How to Prepare Tea: What You Need to Know for the Perfect Infusion
Preparing good tea is not an impossible task; you just need to know some fundamental rules that vary depending on the type of infusion (green tea and black tea, for example, require different infusion temperatures). In this article, you’ll find all the instructions to make the best tea.
Two Methods to Prepare Tea
First of all, it’s important to know that there are two main methods to prepare tea. The first is the Anglo-Saxon method, which uses few tea leaves and long infusion times. With this method, you typically use the same leaves only once.
The second method is the Oriental one. In this case, many tea leaves are used, reusable multiple times, and the infusions are short. Which method is better? It depends on the taster’s preference and the type of tea.
Hot Water for Tea: What’s the Right Infusion Temperature?
For all types of tea, here’s a rule: never bring the water to a full boil. If the water reaches 100°C, you risk burning the tea and losing its healthy properties and characteristic aroma. Otherwise, consider the tea type:
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Green tea: between 60° and 80°C
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Black tea: between 90° and 95°C
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Oolong tea: between 85° and 95°C
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White tea: between 75° and 90°C
How to Understand the Water Temperature for My Tea?
The most accurate way is using a thermometer, but there are visual cues: at 70°C, small bubbles called “crab’s eyes” start to form. At 90°C, bubbles become much larger, signaling near boiling.
Where to Put the Tea?
Many wonder whether tea should go directly into the cup or if a teapot is needed. Tea experts definitely opt for the latter. Using a teapot can truly make a difference in preparing good tea. Leaves can be placed directly into the water (following the Gong Fu Cha tradition) or inside an infuser to avoid fishing them out before sipping.
Infusion in a Gaiwan
An exception is the Gaiwan infusion. The Gaiwan is a special Chinese tea bowl with a saucer and lid, dating back to around 1350. It allows you to prepare and sip tea from the same container. Alternatively, you can pour the Gaiwan’s content into smaller tasting cups.
Tea Infusion Times
As mentioned, infusion times vary depending on the chosen method (Western or Oriental) and the type of tea desired. However, you should never exceed 5 minutes. Leaving tea too long risks releasing excessive tannins, resulting in a bitter and unbalanced drink. Using the Western-Anglo-Saxon method, infusion times are:
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Green tea: 2 to 3 minutes
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Black tea: 2 to 3 minutes
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Oolong tea: 3 minutes
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White tea: 3 to 4 minutes
With the Oriental method, infusion lasts from 30 to 60 seconds and can be repeated about 3 times.