Technical
   


STORAGE AND PREPARATION.

STORAGE Tea should be stored in an airtight container, without exposure to light. Dry tea leaves absorb moisture, smells, and tastes easily, so spices, perfumes and even other strong smelling teas should be kept separately. Storing tea in the fridge is unnecessary and may result in unwanted condensation. Teas lose their flavour fairly rapidly and should, ideally, be infused within a year of production.

 

   

TEAPOT

A teapot should pour well and give an even infusion. A strainer at the entrance to the spout reduces blockage and allows the tea to infuse freely.

Ceramic pots have good heat retention and, kept clean, will never taint the liquor. Metal pots draw essential heat off the liquor and often leave a mild taste.

Standard Chinese pots are highly recommended. They are inexpensive and the products of a long history of loose leaf brewing. Teapots should be kept clean to avoid the bitterness of tannin residue. Soaps and cleaning fluids should be avoided. Regular rinsing with boiling water will suffice.

In order to explore the intricate taste of fine Darjeelings, the same pot should never be used for perfumed teas such as Earl Grey, herbal infusions, or even other teas of very pronounced flavour such as Lapsang Souchong. Warming the pot, aside from its ceremonial aspect, can improve heat retention -especially in a cold room. Tea cosies are even more efficient.

TEA LEAVES Tea leaves vary greatly in size and weight. Standard measurements need adapting to the tea type and the drinker's tastes. Attention should be given to the quantity of leaves used in each pot so that adjustments can be made accurately. One level teaspoon per cup is a rough guide. One extra teaspoon for the pot is overdoing it. For fine Darjeelings a light dosage is often a more efficient way of bringing out the delicate flavours. In the tasting lab, 2.5g per cup is the standard.

WATER

The ideal source of water for tea is probably a pure mountain spring. Short of this, tap water is fine. Passed through a charcoal filter it is even better. Bottled spring water provides an interesting alternative. Still, overboiled or reboiled water also lacks the carbon dioxide that reacts in the water to form carbonic acid giving the slight acidity necessary for the successful brewing of tea. Starting with cold tap water is preferable as hot water has probably been sat in the hot water tank for an extended period of time.

The water should be boiled fast and then quickly removed from the stove. For black teas a temperature of 95 degrees celcius is recommended, for oolongs and regular green teas 90 degrees celcius. For a fine Darjeeling tea just less than 95 degrees will allow the brew to retain a little more of its aromatic qualities. A short pause after the kettle has boiled will let the water cool just enough to make the difference.

 

  Standard Chinese Tea Pots
   

INFUSION

So as to release all their flavour during infusion, tea leaves should be left as free as possible in the pot. Any straining of water from the leaf should be left until infusion is complete. This can be done either during the transfer from pot to cup or from one pot to another.

A tea will release most of its stimulants within the first 3 minutes of infusion.

At around 5 minutes the flavour will peak and depending on the tea, will start to become bitter. There are two schools of thought at this point. One method is to separate the leaves from the liquor with a strainer into a separate pre-heated pot. This enables the drinker to capture and enjoy the moment as the flavour peaks.

The second method is to enjoy the different layers of the infusion, as the level moves towards the leaves in the bottom of the pot. As in the drinking of fine Chinese teas, each cup has a different character. With more than two drinkers this method requires small cups. Some Darjeelings remain paletable and interesting long after 5 minutes.

PROCEDURE

  • Run the tap a while and fill the kettle.
  • Bring the water to a rapid boil. Remove from the heat as it starts to bubble.
  • Pause 30 seconds.
  • Pour onto measured quantity of dry leaves in a well-rinsed pot.
  • Allow 3 to 5 minutes for infusion.

Milk and sugar can distract from the subtleties of a good Darjeeling but are traditional additions to "a good cup of tea". If necessary, a light cloud of milk and a little rock sugar are recommended.

  Infusion