I wanted to address the concept of light tea and strong tea because it is currently not a topic of discussion in the American tea market. Most people, as I like to say, brew their tea to death. The light/strong tea concept is also why many tea products on the market list a range for their brew time.
ex: “1-2 min for green tea”, “2-3 min for black tea” , “4-6 min for herbal tea”, etc.
The low time would be for a light tea and the high time would be for a strong tea, whereas a time in the middle produces a cup of tea that is just right. Here is a diagram of the basic concept behind steeping time and brew strength:
As you can see, the specific point of light and strong tea is different for different types of teas. A green tea requires 2 min to reach a strong brew while a black tea requires 3 min to reach a strong brew.
Now, what is interesting is that it is possible to return to light tea from strong as long as you have not crossed the strong over-brewed boarder. To return to a light tea, simply add hot water to the strong tea.
Often, during tea service in England (and other countries), two tea pots are used. One tea pot will contain strong tea and the other will contain hot water. The server will then ask if you would like strong tea or light tea and will use both kettles to create your desired strength of tea. The following diagram shows the general rule of thumb ratio for mixing strong tea + hot water.
So, I hope this sheds some light on how to brew a proper cup of tea
leave a question or comment below.
Brew tea, make friends,
