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A
Note on Tea Steeping from D.
Grace Deane, Tea Master:
I
have been brewing tea for a very long time….and spent years preparing
and presenting the fine art of tea-making by featuring many exacting
techniques. They included varying formulas of water temperatures with
respective steeping times. To complicate further, these formulas had to be
constantly adjusted for accuracy for each type, variety and grade of tea.
Currently,
with these many years of experience, I present a streamlined and
simplified set of instructions to help you make beautifully-steeped
Byzanteaum tea… simply and quickly… allowing you to spend more time
enjoying your own cup of tea or those with your guests.
Water
Temperature
Byzanteaum
teas are unique in that they are blended with several different kinds of
tea, fruit and herbs. The best suited temperature of hot water for all of
the blended-teas is 195 degrees. If you have a heat measuring tea kettle,
simply keep it set at 195 degrees. If you have a stove-top kettle or pan,
heat the water one or two seconds before it rolls into a full boil.
Visually, this looks like pinhead-sized bubbles that begin to move quickly
from the bottom of the pan up to the surface into a gentle simmer. Never
allow the water to come to a full boil…and always start your brew by
adding fresh water to the kettle. Reheating previously heated kettle water
will result in a less-flavorful tea. Always use kitchen gloves and other
protective gear when heating and transferring hot liquids!
Steeping
Vessel
Steep
your teas in heat resistant glass teapots, carafes or covered pitchers.
Make sure you use only heat-resistant glass (aka borosilicate glass,
Pyrex, etc.). This type of vessel gives the tea room to expand during the
steeping process and results in the fullest, brightest flavor. You can use
the tea strainer included in some teapot models, or a roomy natural fiber
tea bag. My preference is to steep the tea loose in a covered carafe, then
strain it with a fine mesh strainer into a pre-warmed, elegant teapot or
mug.
Heat
resistant carafes and covered pitchers also withstand cold temperatures
well. Making a cold brew of your favorite Byzanteaum tea is easy. Place
fresh water in the vessel with tea, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Strain, and add ice prior to serving.
Steeping
Time
As
an Herbalist and a Tea Master, I have researched much on the benefits of
White, Green, Yellow and Black teas. The best health benefits are
available when the teas are in the earlier stages of steeping, up to 2
minutes. Though longer steeping can create a darker color and fuller body,
longer steeping can also result in bitterness as tannins become released.
Longer steeping can also flatten flavors and essences. Rooibos,
Herbal, Fruit teas and tisanes offer the most benefits with a longer
steeping time. They do not release tannins that cause bitterness and their
bright flavors will be maintained.
Our
recommendations are:
Steeping
Time - 2 minutes
for all Byzanteaum blends based in White, Green, Yellow and Black teas.
Steeping
Time - 2 to 4 minutes
for all Byzanteaum blends based in Rooibos, Herbs, Fruit teas and
tisanes.
Storage
of Tea
Byzanteaum
teas contain precious organic and natural ingredients. They are
small-batch blended and packaged in “green” biodegradable, unbleached
heat sealed zip-top bags (that can be resealed once initially opened).
Though the zip-top bags are convenient, the high quality and flavors of
our teas are best maintained and protected in airtight glass jars or
metal tea canisters. Once your Byzanteaum tea is home, open the bags and
pour them into glass jars or metal tea canisters. Stored this way, your
teas will be flavorful for months to come!
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