Anyone know the optimal temperature/time to steep the tea leaves for the various kinds of tea, like green, rooibos, oolong, black, et cetera?
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
Can vary considerably by blend. Few ways to get truly OPTIMAL time, but ... try going to a dedicated teahouse (Tealuxe in Boston, for instance) and try out a tea there, get their steeping time for that particular blend, then buy the blend.
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
I prefer cold steeping...I like to just leave the bag(s) in room temperature water for several hours.
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
Below one kilometre (~3300feet) above sea level, just below boiling hot; ie when the kettle starts becoming noisy at sifflement, "The resulting noise just before full boiling sets in is a familiar one to serious tea-drinkers, once known as the 'singing' of the kettle."
Above one kilometre, boiling point...though you might not be able to brew a really good cuppa above one mile.
[ April 29, 2010, 10:18 PM: Message edited by: aspectre ]
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
Green tea cannot be steeped for too long. That is why it tends to be kind of bitter when I make it. Because I let my earl grey tea brew for longer than the recommended 6 minutes.
Posted by The White Whale (Member # 6594) on :
Green tea suffers from steeping for too long (really 1 - 2 minutes, tops) and from water that's too hot. I pour the water when little bubbles just start to form on the bottom. I think that's around 170 - 180 F.