Interestingly, even though tea is an integral part of our meals, it is often served unprepared. How many times do we get hot water, a teabag and a cup and the rest is DIY? But even if we get a cup of brewed tea, do we know for how long it has been brewing? This aspect is essential in the process of preparing tea. If we really want to appreciate the taste and take advantage of the health-promoting properties offered by tea, we should spend more time on contemplating it.
You need to start with choosing some good quality tea. Both loose tea and tea in bags can have both good and poor quality. Once we chose some good tea, we should have the right water. A cup of tea consists of 99% water, so the quality of the water will have an impact on the tea obtained after brewing. Suitable water is one with a pH of about 7. It should be as mineralised as possible. Good water should also be filtered and boiled once.
When it comes to the amount and time of brewing, there are different traditions and methods. The standard dose is 2.5 g of tea per 220 ml of water. White, green and oolong tea are brewed for about 2 to 3 minutes, black tea a little longer, for 3 to 5 minutes. White and green tea are more delicate and are brewed with water which is cooled down to 70-80 ° C, oolong around 80-90 ° C. Finally, black tea can be brewed with water above 90 ° C.
Stirring is very important during brewing. Thanks to it the whole aroma is released and the tea “stretches” (stirring can be replaced by pouring).
The served tea should be around 65 ° C, although it also depends on individual preferences. (It definitely should not be too hot though, as it can damage your larynx and taste buds).
The vessel in which we serve tea in is also very important. The type of glass, porcelain, tactile and visual qualities may affect the taste of our tea.
