of tea." Enjoy.

For more information or to learn more about tea, visit our other pages:

How to brew tea.
Easy step-by-step instructions and a few helpful tips will have you brewing the perfect cup or pot of tea
the first time, every time. (Visit Silver Leaf Teas for exceptional Competition grade pu-erh teas).

Learn where and how the beloved teapot began.
Nearly every home has a teapot-some that are used daily and some that are purely decorative. Learn
where and how the beloved teapot of today began its journey centuries ago.

How do I calculate how much loose tea to use for brewing either one cup or a pot of tea?
Learn how to measure the proper amount of tea to perfectly brew either a single cup or entire pot of
tea. Also learn how to calculate the number of cups and cost per pound of loose tea.

Which green teas are found in China?
Take an in-depth look at green teas specific to China, the styles, growing season, climate, and
description of some popular green teas you could expect to find in and outside of the U.S.

China's black teas-a labor of love.
China's black tea production is much smaller than their green teas, but their black teas are a labor of
love. Learn which black teas are made in China, the styles, climate and growing season, and which are
found in and outside of the U.S., online, and in specialty tea stores.

What's the difference between China's traditional budset white tea and new style white tea?
Learn all about China's white teas, the styles, growing season, climate, and availability. Also learn how
to tell the difference between traditional budset white tea and new style white teas.

China's yellow teas-a close cousin to green teas, but with a special added step.
China's yellow teas are close to green teas in many ways, but one special step in their processing makes
them special in their own right. Also learn which yellow teas are made in China.

Visit The Tea Detective s itemap for a listing of all site pages

Receive A Guide To Tea, an 88-page book on the history and enjoyment of tea free with your first Adagio Teas order of $19 or more.

For a great selection of quality teas, gifts, and
accessories, visit:
The Tea Detective's Gift of Tea Store