What is the difference between boiling tea and making tea

Drinking tea is a Chinese tradition since ancient times. In ancient times, people were more fond of boiling tea, but it was rather troublesome. Brewing tea became popular after the Song Dynasty, and the tea we drink nowadays is usually brewed. The taste and color of boiled tea and brewed tea are different. When brewing tea, you can feel the different changes in taste between each brew, while the taste of boiled tea is relatively stable. Whether to boil or brew tea is different for different types of tea.

Which teas are suitable for brewing or brewing?

1. Green tea: suitable for brewing, not boiling or stewing

Too high a water temperature for green tea will make the green buds and tea soup darker, reduce its freshness and make it taste bitter. The water temperature for brewing green tea is generally between 80-90℃. Use a glass cup or covered bowl. It is not suitable for steeping or boiling. If you use the method of boiling tea, the ingredients will be destroyed directly and the efficacy will be greatly reduced.

2. Oolong tea: New tea is better for brewing, while old tea is better for boiling

Oolong tea has the charm of black tea and the freshness of green tea, with rich floral and fruity aroma and the unique feature of "green leaves with red edges". Oolong tea is best brewed with purple clay tea sets, which can absorb the excessive heat of the tea leaves themselves and soften the fierceness of the tea. It is best enjoyed with an elegant tea cup.

New oolong tea is generally not boiled. Pouring it quickly can better stimulate its fragrance and sweetness. Boiling tea can easily produce a cooked smell. New tea and lightly roasted oolong tea should not be boiled.

Old oolong teas like aged Tieguanyin and aged rock tea can be boiled and drunk after being brewed several times, and the boiling time can be gradually extended.

3. Black tea: suitable for brewing tea and drinking

Black tea is the most popular tea in the world and is a fully fermented tea. It is made from the buds and leaves of tea trees, and is refined through typical process including withering, rolling (cutting), fermentation, and drying. Because the color of its dry tea and brewed tea soup is mainly red, it is called black tea.

It is generally not suitable to use boiling water to brew black tea, as it can easily make it sour and astringent and cover up the original sweetness of the tea. Therefore, it is not suitable to boil black tea for drinking alone.

The difference between the amount of tea leaves to be boiled and brewed

Generally, 3 to 6 grams of tea leaves are enough for making tea. For black tea or green tea, more is needed, about 7 to 10 grams.

The amount of tea used in making tea should be reduced to 2/3 of the usual brewing amount. The amount should not be too much, so as to achieve the best taste.

Regarding the amount of tea to be consumed, there is a saying that goes "eat fine tea coarsely, and eat coarse tea finely". Generally speaking, fine and tender tea contains less tea juice, so you should put more when brewing; coarse tea contains more tea juice, so you should put less. Based on a 250 ml cup of water, 3-5 grams of ordinary tea can be added, while fine tea such as oolong tea should be added around 8 grams.

The difference between brewing tea and brewing tea in taste and aroma

When making tea, it is important to control the amount of tea leaves and the temperature of the water to make the tea taste better.

The covered bowl can easily gather fragrance and store aroma, and the taste is not easy to lose. After emerging from the water, you can see the difference by looking at the leaves and smelling them.

Boiling tea can release more of its internal substances, making the tea soup taste richer.

The brewed tea soup has a softer texture and a sweeter taste.