Let's spill the tea about tea!
Tea has a long history in our world and we want to walk you through a small portion of it.
According to the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project, tea was invented accidentally by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nong in 2737 B.C. Emperor Shen Nong was a scholar and herbalist as well as a creative scientist and patron of the arts. The emperor believed that drinking boiled water contributed to good health. On one summer day while he was visiting a distant region, he and his entourage stopped to rest. The servants began to boil water for the skilled ruler and his subjects to drink. Dried leaves from a nearby camellia bush fell into the boiling water. The emperor was interested in the new liquid because it had a pleasing aroma, so he drank the infusion and discovered that it was very refreshing and had a delightful flavor. He declared that tea gives vigor to the body; thus that was when tea was invented, but it was considered as a medicinal beverage. It was around 300 A.D., when tea became a daily drink.
Tea Knowledge
Did you know that all tea types come from the same plant? The processing method is what yields the tea type and some methods are kept very secret and only passed down from family to family. Depending on the harvest time throughout the growing season there can be an array of teas produced that all have different leaf shapes, colors, flavors, and aroma's.
White Tea
White tea has a two-steps of harvesting and drying making it the simplest of the tea types. This tea type has a more delicate and slightly sweet flavor profile and has retains a higher concentration of antioxidants due to the simplistic processing of the tea plant.
Green Tea
Green tea has a longer processing time than white and undergoes a firing or steaming process which stops any enzyme action or oxidation of the leaves. This tea also contains antioxidants and is a good source of caffeine. It typically has a grassy or vegetal flavor.
Yellow Tea
Yellow tea is a rare type of Chinese tea, very similar to green tea. This tea goes through a more controlled processing to slow oxidation down which gives the tea a very unique golden-yellow color. This tea is also a good source of antioxidants and has a floral slightly sweet flavor with notes of grass or minerals.
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea has a more in-depth process and each farm has their own methods for making this type of tea. This tea's leaves are bruised using different methods and then partially oxidized. Timing is everything with this tea! This tea can have a wide range of flavor notes from light and floral to rich and roasted depending on how it was processed.
Black Tea
Black tea goes through a long process after harvesting and then the leaf is rolled and compressed to allow full oxidization of the leaf which brings out it's natural flavors. This oxidation process gives black tea it's dark color and hearty taste. This tea is a good source of caffeine and varies in flavor notes from malty, delicate, to a slightly astringent taste.
Dark (Pu-erh) Tea
Pu-erh tea, also known as "dark tea" is a type of fermented tea traditionally produced in the Province of China. This tea undergoes a fermentation process after the leaves have been dried and rolled. This tea has very distinct flavor notes from earthy and mellow to woodsy and has an amber color.
How much Caffeine is actually in tea?
This topic has been widely debated but one thing is clear, there is less caffeine in tea than coffee, but how much is the confusing part. Caffeine occurs naturally in several plants, including tea plants, Camellia sinensis. Because of this the plant that is used to steep black, oolong, green, and white teas all contain some amount of caffeine.
Tea is very unique compared to other sources of caffeine because it contains L-theanine, an amino acid that produces a 'calming effect.' While not fully proven, the caffeine in tea is thought to absorb more slowly in the body compared to caffeine from coffee. This could be a reason why many tea drinkers receive a more calm and steady energy from drinking tea as apposed to the jitters you can receive from coffee caffeine.
Most herbal teas like chamomile or peppermint teas are naturally caffeine-free. There are also some decaffeinated teas and while they are NOT naturally caffeine-free the caffeine is removed by special processes. Although not ALL the caffeine can be removed by these special processes, it does reduce the amount significantly (approximately 2-4 milligrams per cup).
How to brew the perfect cup of hot tea at home
White Teas
Water temperature: ≤ 170˚
Quantity: 8oz cup = 1 1/2 - 2 tsp
Steep time: 1-3 minutes
Green Teas
Water Temperature: ≤ 180˚
Quantity: 8oz cup = 1 - 1 1/2 tsp
Steep time: 1-3 minutes
Yellow Teas
Water Temperature:
Quantity:
Steep time:
Oolong Teas
Water Temperature: ≤ 190˚
Quantity: 8oz cup = 1 - 1 1/2 tsp
Steep time: 1-3 minutes
Black Teas and Dark Teas
Water Temperature: Bring to boil
Quantity: 8oz cup = 1 - 1/2 tsp
Steep time: 2-5 minutes
Herbal Teas (non Camellia sinensis teas)
Water temperature: Bring to boil
Quantity: 8oz cup = 1 - 1 1/2 tsp
Steep time: 2-20 minutes
Want to brew it iced?
01
Pick your desired Tea
02
Measure 1 tsp for every 8oz
03
Measure half the amount of water to create a concentrate. Brew based off your selected tea type and then add the tea concentrate to your remaining water!
(concentrate example:
32oz pitcher = 4oz tsp of tea + 16 oz of hot water)