How long is the optimum time to brew a cup of tea?!
How long is the optimum time to brew a cup of tea?
Does it differ between loose leaf and tea bags?
Does it differ between types of tea?
e.g. English Breakfast, Jasmin, Chai, fruit tea etc.
Answers:
Personally, I don't think there is an optimum time for tea...That's my experience at least. I have found that the more delicate teas like white and green and oolong teas require far less time than their black tea and herbal counterparts. Remember that they also require cooler temperatures (not boiling). This will affect your brew time also.
Remember that it's better to underbrew a tea than to overbrew it since if you overbrew, you'll usually knkow it from the bitter taste. Most of my experience is with tea bags...I've done a few loose leaf teas so lets start with bags.
The instructions on the bags are pretty flexible, so if they give you a range, go 20-30 seconds under that lower range. If they say 1-3 minutes for white tea, I would try 40 seconds. For green tea, the range is around 3 minutes, so try 2 min 30 sec. It's a trial and error period you usually have to go through because all tea companies are different.
The teas you noted (english breakfast, chai, etc) all require 6 minute brew times since they are black and herbal teas. These teas usually can take boiling water for 6 minutes at the minimum. So I usually stick with 6 minutes...then if it needs more, I leave it in for another min or so until it's good and tasty because after 6 minutes, the water will have cooled down a lot.
Loose teas are more the same, but I'd first start with the instructions on the tin. Start at the right temperature of water and go from there. It might take a few cups before you find YOUR optimum brew time. Good luck.
I like boiling my water ( microwave ) & then I add the tea bag and honey, cover the cup and let is sit for 1 or 2 minutes so it gets well infused.
Until I can't see the end of the spoon through it. But I'll admit that I'm more of a caffeine drinker than a tea drinker.
Yes it does differ between what types of teas you are brewing and how you want to brew them. I found a good guide that would help you out a lot.
http://home.att.net/~gailrhea/tea/howtob...
I normally brew for 1/2 hour,cool it then bottle it for my long walk to the letterbox.
I let it steep for about 3 minutes.