TEA FROM A TO Z

What to buy, how to brew

By Niki Sullivan, The Tacoma News Tribune

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Unless you've been under a rock for the past decade, you probably know that tea has more than a few health benefits. But if you've relied on bagged teas for your fix, you may be convinced that all tea is bitter.

Thankfully, you're wrong. A cup of tea, prepared correctly, doesn't require a load of none-too-healthy sugar.

But therein lies the problem: A pile of leaves doesn't come with directions, and the number of tea gadgets on the market makes you want to run back to the bagged-tea aisle.

But don't do it. Open a box of tea bags and a bag of loose-leaf tea, take a whiff and you'll see why it's worth the effort to brew fresh. Loose-leaf tea smells fresh, while most commercial tea bags have a faint smell, if any. The same goes for flavor.

The reason, said Tobin Ropes, who owns Mad Hat Tea Co. in Tacoma, Wash., is that tea bags use a lower-grade leaf and contain only bits and pieces of the leaves. They also may be stored on the shelves for years - far too long for fresh-tasting tea, he said.

All true tea - not the herbal types - comes from one plant: Camellia sinensis. Leaves from the plant are harvested at different times and processed in slightly different ways to yield green, oolong, black and Pu-erh teas.

Herbal teas, also called tisanes, are made from any other type of dried plant. Let's leave them for another day.

Although all true tea comes from the same plant, there are hundreds of types of tea. The strong Assam teas from India, delicate jasmine green tea from China or Japan and the earthy cakes of black Pu-erh tea all call for different preparation methods. Steep too long and the tea will be bitter. Use water that's too hot and you might vaporize the flavors.

To get a good loose-leaf tea, you'll probably have to venture to a tea shop. But even there, quality may vary.

"Not all bulk loose-leaf teas are created equal," said Amanda Bevill, who owns World Spice Merchants in Seattle.

Smell and sample

Bevill recommends smelling the tea before you buy it. If the tea doesn't smell at all, it's not a good sign. (White tea will always have a subtle scent.)

Tea should be stored in a cool, dry place away from heat.

Smell a tea all you want, but you won't know if you like the flavor until you actually drink it. At many shops, you can get a cup of any tea prepared on site.

Buy small quantities - even just enough for one cup - of different types of tea to find which one suits you best. Once you've settled on a tea, buy enough for a couple of weeks. Buying frequently will ensure freshness.

Store the tea in airtight glass jars, either in the cupboard away from light or in colored glass. Metal containers also work, although stay away from aluminum and other reactive metals, which can affect the flavor of the tea.

The brewing process

A good cup of tea starts with the right water. If you have a water filter, use it.

When you're ready to make tea, don't bring the water to a boil - it'll basically vaporize the nuances.

Lighter teas require lower temperatures, whereas darker teas can withstand hotter water.

Use about 2 grams of tea per 6 ounces, or more for stronger tea. That translates to a pinch or two per cup.

And then comes the brewing vessel. Experts suggest a basket-type infuser or a French press pot. Give the water ample contact with the tea, so avoid the small teaspoons and balls that don't allow much water circulation.

Pour the water into the cup with the leaves, wait anywhere from one to five minutes, depending on the type of tea, and you're set.

Time and temp

Steep times and temperatures for different types of tea.

In general, use 1 teaspoon of tea per 6 ounces of water. For stronger tea, use more tea instead of steeping longer, which can make the tea bitter. Recommended steeping times follow, but experiment for yourself.

White teas: 160 to 180 degrees; steep three to six minutes.

Green teas from China: 175 to 180 degrees; steep two to three minutes.

Green teas from Japan: 160 to 170 degrees; steep one to two minutes.

Green oolong: 185 degrees; steep three minutes.

Amber oolong: 190 degrees; steep three minutes.

Black tea from China: 190 degrees; steep two to three minutes.

Darjeeling: 190 degrees; steep two to three minutes.

Assam: 200 degrees; steep three to five minutes.

Ceylon: 200 degrees; steep three to five minutes.

Pu-erh: 200 degrees; steep five minutes or more.

FTG . . . what? Tea is graded using a string of letters. OP, for example, stands for orange pekoe and represents the main grade of whole-leaf tea. The term orange doesn't mean it contains orange flavoring - it's a term used to describe the type of leaf. The highest-quality whole-leaf tea is FTGFOP, or finest tippy golden flowery orange pekoe.