Brewing Tea Properly

One of the most refreshingly popular beverages, tea has been around for centuries now. In fact, after water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. The cooling, bitter-sweet flavor of tea has managed to enthrall the senses of many. However, the key to making tea that simply takes you to a whole new level is the way in which you brew the tea. Brewing tea is an art that many tend to ignore. However, this is where the secret lies when it comes to making that perfect cup of tea.

Tips on How to Brew Tea Properly

Choose the Right Water
When you're planning to make tea, be sure to use good water. Since water is what makes up most of the tea anyway, you need to ensure that the tea you are making is being made with the best possible water. Water quality and taste varies depending on the place. If you feel that the water in your area is treated water and so has a slight metallic taste or a taste of chlorine, then there are chances that you will feel this taste in your tea as well. The best option in such cases is to go in for filtered water or spring water. Try to avoid distilled water as much as possible. Also, use fresh water, not water that has been boiled recently. Also, use a small amount of heated water to warm the pot before you begin brewing tea. Furthermore, ensure that you take the right amount of water, as too much or too little of water may alter the taste. The preferred measurement of water is one rounded teaspoon every eight ounce cup.

Understand the Requirement for Different Types of Tea
You need to understand that different teas require different steeping temperatures and one of the most common mistakes that people make when preparing tea is to make the tea at the wrong temperature. Black tea, should be made with water at boiling temperature and should be steeped for four to six minutes. Oolong tea should be made with water that has a temperature that is just below boiling temperature. The water for Oolong tea needs to be steaming rapidly and there should be bubbles rising up in the kettle. The steeping time for this tea varies greatly, between three to eight minutes! Green tea should be made with slightly cooler water, with the steam wafting or gently swirling out of the kettle. The steeping time for green tea is also quite less, around two to three minutes. White tea on the other hand, should be made with still cooler water and should be made when the water hits the very first hint of steam. This tea should be steeped for around two minutes. Herbal tea needs to be made in boiling water and should be steeped for a minimum of four to six minutes.

Handling the Tea Leaves
You need to understand that when you make tea, the tea leaves will expand to more than double their size. Hence, no matter what tea it is that you are brewing, ensure that there is enough space in the teapot for the leaves to expand. Brewing leaves loose in the teapot and then carefully straining them works best when it comes to brewing tea properly. Also, ensure that you separate the leaves from the liquid when the tea has steeped for an adequate amount of time. Do not leave the tea leaves in the water for long, as this will tend to make the tea bitter.

So these were a few tips that will help you understand the best way to brew tea. You need to understand that although brewing tea is easy, the only difference between brewing tea and brewing tea properly, is a little attention to detail!