Do you agree that a warm and delicious cup of tea is not only able to warm the body, but also the soul of the audience? Unfortunately, the taste of tea can quickly become too bitter if brewed the wrong way. To avoid this, try to read and practice the various tips listed in this article. Previously, determine the type of tea you want to brew. Then, decide which one is more suitable for your taste: dried tea leaves or tea bags? After that, all you have to do is heat the water and pour it over the tea, then brew the tea for as long as each type of tea requires, and serve the tea after first removing the tea bags or straining the leaves. Voila, tea is ready to be enjoyed without any mixture or with added sugar and milk!
Step
Part 1 of 4: Boiling the Water
Step 1. Pour clean water into the kettle
If you just want to make a cup of tea, just heat up 1.5 times more water than it takes to fill a cup of tea. If you want to make a pot of tea, fill the kettle to the brim. Why is that? Remember, the amount of water will evaporate and decrease when heated! For the best tasting tea, use water that has not been heated before.
Use a kettle that makes a loud sound when the water boils, or use an electric kettle that will automatically turn off once the water is boiling
Variation:
If you don't have a kettle, you can pour clean water into a saucepan and heat it over high heat until it reaches the required temperature.
Step 2. Heat the water according to the type of tea used
Since water that is too hot can damage the delicate tea leaves, don't forget to adjust the heating process according to the type of tea you are brewing. To ensure the correct temperature, you can use a thermometer or observe the condition of the water when it is heated. In particular, follow these rules:
- White tea: Heat the water to 75°C or it feels hot to the touch
- Green tea: Heat the water until it reaches 77 to 85°C or the surface starts to emit hot steam
- Black tea: Heat water until it reaches 100°C or after 1 minute after boiling
Step 3. Pour the water into a heatproof glass and heat it in the microwave if you don't have a stove or kettle
While the temperature of the water will be more even if it is heated in a kettle or pan on the stove, you can also heat it in the microwave. First, fill 3/4 of the heat-resistant glass with water, then place a wooden skewer or ice cream stick in it. After that, heat the water for 1 minute or until the surface looks bubbly.
A wooden skewer or ice cream stick will prevent the water from getting too hot and causing the glass to shatter or explode when heated
Step 4. Pour some hot water into a teapot or cup to warm it up
If hot water is poured into a still cold teapot or cup, the water temperature will automatically drop drastically. As a result, the tea will not brew properly! Therefore, try filling 1/4 or 1/2 of a teapot or glass cup with hot water first. Then, let it sit for 30 seconds before draining the water.
If you are really in a hurry, this stage can be skipped. However, be aware that the temperature of the tea can be hotter and the taste can be maximized if the teapot or cup is warmed first
Part 2 of 4: Brewing Tea
Step 1. Place tea leaves or tea bags in a teapot or cup
If you want to use tea bags, try using 1 tea bag for each cup of tea. If you want to use tea leaves, try using 1 tbsp. (2 grams) of tea leaves for each cup of tea.
If you prefer a stronger tea, feel free to add the amount of tea leaves used
Step 2. Pour hot water over tea leaves or tea bags
Slowly pour the water into the teapot or teacup. If the tea is brewed in a cup, fill it 3/4 full with water to leave room for adding the milk. If you are brewing tea leaves in a teapot, try pouring about 200 ml of water for each serving of tea. However, if you are brewing teabags in a teapot, pour about 240 ml for each tea bag.
- If you want to brew tea leaves in a cup, try putting the tea leaves in a mesh tea ball before placing them in the cup and pouring them with water. That way, you only need to take the container after the tea has finished brewing.
- Try measuring the amount of water used the first few times you use the teapot. This way, over time, you'll get used to it and be able to estimate the amount of water you'll need at a later date.
Step 3. Brew the tea according to its type
If you're using dry tea leaves, you should see the leaves open and expand as you brew. However, if you are using a tea bag, the color of the water should change unless it contains white tea leaves. In general, brew tea for:
- 1 to 3 minutes for green tea
- 2 to 5 minutes for white tea
- 2 to 3 minutes for oolong tea
- 4 minutes for black tea
- 3 to 6 minutes for herbal tea
Do you know?
The longer the tea is brewed, the stronger the flavor will be. Therefore, taste the tea with a spoon to ensure that the brewing time is not too long so that the tea taste is not bitter.
Step 4. Strain the tea leaves or remove the tea bag from the glass
If you are using a tea bag, remove the tea bag and allow any remaining liquid to drip back into the teapot or cup. If using tea leaves, remove the tea leaf container or pour the tea into another container through a strainer. Leftover tea leaves can be stored for brewing or discarded.
Turn the tea bags or tea leaves into compost after use
Part 3 of 4: Serving Tea
Step 1. Consume hot tea without any mixture to accentuate its natural flavour
If you prefer a natural taste, don't add sugar, milk, or lemon to your tea. This tip is especially important when it comes to drinking white tea, green tea, or herbal teas because milk can dominate the flavor of already soft teas.
However, lower-quality teas packaged in teabags will generally taste better when mixed with milk or additional sweeteners
Step 2. Add milk to black tea to make the taste and texture creamier
Generally, tea is only added to black tea, such as English Breakfast. Since there is no right or wrong way to drink tea with milk, you can pour the milk into the glass before or after the tea is put in the glass or cup. Then, stir the tea gently and place the teaspoon on the side of the cup.
Although some people will offer you cream as a tea mix, it's best not to mix the tea with heavy cream or a 1:1 mixture of milk and cream. The high fat content in cream will make the tea taste too "heavy". In fact, the natural taste of tea may be masked by it
Step 3. Add honey or sugar to make the tea taste sweeter
If you don't like the natural taste of tea, try adding a little sugar, honey, or another favorite sweetener. For example, you can make the tea taste sweeter by adding stevia, agave syrup, or a flavored syrup like vanilla syrup.
- Masala chai tea is generally made sweeter with a mixture of granulated sugar or brown sugar.
- Honey is the perfect sweetener option to add to white or green tea.
Step 4. Add lemon, ginger or mint to make the tea taste fresher
Squeeze a small piece of fresh lemon or add a few sprigs of fresh mint leaves to your tea cup. If you want to make the taste a little spicier, add a thin slice of fresh ginger.
To enrich and strengthen the taste of the tea, put a small stick of cinnamon in a cup
Tip:
Since citrus fruits can clump milk, don't add lemon juice to tea mixed with milk.
Step 5. Cool the tea to make iced tea
If you prefer to drink the tea cold, you can put the brewed tea in the refrigerator until it is really cold. Then, fill the glass with ice cubes and pour the cold tea into it. Hurry up and enjoy the tea before the ice is completely melted!
Iced tea can be made from any type of tea. For example, try making sweetened iced tea from black tea or herbal hibiscus tea
Part 4 of 4: Choosing the Type of Tea
Step 1. Choose black tea or tea with a strong flavor if you want to mix it with milk or sweetener
If you prefer black tea with a strong smoked taste, try the Lapsang Souchong type. If you want to consume tea with a strong wheat taste, try choosing the Assamese type. If the tea will be consumed with a mixture of milk or sugar, try choosing a tea that is specifically intended as a breakfast menu or daily drink.
If you want to drink tea with floral, citrus fruits, or a little spicy, try choosing Earl Gray, Lady Gray, or masala chai teas
Step 2. Choose green tea to produce a tea that is light in taste and highly nutritious
Green tea has a milder taste and lower caffeine content than black tea. If you prefer to drink tea without the addition of milk or sweeteners, try choosing green tea so you can experience its natural, mild taste.
If you like green tea, try brewing matcha or Japanese green tea. Matcha is a stone-ground green tea leaf commonly consumed in Japanese tea ceremonies
Tip:
If you like to drink black tea and green tea, try opting for oolong tea. This type of tea goes through an oxidation process that is not as much as black tea so that its natural taste has not been completely lost.
Step 3. Choose white tea to produce a tea that is less caffeine and has a softer taste
White tea is the type of tea leaf that undergoes the least oxidation process and has a very low caffeine content. Choose this type of tea if you prefer a soft tea taste and still delicious even though it is not mixed with sweeteners or flavorings.
Because it goes through very minimal processing, white tea is generally only sold in the form of dried leaves instead of in teabags
Step 4. Look for herbal teas if you want to avoid caffeine
Want to reduce caffeine consumption or prefer a softer flavored tea? Try herbal teas such as peppermint tea which is delicious served cold and hot, or chamomile tea which is known for its calming effect.
Rooibos is another type of herbal tea that will generally be mixed with dried fruit or vanilla
Step 5. Choose tea leaves or tea bags
If you want to consume good quality tea that can be brewed several times, you can use tea leaves or what is often sold under the terms "loose leaf tea" or "whole leaf tea". Generally, the tea leaves sold in the market are still leaf-shaped and have been dried, although the texture will soften and the size will expand as it is brewed. To facilitate the process of brewing tea, you can buy tea leaves that have been packaged in individual portions (tea bags). However, unfortunately the latter option you can only brew once.
Better quality teabags are usually packaged in pyramid-shaped bags. This shape makes it easier for the size of the tea leaves to expand while brewing. If you have trouble finding them, look for round teabags that are usually filled with small pieces of tea leaves
Do you know?
The most popular types of teabags are those that are packaged in square bags, and come with special threads and labels. Although very easy to find, generally teabags are filled with lower quality tea leaves, grated tea leaves, or powdered tea leaves.
Tips
- Clean the teapot and teacup regularly to prevent the build-up of mineral deposits on the surface.
- Store tea in an airtight container to prevent exposure to excess oxygen, light, or moisture. Also use a container that does not risk affecting the taste of the tea.
- If you live at a high altitude, the low boiling point may make it difficult for you to brew teas that need to be brewed at high temperatures, such as black tea. Also, the water may take longer to boil.
