Tea Nerds

  Understanding Tea Types By Lindsey Goodwin Updated 08/16/19 There are thousands of types of tea in the world. In the West, teas were traditionally classified as green tea, black tea, and oolong tea. More recently, white tea and pu-erh tea have been added to the list of common Western tea classifications. Other tea types include yellow tea, scented/flavored tea, and blended tea. Each of these tea types has processing methods, aromas, and flavors that set it apart from the rest. Here's what makes each tea type unique. Black Tea Black tea is the most common type of tea in the Western world. It is noted for its full, bold flavor and its ability to pair well with many Western foods, particularly sweets and creamy foods. For this reason, many popular teas for afternoon tea are black teas. Black tea's processing is different from other types in that it is fully (or almost fully) oxidized. Oxidation is the same natural process that occurs when you muddle herbs and allow the...

  How To Brew Green Tea In your teapot, or filter, add 1 teaspoon of loose tea for each cup of tea you're brewing. Pour fresh water over the tea or tea bag. This super-saturates the tea, allowing the perfect extraction of the flavor. The water temperature should be 160°F - 180°F, well under the boiling point. If you don't have an electric kettle or thermometer handy, an easy rule is 1/4 room temp water to 3/4 boiling water. Let the tea steep for 1-3 minutes. Use a brew-in infuser in order to remove the tea leaves immediately, which eliminates any opportunity to accidentally over-steep. Pour the freshly brewed tea into your selected cup. Green Tea Brewing Temperature Green teas vary on their optimal brewing temperature based on their origin. Japanese green tea leaves are the most delicate and taste best when brewed at 160° F. Chinese green tea leaves can take a little more heat at 175° F. If you bring your water to the boiling point, you will scorch the tea, ruining the...

     Is this tea beautiful or what??? I've been intrigued by Bird and Blend Teas from the UK for nearly a year now and this is one of their Autumn collection teas called Campfires & Vampires. Sencha, cinnamon, rose petals, red peppercorns, and flavoring... It's based on a legend and I think I need a 50 gram bag of this. Their Violet Creme and Jasmine Poached Pear teas are also flavors that I need before they're out of stock for the year.    I'm in the US, so it's not as easy to just order some tea... it takes planning to make the best use of my shipping fee!     https://www.birdandblendtea.com/products/campfires-vampires-tea?variant=37506704113825