The Basics of Tea
All teas come from the same basic plant, the Camellia Sinensis plant. Differences in tea arise from differences in geography, growing conditions, and processing. With over 3,000 varieties, tea is the most consumed beverage in the world after water. Tea can be divided into five basic categories.
Black tea is allowed to wither, which precedes a process called oxidation during which water evaporates out of the leaf and the leaf absorbs more oxygen from the air. Black teas usually undergo full oxidation, and the results are the characteristic dark brown and black leaf, the typically more robust and pronounced flavors of black teas, and a higher caffeine content compared to other teas (50-65% of coffee, depending on the type and brewing technique).
Green tea is allowed to wither only slightly after being picked. Then the oxidation process is stopped very quickly by firing (rapidly heating) the leaves. Therefore green teas, when brewed appropriately, tend to have less caffeine (10-30% of coffee). Green teas also tend to produce more subtle flavors with many undertones and accents that connoisseurs treasure.
Oolong tea is allowed to undergo partial oxidation. These teas have a caffeine content between that of green teas and black teas. The flavor is typically not as robust as blacks or as subtle as greens, but has its own extremely fragrant and intriguing tones. It is often compared to the taste and aroma of fresh flowers or fresh fruit.
White Teas, the most delicate of all teas, are appreciated for their subtlety, complexity, and natural sweetness. They are hand processed using the youngest shoots of the tea plant, with no oxidation.
Pu-erh is an aged black tea from China prized for its medicinal properties and earthy flavor.
Drinks made from other plants and herbs, such as peppermint, technically are not “teas” since they don’t come from the tea plant. A correct name for these is “tisane,” from the French word for infusion.
The Seven Steps for Making Great Tea
1. Use good tea.
By definition this almost exclusively means loose-leaf tea. Quality tea does not have to expensive. Good quality loose-leaf tea can be purchased for as little as .14 cents per cup.
2. Use good water.
Brewed tea is more than 95 % water, so make sure your water tastes good. Natural spring waters make good tea. Easily available water filters like Pur and Brita can do a very good job. There is a simple test, taste your water. It should taste good simply by itself. It should be smooth and perhaps slightly sweet. It should have no metallic or chemical tastes. Distilled water and bottled “drinking water” tend to make poor tea.
3. Use the correct measurement of tea
We recommend 3 grams of tea per 8 oz. of water, if you want to be technical. For most teas this means one rounded teaspoon per 8 oz cup of water (we mean a measuring teaspoon, not the teaspoon in your silverware set). You may need to adjust slightly based on the tea. If it is a very dense tea (like gunpowder) use a level tsp. If it is very bulky (fluffy) tea like a pouchong, use two tsp.
4. Use the correct water temperature.
This is vital, and this is the most common error. Follow the recommendations below, until you’ve had a chance to develop your own preferences. If you make a green or white tea with boiling water it will be unspeakably bitter.
i. Black tea, boiling water (212 degrees)
ii. Oolong tea, water between 180 – 200 degrees.
iii. Green tea, water between 160 – 180 degrees.
iv. White tea, water between 155 – 165 degrees.
v. Pu-erh tea, water just off a boil, 200 – 210 degrees
5. Steep the tea the correct amount of time.
These are generalizations, there are many exceptions.
a. Black tea, 4-6 minutes
b. Oolong tea, 3-5 minutes
c. Green tea, 2-3 minutes
d. White tea, 1.5 - 2.5 minutes
e. Pu-erh tea, 30 seconds to 30 minutes
6. Allow the tea leaf room to expand, at least 3-5 times in size.
Tea is just a dried out leaf, when it is re-hydrated it will expand dramatically in size (just like pasta or rice), and if there is not room for the leaf to expand, it will not release its flavor. That is why tea-balls, while they are very cute, make lousy tea.
7. Have a way to separate the leaf from the liquid at the end of the steeping time. Otherwise the tea will just continue to steep, and most teas as a result would then turn very bitter.
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