Many people have stated that they do not like the taste of the tea, but perhaps this is because it is not prepared as it should be. In addition, both cafeterias, restaurants and people at home, to save time, all teas are prepared in the same way. However, to prepare it you have to respect some details, which is why in this post we will show you how the perfect cup of tea would be.
In the preparation of the perfect cup of tea it is necessary to take into account five important things. It will not require you to have advanced studies, but if you respect these basic points, it will be your best personalized cup of tea.
The water for a perfect cup of tea
There is no perfect water or exact amount, but obviously if it tastes strange, it will surely affect your measured cup of tea. In this sense, we can say that water is good when it has a mineral content of 150 ppm, and to give you an idea of what it is, in the main cities of Spain very hard water has around 900 ppm.
To correct this problem, various tea shops use a filtration system reverse osmosis; with a calcium carbonate cartridge that provides the necessary amount of minerals to the water. Since this method is expensive, people buy it in the supermarket and look at the label to find out the mineral content. Also, they choose to use a water jug with a carbon filter so that the extra minerals are eliminated.
When the water is too hard it extracts the astringency of the tea, and if it is too soft it does not extract enough polyphenols to give it astringency. By virtue of this, it is best to use fresh water, because when it boils, oxygen is released. When it is re-boiled you do not get a perfect cup of tea .
amount of tea to use
If you use a lot of tea, the taste will be bitter, otherwise your cup of tea will be weak in flavor. In this sense, what is recommended is, for most teas, a teaspoon of tea (the equivalent of 2 grams) for every 200 ml, which is what a measured cup of tea contains .
For example, organic teas, such as white tea or some types of Oolong, require two or more teaspoons to cover 200 grams. In addition, broken teas or the “Gunpowder” type are likely to require less quantity, less than a teaspoon to reach 2 grams.
The temperature of the tea cup
The proper temperature for a cup of tea will depend on the type of tea. For example, for black teas, dark Oolongs and herbal infusions, boiling water at a temperature of 120°C should be used. These types of teas need heat shock for the leaves to break down and release the flavor and antioxidants of the tea.
However, for more delicate teas (green tea, oolong teas, white and green teas) the water should be colder. If the water in these types of tea is too hot it will be very delicate to the taste and bitter or astringent in taste. On the other hand, if the water is very cold, the taste of the tea will be very weak.
To get the right temperature, if you don’t have a thermometer to measure it, base yourself on the following: once the water has boiled, let it cool for about 5 minutes. During this time the temperature will have dropped by around 90°C.
Tea cup infusion time
The rule of thumb for steeping tea is 3-5 minutes for black teas, depending on how you prefer it. However, if you leave it for longer, it will taste too bitter and astringent.
Teacup with saucer, such as dark and white oolong are more forgiving; their flavors are better when they rest between 3 to 5 minutes. Although they taste better if they are left a little longer. On the other hand, in the case of green tea and clear oolong, it should be left to steep for 2 to 3 minutes.
Once prepared, you can take your hot or cold tea Well, this is a matter of taste.
Accessories that the tea should bring
The accessories that are used in the preparation of tea are also important. By adding hot water to the tea leaves, they increase in size up to 5 times. In this sense, it is important that they have enough space to expand. If you use a tea cup with a filter or a tea cup with a filter and lid, it needs to be as wide and deep as possible.