Tea has long been widely recognized as a medium for spreading culture and promoting health. Today, with the proliferation of tea varieties, different teas offer distinct benefits. Some individuals seek to harness tea's medicinal properties for health maintenance or disease treatment, yet often find the results less than ideal. Experts caution that this is frequently due to incorrect brewing and consumption methods. So, what are the key principles of brewing tea?
Green Tea: Brew Fresh, Drink Fresh
Green tea should be brewed fresh and consumed immediately.Green tea's health benefits—including antioxidant properties, free radical scavenging, anti-aging effects, and antiviral activity—primarily stem from its polyphenols. If brewed at excessively high temperatures or for too long, these polyphenols break down. The tea liquor turns yellowish, and its aromatic compounds evaporate. Generally, brew green tea at 80°C (176°F), using water just off the boil.Steeping time should be 2–3 minutes, ideally consumed immediately after brewing. Maintain an appropriate tea-to-water ratio of 1:50; commonly, 3 grams of tea leaves steeped in 150 milliliters of water yields a moderately concentrated brew. Steeping methods for yellow tea and white tea are similar.For oolong tea, boiling water is also recommended. Use a larger quantity of tea leaves, typically around 10 grams, filling about half the capacity of a purple clay teapot. Oolong tea can be steeped 5–6 times, with steeping times gradually increasing from 2–5 minutes.
Black tea: Focus on rinsing
Black tea: Focus on rinsing. Represented by Pu'er tea, black tea belongs to the post-fermented category, made from coarser, older leaves. Its defining characteristic is "the older, the more fragrant," requiring vigorous boiling water infusion to fully extract its components. Loose-leaf tea releases flavor easily, while compressed brick tea requires boiling.For the first infusion of dark tea, perform a quick 10-second rinse: place leaves in the cup, pour boiling water over them, drain after a moment, then refill with boiling water and cover the cup. This removes impurities while enhancing aroma and richness. Subsequent infusions typically steep for 5 minutes.
Black Tea: Longer Steeping Enhances Health Benefits
Black tea benefits from longer steeping.Unlike green tea, high water temperatures actually enhance the extraction of flavonoids and other health-promoting compounds in black tea. This not only intensifies its flavor and aroma but also maximizes its health benefits. Therefore, black tea is best brewed with boiling water and steeped longer—typically 5 minutes is optimal. The amount of water used for brewing black tea is comparable to that for green tea. Kung Fu red strip tea can be brewed 3–4 times, while broken black tea can be brewed 1–2 times.
As evident from the above, different tea varieties require distinct brewing methods. To promote health through tea consumption, selecting the right tea is essential, but proper brewing technique is equally crucial. Only with correct brewing can tea's health benefits be fully realized.