Brewing tea - that's why it's so important to do it right!

Brewing is a crucial part of tea preparation - those who master it will be rewarded with a great taste experience!

First of all, it is important to know what is meant by 'brewing tea' - to understand the process and recognize which factors need to be considered to make the perfect cup of tea.

A little tip in advance: brewing tea is child's play with a BRU tea maker - individually adjustable & perfect every time!

 

A little alchemy of tea preparation

The brewing process begins, who would have thought it, with the mixing of tea leaves & water. Once the leaves are steeped, i.e. infused with the water, a physical process called "diffusion" begins. Essentially, the substances in the tea leaves move from an area of higher concentration (the leaves) to an area of lower concentration (water). The movement continues until equilibrium is reached or leaves & water are separated.

The hotter the water, the more it is enriched with energy and the faster or stronger the diffusion process.

 

Time is crucial

Above all, the right brewing time is crucial in order to optimally enrich the water with the various flavors from the tea - too short, too watery; too long, too bitter. The same applies to antioxidants, amino acids and caffeine, which make tea so healthy and invigorating!

The tricky thing is that the nutrients and flavors in tea are released into the water at different rates. The right balance must be found here - leaving tea to infuse for longer results in a nutrient-rich infusion, but can also make it too bitter to enjoy. This is especially true for "real" teas. Fruit and herbal teas can usually steep for a very long time without becoming as bitter as green tea, for example.

In order to achieve a perfect infusion, the optimum brewing times for each type of tea should be adhered to. You can simply use our specific time recommendations for this (or you can experiment yourself to see what tastes best to you ;)) :

Green tea: 2 - 3 minutes

White tea: 2 - 3 minutes

Black tea: 4 - 5 minutes

Oolong tea: 2 - 3 minutes

Herbal tea: 4 - 5 minutes

Yellow tea: 2 - 3 minutes

Pu-erh tea: 3 - 4 minutes

Rooibos: 2 - 3 minutes

 

Some like it hot

Some teas need hotter water than others due to their production processes. Black tea and herbal tea need the highest temperature to develop their full flavor, while fragrant and delicate white teas benefit from a cooler preparation.

It is important to set the water temperature correctly for each tea type. BRU gives specific temperature recommendations for each of our teas, but you can use the general temperature guide below, along with the times mentioned above:

• Green tea: 70 - 85 °C / 158 - 185 °F
• White tea: 70 - 80 °C / 158 - 176 °F
• Black tea: 90 - 100 °C / 194 - 212 °F
• Oolong tea: 70 - 80 °C / 158 - 176 °F
• Herbal tea: 85 - 100 °C / 185 - 212 °F
• Yellow tea: 70 - 85 °C / 158 - 185 °F
• Pu-erh tea: 85 - 100 °C / 185 - 212 °F
• Rooibos: 90 - 100 °C / 194 - 212 °F

Best of all, the BRU tea maker makes the brewing process super simple and efficient - set it once, save it, and brew the perfect cup of tea day after day!