Brewing

From my friends at Teavana, I have learned that tea is best prepared at a temperature between 175 and 195 degrees Farenheit, and that the optimal temperature depends upon the kind of tea being brewed. The amount of time that the tea is allowed to seep varies from tea to tea. A good tea seller will provide recommendations with the tea, and they should be followed initially, perhaps later to be adjusted to individual taste.

For green teas (meaning teas that have not been fermented), it is important not to over-brew the tea. I have seen recommended seeping times as short as 30 seconds, compared to 3 to 5 minutes for oolong, white, or black teas.

Tasting Vocubulary

Thanks to my friend Marilee for doing some research on tea vocabulary. As with wine or coffee (or any other fermented beverage, I suppose), a peculiar vocabulary has emerged among professional tasters (and other devoted afficionados). Some sites that describe the terminology for tea are:

• Tea Tasting Terms from DarjeelingTea.net
• Tasting Tea from Teosophy's section on tea education
• Tea Tasting Terminology from The Book of Tea by Anthony Burgess, hosted on Forbes & Walker web site
• Tasting Terms from Might Leaf Tea lists some of the same terms, but the site offers some bonus information, such as food pairings!
  

See more at my main tea page, and come back often. As of early 2010, I am just beginning my tea research.