Tea Brewing – Types of Tea

Tea Brewing

Don’t just toss a tea bag in your cup and hope for the best. A little bit of knowledge can ensure a superb cup of tea.If your idea of a good cup of tea starts with plain tea bags from the grocery store, you are likely missing out on truly superior tea. There are some excellent bagged teas out there, made up of whole tea leaves. Quality tea merchants often carry bags as well as loose.

Types of Tea 

Tea is a big part of the culture around the world, and there are so many beautiful ceremonies and rituals that involve tea. Even coffee has become part of many cultures.
Even though it all comes from the same plant, there are more types of tea out there then you can shake a stick at.

The main difference between loose teas and bagged teas is the size of the leaves. That’s what effects the resulting cup of tea. Tea leaves contain chemicals and essential oils, which are the basis for the delightful flavor of tea. When the tea leaves are broken up, those oils can evaporate, leaving a dull and tasteless tea. Typical tea bags are filled with the tiniest pieces of broken leaves, called fannings. Loose teas are typically whole leaves or at least large pieces of leaves.
On top of the leaf size, there is also the space factor. Tea leaves need space to swell, expand and unfurl. Good water circulation around the leaves is important, which doesn’t typically happen in a cramped little tea bag.
Even if you prefer a simple cup of black Keemun, or Assam, try getting your tea loose instead of in bags. If you enjoy a change now and again, you can get a wide variety of teas in bags, but there are many more to choose from if you shop for loose tea.

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