planetarystudy:

because i’m a huge tea nerd, i made a tea brewing master list. enjoy.

BLACK TEA   [ more oxidized than other types, which is what makes black tea taste stronger ]

• Temperature: Black teas won’t brew if the temperature is below 90°C (194°F). Black tea varieties brew best near the boiling point.
• Brew time: 4 minutes. Leave the tea bag / leaves in longer for a stronger flavour.

GREEN TEA   [ often dubbed the ‘healthiest tea’ when really there is no clinical evidence of health benefits (doesn’t mean there aren’t any) ]

• Temperature: 80-85°C (176 to 185°F). The hotter the tea, the more bitter it will taste.
• Brew time: can vary. Usually, 30 seconds – 3 minutes will do just fine, but you can brew longer for a stronger taste.

OOLONG TEA   [ most similar to black tea; requires similar manual production and it comes from the same plant – camellia sinensis ]

• Temperature: 82 to 96°C (185 to 205°F). if the water is too hot, you will scorch the tea leave, which can result in a bitter, unpleasant taste.
• Brew time: 5-7 minutes. you can actually reuse the leaves without the flavour weakening too much (unlike other varieties, such as green tea) 

YELLOW TEA   [ the rarest variety due to complex manual production + low demand ]

• Temperature: 75-80°C (167-176°F).
• Brew time: 3-4 minutes. Leave a lid over the tea cup while brewing

WHITE TEA   [ a delicate lad; white tea is not rolled or oxidized, which gives it a ‘lighter’ taste ]

• Temperature: 82 to 96°C (185 to 205°F). Same as oolong !! if the water is too hot, you will scorch the tea leave, which can result in a bitter, unpleasant taste.
• Brew time: 3-4 minutes. Like any other variety, you can brew as long as you want depending on personal taste. 

HERBAL TEA   [ often not considered a real tea because it doesn’t come from an actual ‘tea plant’ ]

• Temperature: nice and hot. Brew at the boiling point for best results.
• Brew time: about 6 minutes. But since there are so many varieties of herbal tea, it’s hard to give an exact time. Really, just brew to taste (but 6 minutes is a good minimum time for most varieties)

BREWING TIPS

• The larger and more delicate the tea leaves are, the lower you want the temperature to be. This goes for all tea varieties (varie-teas, if you will)
• Pour the water over the tea bag / leaves. Don’t dunk the tea bag (it actually can change the flavour – see the next bullet point)
• Pouring height: the height you pour the water from can actually change the flavor (wild right) !! it aerates the tea and creates more oxidation. The higher the pour, the more aeration. Plus it’s more fun to pour from really high.
• If you brew a pot full, it’s best to warm the pot before hand to prevent sudden cooling of the tea. If you’re just drinking one cup, this is probably unnecessary (but i mean, it’s your tea. do what you want).
• Microwave your tea water. Who cares. It’s harder to gauge the temperature when you microwave it, but honestly, it’s fine.