Start your day off properly with a steaming cup of black tea, or keep your energy levels up with an iced blend. When you properly prepare black tea, you can savor its powerful, full-bodied flavors. While there is no one-size-fits-all method for brewing tea, there are a few temperature and quality criteria that will ensure your success. Continue reading to learn how to brew black tea every time.
What is black tea?
The leaves of the Camellia sinensis bush are used to make black tea. Besides, caffeine, as well as other stimulants and antioxidants, are present. Many individuals in the United States drink it hot or cold. Before cooling, it should always be steeped in hot water.
The leaves transform from green to dark brownish-black color as a result of a process known as oxidation. In addition to, the leaves are oxidized when they are exposed to moist, oxygen-rich air.
The maker can control the quantity of oxidation in tea. Besides, a totally oxidized tea is black tea. Green tea is made from the same plant as black tea, but it hasnโt been oxidized.
As a herbal supplement, black tea extract is sometimes sold. Other herbs, vitamins, or minerals may be included in the supplement.
How to brew black tea
1.Firstly, the first step is to bring the water to a boil. Fill a kettle halfway with water and bring to a rolling boil. The temperature should be between 200 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Tip: Try to use fresh, spring, or filtered water whenever possible, as it wonโt make the taste bitter, but will make it even better.
2. The next step is to weigh the black tea leaves. You can weigh 2-3 grams of black tea leaves using a kitchen scale. If you donโt have a scale, one rounded teaspoon of black tea leaves would suffice.
3. After that, youโll need to put the leaves in a teapot or a cup. You can either add the black tea leaves directly in the teapot or cup or use an infuser instead.
4.When brewing black tea, the next step is to pour boiling water over the tea leaves.
5. Next, keep the cup or teapot warm by covering it. To keep the heat in a cup or teapot, simply cover it with a lid.
6. The next step is to steep the tea. Set the timer for three to five minutes while steeping. You can try it every 30 seconds after steeping black tea for three minutes. You can keep experimenting until the tea is just right for you.
7. Removing tea: Remove the tea leaves immediately after brewing black tea. And there are two ways to accomplish this. Alternatively, remove the infuser and drain the black tea through a strainer.
8. Later, sweeten to taste using optional sweeteners. Finally, you can add various additives to make the tea sweeter and more enjoyable. Sugar, sliced lemon, milk, and honey are all excellent choices. Tip: If you combine milk and honey at the same moment, the milk may ball up.
Black tea has the advantage that you can re-steep it several times. If you want to do that, steep the tea 2-3 times, increasing the steeping duration each time. As you can see, itโs simple and quick, and after youโve brewed black tea and tasted the great flavor, youโll want to do it again right away.
8 tips to brew black tea
1.Warm up the teapot.
The teapot must be preheated before the right flavor can be achieved. Additionally, the water temperature will remain high throughout the brewing process if you use a preheated teapot. Furthermore, it will bring out all of the fragrances in dry tea leaves, allowing you to completely appreciate your cup with all of your senses.
2. Never use hot water.
Bring new water to a boil, but first let it cool for a few seconds. Itโs fine to make black tea with colder water, so play about with the temperature to get your ideal flavor.
3. Reduce the number of leaves you use.
One teaspoon of black tea will nearly always suffice, especially when brewed in the western method.
4. For extra caffeine, use little broken leaves.
Caffeine is released more quickly in tea with broken leaves. People usually use small broken leaf grade tea in most morning and waking blends.
5. Clean the teaware as soon as possible.
The tannins in black tea will stain your teaware, so clean it right away after each use. You should not clean teaware by dishwashers.
6. Use glazed teapots at all times.
Choose the glazed teapot if you canโt afford one for each type of tea. Teapots that havenโt been glazed will absorb the flavor of prior loose leaf teas, especially strong black teas or flavored teas.
7. Never put milk or sugar in the teapot immediately.
First, strain the leaves.
8. For iced tea, twice the amount of leaves.
Use more leaves for black iced tea than for a standard cup of hot tea. Otherwise, flavor will be easily lost.
Health benefits of drinking black tea
In many cultures, black tea is revered for its health advantages. Black tea may aid in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, weight loss, and immunological health. The high quantity of antioxidant polyphenols and tea catechins naturally present in tea plant leaves is largely responsible for these health advantages. Caffeine levels in black tea range from 40 to 60 mg.