| What is Tea? | General Brewing Guidelines |
| What Makes Great Tea? | Keeping Tea Fresh |
| How to Brew the Perfect Cup of Tea | Health Benefits |
Tea is any beverage produced from a combination of water and leaves from the tea plant, camellia sinensis. For Europeans, there are four main varieties of tea - White, Green, Oolong and Black. The Chinese also have Red tea, which the Europeans confusingly classify as Black.
Herbal teas are made from herbs and flowers other than the tea plant, camellia sinensis. As such, despite carrying the name, these are strictly speaking not tea at all.
The least processed of all teas, white tea is tea in its most natural and pristine form. It is the world's rarest tea as it can only be picked for a few particular weeks each year.
The buds are carefully hand picked in early spring and withered before the leaves are fully open when the buds are still covered by fine white hair.
The leaves undergo very little processing and no fermentation. The result is a delicate tea with higher concentrations of antioxidants and lower levels of caffeine than other teas and coffee.
Authentic white tea is only grown in the Fujian province of China.
Green tea undergoes minimal oxidation during processing. After picking, the leaves are subjected to a laborious process of drying to destroy the enzymes that cause oxidation. The leaves yield a pale jade liquor that is refreshingly smooth, sweet and delicate.
The tea is reputed to revive the body, aid digestion and lower blood pressure. It also has anti-cholesterol build up agents and anti-oxidants.
There are two stages in the production of Oolong tea - the harvesting and the drying.
The harvest can only take place in the morning of a clear day. Ideally the leaves should be picked in units consisting of one bud and three leaves that have been exposed to the sun.
The leaves are then dried to promote oxidation. The oxidation process is stopped when the leaves are 30% red and 70% green. After which the leaves are rubbed and dried to increase their flavour, aroma and texture.
This partial oxidation process results in a complex tea that retains the freshness of green tea infused with the maturity and roundness of black/red tea.
Oolong tea is known to retain its taste even after the 7th infusion. It is reputed for its cholesterol-busting and body-cleansing properties. It also aids digestion and increases the appetite, if drank during a meal.
The Chinese classify fully oxidised teas as red teas (hong cha) while fully oxidised, fermented and aged teas are black teas (hei cha). Confusingly, because of the black colour of the oxidised leaves, Europeans classify Chinese red teas as black teas.
To make red/black tea, the leaves are picked and withered for one to two days and then rolled to release the enzymes for oxidation. When the leaves are fully oxidized, they develop their characteristic deep flavour and colour.
Many factors contribute to the quality of tea. The main factors include:
We take the production of our teas very seriously and take pride in the fact that we only stock amazing teas of unsurpassed quality in each category.
When brewing tea, it is important to take the following into consideration:
Water quality is crucial. Ideally, fresh spring water with a low mineral content should be used. Unfortunately, this is not always available. A good alternative is to use filtered water. This is because water with high mineral concentrates may destroy the complex flavours and aromas of good teas.
The rule of thumb here is the greater amount of tea leaves, the shorter the steeping time. To begin, you may wish to follow our General Brewing Guidelines, but over time, you will develop your own brewing styles for each different tea based on your own preferences.
As very hot water can scald and ruin more delicate teas, it is important to brew your tea using water at the correct temperature.
As a guide, please brew
White, Green and Light Oolong at 70 - 80°C or 160 - 175°F,
Dark Oolong, Red and Black at 90 - 95°C or 190 - 205°F
If you do not have a thermometer,
For 80°C | when you hear the water bubbling in the kettle or when you see small bubbles clinging to bottom and sides of kettle, switch it off before it boils, or let the water cool down for about 2 minutes after boiling |
For 90 - 95°C | when you see small bubbles rising from the bottom of the kettle directly to water surface like a string of pearls, switch it off before it boils, or let the water cool down for about a minute after boiling. |
Generally, the hotter the water or the greater the amount of tea leaves, the shorter the steeping time. If the tea you make tastes bitter or unpleasant, reduce the steeping time and/or water temperature and/or the amount of tea leaves. Conversely, if the tea you make is tasteless or weak increase the amount of leaf and/or steeping time.
Try not to allow your tea leaves to steep for longer than the appropriate time as this may result in bitter and unpleasant over stewed tea.
To begin, you may wish to follow our General Brewing Guidelines, but over time, you will develop your own brewing styles for each different tea based on your own preferences.
Most tea masters would recommend glass and porcelain as the most versatile materials for brewing vessels. It is advisable not to brew tea in a metallic vessel as it may impart a metallic taste to the tea.
Please bear in mind that Asian teapots are much smaller than European teapots. Asian teapots usually contain enough tea for 1 serving in a European teacup, so adjust your tea quantities accordingly if you are using a larger teapot.
Scoop 1 tablespoon of buds into your teapot. Pour 1 cup of filtered water at 70 - 80°C or 160 - 175°F. Steep the tea for 1 to 2 minutes and then drain completely into the teacup. You may use the same tea leaves for at least 3 rounds.
Scoop 1 heaped teaspoon of leaves (about 3.5g) into your teapot. Pour 1 cup of filtered water at 70 - 80°C or 160 - 175°F. Steep the tea for 1 to 2 minutes and then drain completely into the teacup. You may use the same tea leaves for at least 4 rounds.
Scoop 1 level teaspoon of leaves into your teapot. Pour 1 cup filtered water at 90 - 95°C or 190 - 205°F. Steep the tea for 1.5 minutes and then drain completely into the teacup. You may use the same tea leaves for at least 7 rounds.
Scoop 1 level teaspoon of leaves into your teapot. Pour 1 cup filtered water at 90 - 95°C or 190 - 205°F. Steep the tea for 2 to 3 minutes and then drain completely into the teacup. You may use the same tea leaves for at least 3 rounds.
Pu-er tea, also a black tea, retains its taste for at least 6 infusions.
Scoop 1 tablespoon or 1 serving of the herbs into your teapot. Pour 1 cup of boiling filtered water over herbs. Steep the herbs for 2 minutes and then drain completely into the teacup. You may use the same herbs for at least 3 rounds.
To ensure the longevity of your tea, it is advisable to store it in a dark, cool and dry place in an airtight container.
All teas, with the exception of Pu-er teas, are produced for drinking immediately or at least very soon after purchase. But of course, tea as a commodity keeps well and tend not to spoil easily. However, they may lose their aroma and taste over time as they are exposed to light, heat and moisture.
As a rough guide, try not to keep
According to traditional Chinese Medicine, tea is associated with the following health benefits
Modern science confirms that tea indeed possesses many health properties including