Although most of us love premium quality tea, some have difficulties in brewing a cup with delicate colour, full aroma and faultless taste. The fact is that even the best leaves can produce a poor infusion if brewed incorrectly. Brewing skill is a learned art for each tea lover. This art involves balancing three variables: amount of tea, water temperature, and steeping time. Since flavour is subjective, only you can determine what is the right recipe for your cup of tea. However, having some basic information will definitely make the journey easier for you.

TEA PREPARATION AND BREWING MADE EASY

What you are looking at now is a short presentation of the easiest and, in our opinion, the best brewing methods. After you familiarize yourself with them, pick one that suits you the most. Then all you need to do is practise. The more you practise the better you become. Soon your cup of tea will have the best possible taste.

The below instructions make a general guideline only. Feel free to adjust the steeping time, water temperature and amount of tea to your preference. Each of us takes pleasure in discovering just the right way to match our palate.

First of all…relax. You don’t need to learn all the below methods to prepare a cup of tea. We recommend you first have a look in your cupboard and see which of the equipment you can find to get started. It is the best to pick the most convenient method initially (no need to invest in the best tea ware… yet). After all you are free to try other techniques with time.

You can brew loose leaf tea using two different methods:

• Single-brewing method where you use the leaves only once – to be performed using any kind of teapot, mug, flask or infuser (we do not recommend metal tea pots though).Single brewing method is most popular when you are in a hurry, when you brew lower quality teas (as the leaves are not durable enough to produce desirable flavour during consecutive infusions), or when you don’t have brewing equipment handy (i.e. in the office, school etc.)

• Multiple brewing method where you use the leaves more that once – te be performed in a gaiwan or small  tea pot (porcelain, purple clay or glass).Our goal in multiple brewing method is to produce a brew with the same strength and similar flavour during consecutive infusions. In order to achieve this we need to make sure that each tea leaf  reaches the same level of unfolding, which means that it releases the same aroma and taste. To get the effect we need to work on the way we pour water over tea leaves.

This may seem a little obvious, but just to make sure that we are all on the same page:
You need water, tea and brewing vessel to prepare your tea.

TEA

Generally speaking, there is only one rule to tea leaves. Whether it is green, white, black, oolong or any other tea the better the tea quality the less tea you need to achieve wonderful taste.  Good quality tea will also allow more infusions.

Good quality water at correct temperature

The quality of water will affect the way the tea leaf components dissolve into the beverage, and hence the flavour, aroma and strength of your tea. Tap water is highly chlorinated and although it is convenient, it may not be the best water to brew your tea. We recommend using filtered water, or spring water to reach the best results.

Water temperature is another factor. It is easy to burn your tea when using water that is too hot. Simply follow the below instruction to achieve the best results.

Brewing Vessel

• You may decide to us a small teapot (50-250ml) which often matches the size of the cup (or cups) you will be drinking from. This is a great idea because it ensures that there is no water left in your teapot after you pour out the infusion.

• The other way, which works best for us, is to choose a pot (or a gaiwan) and obtain a jug that matches its size. This way you may take your time to perfectly infuse tea leaves, pour the brew into a tea pitcher (use a strainer to keep tea leaves away) and then into cups for you and your friends to enjoy. This way tea in all the cups will taste the same as its strength evens-out in the pitcher. If you use the multiple brewing method, re-infuse the leaves in the teapot and decant into the pitcher the exact same way.

• The third way is to use a very convenient Smart tea pot. You do not need a special brewing space so it is perfect to use both at home and in the office. It is by far the easiest way to achieve good brew and we particularly recommend it for the beginners.  The pot has a press water- control structure. It is a gaiwan, strainer and pitcher in one. Using smart teapot helps control the strength of tea and preserves the original aroma.

• If you do not have any of the above accessories, but have got some sort of a tea pot handy, you can still brew loose leaf tea. It will be quite easy provided that you get to the right proportion of tea  leaves and water. Also, don’t let the tea infuse for too long. Even the best leaves will become bitter if left in the water for too long. Use a strainer when pouring the tea into cups.

• You may also brew your favourite tea in a tall glass. This simple way of brewing tea is popular in China because it is very easy and allows the drinker to appreciate marvellous shape and colour of tea leaves. Most tea leaves will settle down to the bottom of your cup once they hydrate. Some  leaves and buds however, will float on the surface of the water longer. Just blow them out of the way before sipping.

• For those of us who never get enough time to enjoy their cup of tea at home during the morning rush, we recommend a tea flask. It works like a take away cup that keeps your tea fresh and warm for longer. Just place some leaves on a sieve and pour water over them. Let them steep for a while. Remove the leaves, close the flask tightly and you are ready to go. Your tea will stay warm for at least 3-4 hours so that you may enjoy it later.

This is where SanTion teas come from

Brewing Instructions

1. Select any kind of pot or cup you like or have at home
2. Rinse the brewing vessel with hot water (to warm it up) and then add the right amount of tea leaves (you need to adjust the quantity of tea to the size of your brewing vessel). As a rule, you would add more tea leaves if you wish to use multiple brewing method.
3. Pour the water over the tea leaves (see the table below for information on water temperature).
4. Infuse tea leaves according to the time suggestions listed below. Adjust the time depending on your taste. The longer the infusion, the stronger and richer the brew.
5. Pour the ready infusion straight into cups, or chahai, using tea strainer to keep the leaves away.
6. Repeat the steps if you use multiple brewing method.

* Green Puerh should be brewed with water at lower temperature, similarly to green tea (approx.80C)

Please note : These brewing parameters serve as a general guideline only. We recommend that you try different brewing parameters according to your personal preference and taste.

Green teas
Always pour out the brew after infused as some green teas may become overly astringent when left in water for too long. Keep the leaves dry (don’t leave any water in the brewing vessel) and use them for subsequent infusions.

Glass Tea Accessories

White teas
Be generous because this is a lightweight tea. For best flavour, use a full tablespoon of leaves, steep it for 2-3 minutes in water at temperature well below boiling. Pour out the brewed tea and save the leaves for another steeping.

Black Teas
Generally, this tea will not become bitter, only stronger, with longer steeping. It can take milk and sugar but we don’t recommend it. The best way to enjoy tea is ‘as is’. Only then can you appreciate full flavour and aroma.

Oolong Teas
You can give the leaves a quick “wake-up” rinse before brewing. Use water with temperature close to 90 degrees. Keep the first steep short, a minute or less. Infuse the leaves repeatedly until flavour is exhausted. Leave some water in the brewing vessel between subsequent infusions.

Pu-erh
It is OK to use water at temperature close to boiling. Pu-erh is best when brewed strong so use quite a lot of leaves. Give the tea a rinse to awaken it and optimize the flavour of the tea. Pour the ready brew out as you do not want to release too much flavour at once. For the green Pu-erhs, options for water temperature vary. Some advise a lower temperature water and shorter steeps to catch subtle flavours. For others, boiling water is best. We advise you explore and find your preferred method.

Did you know that
·    Most of loose leaf teas can be brewed more than once. Subsequent cups will not only yield different flavours but even more nutrition. Just continue to add more water of the same temperature and steep the tea a little longer with subsequent infusions.

Tea drinking habits often change dramatically depending on the mood or time of the day. The most important thing to remember is to enjoy the tea and not stress about brewing methods unnecessarily. You are now ready to get started.

Enjoy your cup of tea and let us know your experience.

Buy your tea and tea wares NOW here www.SanTion.com.au

Multiple publications of the U.S. National Center for Biotechnology Information show that green tea has endless health benefits. The below list outlining health benefits of regular green tea drinking is based on range of studies that research health properties of green tea.

Green tea, when drunk regularly:

• has fat-burning properties
  Drinking green tea regularly promotes weight loss, especially when combined with increased physical activity and a healthy diet.
• regulates blood glucose level in blood stream
• lowers cholesterol level
  It is proven that green tea lowers total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels and improves the ratio of HDL cholesterol to LDL cholesterol.
• enhances mental performance
  One of the important health benefits of regular green tea drinking is improved memory and learning ability.
• provides protection against coronary artery disease
  Japanese studies confirm that the more green tea people consume the less likely they are to have coronary artery disease.
• reduces inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract
  Green tea was found to reduce inflammation by activating intracellular antioxidants.
• improves bone mineral density
• provides protection against cancer
  As a rich source of polyphenols EGCG, green tea protects against cancer (particularly colon, lung and skin cancers)
• protects the skin against the adverse effects of ultraviolet radiation, such as UV-induced sunburn, UV-induced immunosuppression and photoaging.

References:  publications of the National Center of Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, for more information visit the following website:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

Green tea becomes more and more popular in western cultures. Experts believe that drinking minimum 2 cups of green teas everyday can help you achieve the health benefits outlined above. Eastern philosophers add that meditation over a cup of tea brings happiness and longevity. One is certain – drinking tea follows tested, traditional and natural approach to health and is far less risky than trying all the novelties of today’s medicine.

But what exactly green tea is?

Green Tea

Green tea is the variety which keeps the original colour of the tea . Green Tea is believed to have the most medicinal values. It contains least caffeine of all Chinese tea classes. Since the leaves are not fermented, the taste is pleasantly fresh. Green teas present a broad range of flavour, from sweet and nutty to fruity and floral. The most famous teas in this groups are: Longjing tea of Zhejiang Province, Maofeng of Huangshan Mountain in Anhui Province and Biluochun produced in Jiangsu.

The health benefits of green tea are seemingly endless. It is a rich source of antioxidants – called polyphenols – which benefit health in many ways. Studies across the globe proved that Chinese Green Tea helps prevent cancer, aids in digestion, improves weight control and artery health. The ability of green tea to prevent cancer is so well established that new studies are testing green tea as potential cancer therapy. Researchers have shown that green tea blocks the formation of certain tumours. Green tea also helps in reducing anxiety, while keeping highly alert state of mind, thanks to its high L-Theanine level. It supports metabolism and lowers blood sugar levels. Green tea is rich in catechins that effectively kill almost every kind of bacteria which cause food poisoning. It also inactivates the toxins that are produced by those bacteria. At the same time, it enhances the growth of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract.

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Although green tea seems to be the variety most popular in scientific research, other tea sorts also deserve our attention.

Black Tea

Black tea is known in China as “red tea” (hong cha) in reference to the colour of the infused liquid or to the red edges of the oxidized leaves. This category of tea is fermented before baking. Black teas are generally soft in flavour. The most famous teas in this groups are: Qihong of Anhui , Dianhong of Yunnan, Suhong of Jiangsu, Chuanhong of Sichuan and Huhong of Hunan.

Black tea helps to lower cholesterol and is good for the heart. Drinking black tea helps to prevent deadly clogging of arteries and reverses poor arterial functioning that can trigger heart attacks and strokes. Tea has long been tied to lower risk of stomach malfunctions, colon and breast cancer. Laboratory studies revealed that black tea may even stop cancer growth. Rutgers University researchers showed that a black tea compound called TF-2 caused colorectal cancer cells to “commit suicide” while normal cells were unaffected. Black tea can neutralize germs, including some that cause diarrhoea, pneumonia, cystitis and skin infections. Pu-Erh (also written Puer, Pu-Er, Puerh) is a very special and unique style of tea. This type of post-fermented tea is processed using only sun-dried large-leaf tea leaves from certain areas. The best quality Pu-erh comes from the Yunnan province in South-Western China, including Xishuangbanna area, Simao and Pu-Er county.

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Puerh Tea

Chinese Pu-erh Tea is the greatest tea mystery, famous for its health giving benefits, very low caffeine levels and rich, unique and comforting flavour. The secret resides in the aging process. Pu-erh is considered a special delicacy and an indispensable part of daily health care. Pu-Er tea is very good for digestive system (helps reduce body weight by increasing the metabolism), reduces cholesterol level in the blood stream, lowers blood alcohol after drinking, prevents dysentery, and stimulates secretions from the spleen and other organs.

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Wulong (Oolong) tea represents a variety half way between green and black teas. It is prepared by allowing picked tea leaves to partially ferment before frying. Oolong is a full-bodied tea with a unique and highly enjoyable sweet-flowery character. It is a specialty of the provinces on China’s southeast coast: Fujian, Guangdong and Taiwan. Finest varieties are still handmade following the traditional manufacturing process.

Oolong tea enhances the function of fat metabolism, controlling obesity and even contributing to slimming. Oolong Tea may promote healthier and stronger bones, protecting people from such diseases as osteoporosis. As other tea varieties, Oolong can fight against tooth decay and can help prevent heart ailments.

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White Tea

White tea is the least processed of all the tea categories. It is merely withered and dried by steaming. White tea gets its designation from the fine, silvery white hairs found in the unopened buds of the camellia sinensis plant. White tea leaves have a striking appearance. They usually have a light silver colour. White teas are the rarest in the world, produced on a very limited scale in China. Traditionally plucked only at daybreak in four provinces, white tea is delicate and subtle treat for quiet moments. These teas are characterized by an extraordinary fresh fragrance that is both subtle and sweet. The aroma is delightfully gentle with a mellow taste. Well-known varieties include “Silver Needle” and “White Peony”.

White teas are greater source of antioxidants than any other teas. They can lower blood pressure and improve the function of the arteries. They promote strong bones. White Tea helps in protecting the skin from damage and may even reverse some of the damage caused by free radicals. It has great anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial effects. This group of tea is even more effective than green tea in killing germs. White tea extracts are used in many kinds of tooth-pastes to enhance their anti-bacterial effects. White Tea may reduce blood sugar and help alleviate the symptoms of diabetes.

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Herbal Tisane

Herbal teas (also known as a tisane or herbal infusion) contain just herbs or combine herbs with regular tea leaves. Herbal teas are made using scientific technology based on ancient prescriptions by Chinese medicine masters. They have already won many faithful customers around the world due to their reliable qualities and effective function.
When infusing a teaspoon of herbs such as mint, tulsi, ginger, chamomile, jasmine (and many others), their medicinal properties seep into the water giving drinkers the desired effect. Depending on herbs used, it may be laxative, curative, refreshing, sedative or antacid in nature.

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Blends It is possible to combine the positive characters of different teas by blending. Tea traders blend teas of different crops or even origins to maintain flavour, aroma, character and price of tea over longer periods of time. English Breakfast is one of the most recognized blends available on the market.

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Whichever tea variety is your favourite, remember that it is important to choose only the fresh, good quality tea. Loose leaf tea, containing whole leaves and buds seems to be more effective than tea bags containing fanning of bigger, less fresh leaves.

And remember – tea is there to enjoy it! Enjoy it first ad treat health benefits as a side effect.

Published by SanTion International Pty Ltd, Sydney 24. Oct 2009, www.santion.com.au

LIJIANG – paradise for backpacker, shoppers and tea drinkers

Naxi Woman

We arrived in Lijiang in the late afternoon after several hours of flying (Guznghzou-Kunming-Lijiang). The way to the International Youth Hostel, where we stayed wasn’t the easiest one. Stone-paved road took as not only from the taxi stand to the Old Town gate – it took us back in time. We came from Hong Kong and Guangzhou and we pretty much lost our hope in finding the ‘real China’. Well, this place was definitely the closest to our image so far. It looked the same, it smelt the same and it felt just as amazing.

We have soon realized that Lijiang is not only a paradise for backpackers, but also for those who love shopping. To be frank, the Old Town is all about shopping. It would probably spoil our mood a little if not the fact that every second shop happened to be a TEA SHOP!

The Old Town was spectacular, especially at night. Chinese lanterns gave it the well-known warm and friendly character. The kind of light that  makes you feel warmer, even when there is snow around.  That evening, we have visited at least ten tea shops tasting various puerhs and black teas. We were surprised to learn that they also offered some nice Oolongs. None of the shops had white or green tea in their offer though. Later we realized that no one we met there liked green tea. This people grow up on puerh, spend their lived drinking puerh and die with puerh in their hands. Remarkable.

Tea in China is just as popular as water. It is everywhere. There is no day without tea. Even our Youth Hostel supplied hot tea 24 hours a day, free of charge. You could only imagine how it lifted our moods. We felt we are in just the right place.

TIGER LEAPING GORGE , ‘Donkey King’, Mint Tea and Tibetan Tea

Tiger Leaping Gorge

The next day we decided to try to conquer the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Oh! What a trip it was! We did not have enough ‘Ohs’ and ‘Oooos’ to express what we felt. I have  to admit that at times we had doubts on whether we will ever get to the pick. We soon found out that the getting there was not the most difficult part of the trip.

We met some remarkable people during these two amazingdays. We had a wonderful time, far from civilization, from stress, from everyday rush…with a hot cappa in our hands. Our most amazing friend happened to be a ‘donkey man’. He kept following us hoping that sooner or later we will pay to jump on the donkey and hence get some rest. Well, we did not. Although I have to admit, it was a tease at times. Anyways, since he was with us at all times, we tried to make friends with him. We speak very poor Chinese, but we understood each other perfectly well.  I’ll save you the details, but let’s just say that you would know (at least I got it), if someone calls you a donkey. Even in Chinese. Well, perhaps he did not have the best sense of humour, but he showed us some native fruits, some best spring water and the right way when we almost get lost. And we felt welcomed. In the mid point of our hike, just

Donkey Man

before we got to our hostel, we found a little shop in the middle of the way. Our ‘donkey man’ was sitting there drinking black tea with his friends. They must have had approximately ten teeth when counted all together. There was five of them. Simple people united over the tea table. Nice view. We wanted to thank our friend for a lovely time together so we gave his some great white tea – Silver Needle. He has never seen tea like this before. He was very proud and showed the tea to all of his companions. This was a good tea and we were reluctant to give it away, but to see the smile on his face reassured us that we did the right thing. We were certain that he will know how to appreciate its unique taste and aroma.

This afternoon, during lunch, we were served something new. Super delicious tea with a fresh mint leaf in it. What an amazing and refreshing drink! The mint leaf was so aromatic that even after few brewings it was still dominating the flavour if the soup. That night we tasted something even more remarkable – Tibetan Tea. Our English friend had a sip and commented in a polite manner: “Well, it is not totally offensive…”. It was definitely not my ‘cup of tea’ though. I could not drink more than a few sips.

MEETING A TEA MASTER

After the two days in the mountains (which by the way took all of our energy but made us very happy), we returned to Lijiang to continue our Trip of Tea Discovery. We decided to go around and taste some more teas in the nearby tea houses. We needed to learn more about puerh to understand it better. We came across a very friendly gentleman when visiting one of the smaller tea shops. He was a Tea Master and he really took time to educate us on his tea.  He guided us through many different kinds of puerh, showed us how to smell it, how to evaluate the quality, how to taste it. He even presented a very characteristic for Yunnan way of brewing tea. Not even to mention, that he was the one who thought us how to hold a tea cup correctly. We had no idea that there is a different way of holding the cup for a lady and for a gentleman!

We particularly liked the white puerh. Perhaps because it has a little bitterness and the fresh, crisp taste of green tea which we love so much. We loved the evening with our Tea Master. We promised to come back the next day with a surprise. We brought him samples of some of our best green  and white teas. You should see this face. He was amazed and very happy. His passion about tea was so obvious to observe, when he brewed and tasted all the teas one by one with us. He didn’t use a gaiwan to prepare green and white tea. Instead he brewed it in a glass chahai. He explained that only this way you have a chance to evaluate the quality of your tea. Not only can you smell the brew, but you are able to see how leaves stand, how well-shaped they are and what is their size and quality. Finally, you may evaluate the colour of the brew. We had a great time and learnt a great deal.

DOCTOR HO

Doctor Ho

Our last adventure in Lijiang area was visiting the famous all over the world person – Doctor Ho. The real Chinese doctor, over eighty years old, living now in Baisha Village. He welcomed us with his famous ‘herbal tea’  which is supposed to have many medicinal qualities. Although Doctor Ho became a real tourist attraction these days, it still feels special to visit a wise man who can tell you what’s wrong with your health condition just by looking at you. Believe me, I know…. he helped me.

Lijiang was like a dream. Clean air, beautiful nature, friendly people.. We felt at home. We brought some amazing tea treasures with us. We left this place unhappy that we could not stay few more days and travel far from the city, up north to Sichuan. But you know what they say… it is good to have a reason to come back.

Tea Plant

We have discovered tea about two years ago when visiting Taoist Master Dong Yang. He would brew tea while discussing important issues, each time when guests were at home. In fact, he would drink tea all day long adjusting only strength of the brew and matching sort of tea with time of the day.

This meetings, introduced the world of tea to us. We discovered that tea can bring one back to nature, help become more peaceful and relaxed, escalate feelings of joy and happiness. We found out that with a cup of tea in hand one can experience a touch of pure nature while surrounded by everyday life. One can feel the fresh breeze coming form the mountains, smell the aroma of an ancient forest, sense a touch of softness under the feet. The world transforms.

We have also discovered that one needs to be careful when choosing the right tea and that it is easy to go astray. Not all teas have these transforming world abilities. We have decided to go straight to the source – China. We have decided to find the gate of our precious tea garden. We  departed from Sydney on the 1st of May 2009 into a trip of tea discovery. Step by step, we will lead your through our adventures so that you could experience what we found.