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Storing Tea
Air, light, heat, and moisture are the four
enemies of tea. It will lose its flavor and aroma quickly if not
stored properly. If you plan on using the tea you have purchased
within a week or two, investing in a quality container will keep most teas
fresh for up to a year. The best type of container is ceramic
canister with a rubber trimmed latch. These containers are airtight
when latched and will prevent any other odors from permeating your tea.
The ceramic canisters can be a little
pricey, so a good alternative would be a pry top tin. These are
usually double lidded and will protect your tea purchase. The tins
come in a variety of colors and designs to fit into most decors.
If stored in a proper container, black and
oolong teas should keep well over a year. Green tea however lose
their qualities faster and should be used within a six to twelve month
period.
Many
Keemun teas actually improve
with age.
Brewing
To brew a perfect cup of
tea just follow
these 4 simple steps.
1. Preheat the teapot by filling with hot
water. Be sure to pour the hot water out of the pot before adding the
tea leaves.
2. Add one teaspoon of tea leaves per cup.
You may need to add more depending on your personal taste.
3. If brewing black or oolong tea; bring
fresh, cold water to a roaring boil and pour it over the leaves. If
brewing white or green tea, use water that is just starting to steam,
since these tea leaves are more delicate than black leaves.
4. Infusion times: May need to be
adjusted according to taste
Black
tea: 3-5 minutes
Green tea: 2-3 minutes
White tea: 2-3 minutes
Oolong tea: 2-5 minutes
Fruit and Herb Blends: 5-7
minutes
If your cup of tea taste bitter or harsh it
may have been over brewed.
Brewing Iced Tea from loose
tea leaves
Iced tea is the number one way tea
is enjoyed in the United States. Brewing great iced tea from loose tea leaves is
simple when you follow these instructions.
1. Determine the amount of iced tea
that you will be making; for our example we will use a two quart (64oz) pitcher.
2. Fill the pitcher three-quarters
of the way with ice.
3. Use a brewing pot that is a
little more than half the size of the pitcher to make the tea concentrate. We
use a 47oz brewing pot for our 64oz pitcher. It is necessary to concentrate the
tea because we will be straining the tea into the pitcher with ice to dilute it
and cool it quickly.
4. Use one level teaspoon of tea for
every 8oz cup of the finished iced tea. We use 9 teaspoons in the brewing
pot follow the same brewing times listed above for the type of tea being brewed.
5. Strain the tea into the pitcher
with the ice to dilute.
If you use an herbal or fruit blend
you can cold brew in the refrigerator using a
Bodum
brewing pot. In this method the pitcher has a built-in infuser that you
would place 6 teaspoons of tea into and brew with cold water in the
refrigerator.
We recommend the following teas for
icing: (click on the teapot to go to the item)
 All
fruit blends are suitable for icing
Many flavored Black teas will ice
well - Choose based on your taste
Tarajulie estate Assam makes an excellent regular iced tea
Peach Green is one of the best green
teas to ice
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