Reference - Coffee/Tea
Chapter 10
Next, you want to check that your teapot is clean. Over time, especially with black teas, a pot can develop a darkish film from the tannin in the tea. This can alter the taste of the tea, again especially true if you drink subtle flavored white and green teas. ...or brew in a glass!
Many Chinese teas, especially Green, White and – of course - Flower teas, are very attractive when they open up in the water as they steep. Indeed, this is what initially gave rise to the idea of making Flower Teas. In China, these teas are usually brewed directly in a clear glass, and not in a pot, so that you can not just enjoy the taste and aroma, but also watch the slowly changing shapes the tea takes as it infuses in the glass.
Water Temperature
OK, now that you're ready to make the tea, the most vital part in the whole process is the temperature of the water. Different teas must be brewed at different temperatures. Before brewing the tea, it is important that you pre-heat the teapot to avoid it cooling the water as soon as it is added, especially true for cast iron teapots. Simply put some boiling water into the pot for a minute, then empty.
In particular, Green and White Teas must be steeped at a lower temperature, around 160°F-180°F (70°C-80°C) to avoid the tea taking on a bitter taste.
One simple way to get the right temperature for Green and White teas, is to stop heating the water before it comes to a complete boil by listening for when the water first sounds like it is starting to boil. When the noise from the kettle starts to take on a quieter, deeper sound, you know it is around the right temperature for these teas.
How much Tea
You also want to check that you use the right amount of tea and water. This is more a matter of taste however, adding extra tea to the water will just result in a stronger, bolder flavor to the tea. As a rule of thumb, about 1-2 teaspoons of tea per cup is usually in the right ballpark.
Now you're ready to steep the tea, you want to add the tea before the water. If you add the water first, the tea will tend to float and stick to the top of the water, and so not properly steep in the water.
How long to Steep
You also need to steep each tea for the appropriate amount of time. Too short a time and the tea's flavor, aroma and beneficial chemicals will not have enough time to diffuse out into the water. Too long and the tea's taste will change, usually becoming more bitter or astringent. For the first infusion, white tea's typically steep for around 30 seconds, green teas for around 2 minutes, and black teas for anything up to 5 minutes.
Unlike common “bagged” tea, Chinese loose leaf tea can be used – or “infused” - several times. When you infuse the tea several times, you typically want to increase the steeping time by about 15-30 seconds each time. The number of times you can infuse a tea is down to personal taste and the type of tea. Generally tea's made from tea buds – like white and green teas – can only be infused 2-3 times, black and oolong tea's 3-5 times, while Pu'er tea can be happily infused up to 10 times.
One important thing to note is that you should not try to steep the tea for a longer time to get a stronger taste. Instead just add more tea leaves – a longer brewing time will usually result in the tea taking on a more bitter, astringent taste.
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