Brewing Tea
HOME BREWING INSTRUCTIONS FOR TRUE TEA
(Camellia sinensis)
REFRESHING ICED TEA:
For small quantities, proceed as for hot tea and pour over ice. For large quantities, prepare concentrate as follows:
Bring one quart of cold water to a rolling boil (212°F). Remove from heat and add 8-10 teabags per quart of brewed tea as desired. Steep 3-5 minutes and pour over remaining cold water or ice cubes. To serve, pour into tall glasses filled with ice, garnish or sweeten as desired.
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FOR SOOTHING HOT TEA:
The Four Golden Rules for a delicious cup of hot tea: (1) use a teapot, (2) bring fresh, cold tap water to a full boil (212°F) (Note: If your water is heavily chlorinated or contains other objectionable odors, filter before boiling for best tasting tea); (3) use one teaspoon or one tea bag per cup; (4) pour boiling water over tea and brew by the clock 3 to 5 minutes and serve!
For the best flavor, preheat the teapot with a little hot water prior to use and cover your teapot with a cozy to retain heat during the brewing process.
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SPECIAL GUIDELINES FOR GREEN TEA:
When water comes to a boil, remove from the source of heat and allow to sit for ten minutes. Pour this hot water (165° - 185° F) over the Green Tea and allow to brew for approximately one minute and serve. (Note: The brewing times may be shortened or lengthened according to your taste)
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SPECIAL GUIDELINES FOR ‘BIG’ OOLONGS & WHITE TEAS:
The best thing to say when dealing with any tea is – the larger and more delicate looking the leaf, the lower the water temperature. Usually, you will want to use between 180-190 degree water for big oolongs and white teas. Black teas need much hotter water for proper extraction. Boiling water will scorch a bold leaf like white tea.
Time is a little different since oolongs will need to steep a bit longer than white tea – oolongs 5-7 minutes, white tea 3-4 minutes. Of course, all of this may be modified according to your own personal taste. These instructions are only to be used as a starting point.
Everyone should adjust time, temperature and amount of tea up or down until they find their perfect pot.
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SUN TEA / COLD BREW INSTRUCTIONS
Sun Tea and Cold Brew are not preferred brewing methods, nor are they recommended by the Tea Association of the USA, Inc. as an acceptable means of making iced tea for either the foodservice industry or by individual consumers.
Tea, being an agricultural crop, is subject to contamination by bacteria, as is virtually every other food or beverage item that is consumed. While careful attention is exercised during the processing of the tea leaves, there is always the risk of post-production contamination. While this is of little concern if tea is prepared following the guidelines of the Tea Association and virtually all tea packers, i.e., using boiling water and steeping for 3 to 5 minutes, it is of potential concern if Sun Tea or Cold Brew methods are used for the following reasons:
• The use of boiling water or water close to boiling (anything above 150°F) provides a “kill-step”, eliminating any bacteria that may be present.
• The temperature of the water used for steeping sun tea generally is insufficient to kill off any
bacteria that may be present. Cold Brew temperatures will not impede bacterial growth.
• Containers used in preparing Sun Tea may be dirty or become contaminated during the long
exposure in the sun and ambient air; further, the preparer’s hand may not be sufficiently clean.
• The conditions typically present by leaving water in the sun are ideal for the growth of bacteria (low temperatures and long periods of time).
• In order to maximize the taste of the tea and to realize all of the healthful properties of tea,
water used for steeping tea should be close to the boiling point and steeping time, ideally
between 3 and 5 minutes for black tea.
While Sun Tea and Cold Brew are becoming more popular ways to prepare tea, especially by children, the Tea Association does not endorse it as an acceptable way to steep tea.
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Founded in 1899, the Tea Association of the USA, Inc. was formed to promote and protect the interests of the tea trade in the United States and is the recognized independent authority on Tea.
October 2024