Ruining tea with ridiculous portions

I just want to post something maybe as a public service announcement.

In the West, I often saw tea aficionados using ridiculous amounts of tea leaves when preparing tea. These people usually insist that this is the proper way, usually because it is recommended by the tea vendor (who has everything to gain from selling more leaves). One of the results of this is that people often shun green tea as being bitter, after using too many leaves, steeping for way too long, and at far too high a temperature.

Mainland China is really no better, and may even be worse. I regularly see people with glass tea flasks half full of green tea leaves, leaving the actual tea liquor a cloudy dull shade of greenish brown. I can’t imagine exactly what they think this accomplishes, unless they are treating tea as a bitterly punishing form of traditional Chinese medicine.

Most recently, I was at a tea shop frequented by the new rich (tuhao), and tried what was (apparently) some pu’er tea from 1982 (unlikely that it actually was, but whatever). The tea was not washed at all, so dust, bacteria, etc., were all included in the infusion. The more disturbing thing, though, was the amount of this expensive tea and the carelessness in which it was prepared. The people making it had very little understanding of what the tea even was, much less even an approximate understanding of the quantity that should be used.

Maybe it’s a sign of the direction that China has gone in, but at least when making tea, finding the right BALANCE is important. It’s not just “more tea leaves = better”. Making tea well takes skill and discipline, and knowing when to stop is every bit as important as knowing to use enough.

For any readers here, I would recommend you experiment with loose tea at different amounts. Don’t just believe whatever some tea vendors or experts say. The only way you can develop tea skill for yourself is by learning to appreciate tea, and then playing with the amounts, temperatures, infusion methods, etc., and finding how you can prepare tea in different ways and play with it to make it more this, more that, less this, less that…

Above all, don’t make bitter, awful, chalky green tea. If you are going to drink green tea, take the extra time to learn how to make it well, so it actually tastes good. When in doubt, use fewer leaves, and make a light and fresh tea. If it’s not strong enough for you, add some more leaves next time. Play with the temperatures too, but be careful not to go too hot.

Good luck!

• This topic was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by pancakes.