Tea is the second most consumed drink in the world, only preceded by water. However, after years and years of evolving tea brewing techniques (originally in China more than 4,000 years ago) it seems like we still struggle to prepare the perfect cuppa. We have done some research to find the best tea tricks. And no, we are not going to talk about tea quantities or time of infusion. We know you probably have that figured out. Instead we will share some “grandmother” secrets that you should apply to go from an OK tea to a “Downton Abbey” worth one. We have put these tricks into practice and can tell you that they truly make a difference. No more bitterness, no more drinking cold tea, no more lack of taste. Here are the three secret tips to make the most of those delicious tea leaves you just bought at Numi Organic tea:
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Temperature: heat up your teapot & mug first
Many times you boil water in the kettle or a kitchen pot and add it directly to your teapot or mug, right? What you maybe don’t know is that water cools down very quickly that way, since the teapot is actually cold. The trick to maintain a good temperature is to pour a little bit of the boiling water to heat up the teapot and the mugs (you can use the same water), stir it and then let it go to your plants before making the tea.
Bonus tip: if you want to be a real pro, know that each tea has a specific brewing temperature. You can find a complete table with the appropriate temperature for each tea type here.
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Water: use the oxygen and minerals naturally present in fresh water in your favor
Water is one of the only two ingredients that make up a tea, so you should be aware that when you have bought the perfect tea leaves you are only halfway through being prepared to make it.
There is a lot of debate on which water is better to prepare tea: from alkaline to tap, passing through all the intermediate options (including some research talking about specific bottled water brands that are supposed to be more optimal for tea).
We have broken down the aspects of water that seem to influence more when it comes to making a Numi Organic tea, and here they are:
- Oxygen: Oxygen is good to bring the flavor out of the tea leaves. The key here is to not boil the water more than once in order to maintain a good level of dissolved oxygen in it.
- Minerals: Water naturally has minerals that enhance the tea’s flavor. If you use alkaline water, water that has been through osmosis or certain brands of bottled water with low mineralization, you are reducing the capacity of your tea leaves to bring the best of them out.
Contrary to a lot of articles that suggest the use of bottled water to make tea, tap water actually contains both these components naturally and is better for the environment. Some people complain about chlorine and limescale present in tap water as contributing negatively to the flavor of the tea and healthiness of the teapot. Luckily, this is easily solved with a GAC filter such as TAPP 1 that removes chlorine and 70+ contaminants while maintaining the natural minerals and levels of oxygen present in tap water.
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Recipient: know the material that matches your tea
Yes, we were really surprised by this. There is a perfect material for each type of tea. Generally, non-porous materials are a safer option for your regular tea since they do not interfere with its flavor and aromas. Porcelain has been a long loved favorite, but if you want to be 100% professional about it we recommend you to check out the table below:
* No plastics here, please. Table adapted from All Things Tea.
We hope this was helpful. Now you are all set to enjoy your Numi organic tea!
