For tea lovers steeping a cup of tea is considered an art, and not doing it the right way would make a difference between a great cup of tea and the opposite.
The primary purpose of steeping is to soak the tea with the water to extract flavor, and the best tea leaves to the max.
What we end up with is an extract that equates to 98% water and 2% fusion from within the tea leaves.
Making a cup of tea at home can be very simple, but to enjoy the process, we must equip ourselves with different accessories.
The teabags are very comfortable, and I have a box always full of many varieties.
However, the tea ritual at home is very relaxing and assures us to respect all the properties of each array to taste it in optimal conditions.
There are different ways to steep tea, some with a grand ceremony behind it, as in the Japanese or Chinese case.
In Europe, people follow the British way, which was the one who popularized this drink on the continent.
Nor can we forget the Arab influence and preparations for the Russian, which even has its own very characteristic utensils, such as the samovar.
Depending on the origin and form of production, different types of tea are distinguished with different properties and flavors.
The most common are green, black, white, Pu-erh or red tea, and Oolong or blue.
There are other more specific varieties, and the possibilities when it comes to mixing the leaves with other ingredients are almost endless.
Related article: How to brew herbal tea.
What Does it Mean for Tea to Steep?
Have the teapot ready, which will be where the tea is prepared, as well as the cups, plates, and spoons that we will use to serve the drink.
A detail, on the tray where you put the tea, to serve it, place the different accessories that will be used in the tea — sugar, saccharin, cinnamon, and lemon, among others.
Water temperature is essential for making a good cup of tea. Boiled water is not usually used.
Ideally, the temperature should be adapted according to the variety of tea you are going to prepare, between 60 and 95 each.
Before pouring all hot water into the kettle, it is convenient to heat it.
To do this, we’ll take a squirt of it inside, shake the kettle and discard that water.
Do not forget that the tea is almost 99% water, hence its importance of it.
If we have good tea, but we use low-quality water, you will not be able to reach the level you are looking for.
Place inside the teapot, one teaspoon for each cup we are going to make.
Pour the hot water into the kettle.
Let the water rest depending on the time necessary for each variety.
After a rest, serve tea and sweeten it to taste. Enjoy your cup of tea with the best of companies.
Finally, a couple of tips to keep our kettle in the best possible conditions.
On the one hand, avoid using it to prepare other types of drinks.
And on the other hand, do not use aggressive or highly scented soaps to wash it.
Most popular types of tea and their steep time.
White Tea.
White tea comes from delicate buds and young leaves from the Camellia Sinensis plant originating in China, specifically from Fujian province.
- Short of boiling water.
- Teabag: 1 to 3 mins.
- Full leaf: 2 to 3 mins.
Black Tea.
Black tea usually has a stronger aroma and contains more caffeine than other teas with lower oxidation levels.
- Short of Boiling water.
- Teabag: 3 to 5 mins.
- Full leaf: 3 to 5 mins.
Green Tea.
Green tea is a type of tea Camellia sinensis that has not undergone oxidation during processing, unlike black tea, as the leaves are collected fresh and after undergoing drying, pressed, rolled, crushed, and finally dried.Steepware®
- Short of boiling water.
- Teabag: 1 to 3 mins.
- Full leaf: 2 to 4 mins.
Chai Tea.
Masala Chai is a typical southern Indian beverage, consisting of a blend of tea with spices and aromatic herbs.
- Boiling water.
- Teabag: 3 to 5 min.
- Full leaf: 5 mins.
Related Article: 15 Mistakes Most People Make When Preparing Tea.
Oolong Tea.
Oolong is a traditional Chinese tea that is between green and black in oxidation, which gives it a characteristic bluish tone.
Steepware®
- Boiling water.
- Teabag: 3 to 5 mins.
- Full leaf: 5 to 7 mins.
Darjeeling Tea.
Darjeeling tea is probably one of the best teas in the world for its unique flavor.
- Boiling water.
- Teabag: 3 to 5 mins.
- Fuel leaf: 3 to 5 mins.
Chamomile Tea.
It is an annual herb originally from Europe, which has escaped nature and is now naturalized in almost every continent.
For now, you can find yourself getting closer along the rows, roadsides, and in sunny places.
In the fields of southern Canada to the north of the U.S. To the west of Minnesota.
- Boiling water.
- Teabag: 5 to 7 mins.
- Full leaf: 5 to 7 mins.
Rooibos Tea.
Rooibos tea is a drink that provides a lot of antioxidants and has no caffeine, unlike other types of teas.
- Boiling water.
- Teabag: 5 to 7 mins.
- Full leaf: 5 to 7 mins.
Hibiscus Tea.
Jamaican water, Jamaican flower water, or hibiscus tea is an infusion made from Jamaica Rose chalices.
It has a sour taste, similar to that of bilberry, often adding sugar to sweeten it.
-
- Boiling water.
- Teabag: 5 to 7 mins.
- Full leaf: 5 to 7 mins.
Herbal Tea.
The term herbal tea commonly refers to infusions of fruits or herbs that do not include tea plants such as mate, Chamomile, and Tila, among others.
Steepware®
- Boiling water.
- Teabag: 5 to 7 mins
- Full leaf: 5 to 7 mins.
Related article: What types of green tea are good for you?
FAQ.
It is ok to squeeze the teabag?
When you squeeze the bag there is no room for the leaves to expand and then the beverage is not of the same quality, because when you squeeze the bag come out the bitter flavors that the tea has takes away the taste.
By squeezing the bag, you are giving it more intensity, which makes it release more oxidizers, which is not good because this helps as long as it is in proportion. So don’t do it!!
Do you steep tea while water is boiling?
You have to heat as much water as cups will be served in a ‘kettle’ (electric or covenant) or any pot, and heat it until it boils.
For other types of tea, it is better to remove the water before, black tea is better prepared with boiling water.
Final thoughts.
To taste a tea of real quality, it is recommended to buy it in specialized shops, in bulk, trying to keep it well stored at home.
It is also essential to respect the quantities per person, the water temperature, the infusion time, as well as the service temperature.
That’s why we can complicate the task at home, everything we want, equipping us with more or fewer accessories.
Related Article: Are there different types of black tea? Updated.
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