Michelle Comins ’ three step plan to start improving your brews
kit
T H E
A Little Knowledge Goes Oolong Way
Instant Expert
Rob and Michelle Comins ( Photo by Katherine Davies )
Michelle Comins ’ three step plan to start improving your brews
Left : Tea pickers at work
Right : Anxi county in China is known for its Oolong
Photography : Haydn West .
1 .
Think about the tea you buy – do you know where it comes from ? When it was picked ? Is there advice on how to brew it ? Can you see the quality of the leaf inside the packet ? Are you paying a fair price – and by this I am not suggesting great tea needs to be expensive – you can buy lower grade well sourced teas that may offer just what you are looking for . This is where tea merchants offer an advantage – you can speak to knowledgeable staff who can advise you on which tea will suit you and how to brew it correctly . With a great tea you should really be able to taste the difference . For black tea , buy quality and try without milk .
2 .
Respect the ingredients for a great cup of tea – so we mentioned leaf , water , temperature , time . Here we would advise to invest in a few pieces of good tea kit – a good teapot and a temperature-controlled kettle are a great place to start .
3 .
Don ’ t be scared ! Great tea is nothing new . People have enjoyed great quality loose tea all over the world for thousands of years and in the most remote places . So if you can ’ t afford that kettle right now then simply mix some fresh cold water with your boiling water and use that – at least you will get started ! Then you will be hooked !
Getting into Hot Water
How important is that humble kitchen essential , the kettle ?
“ Water temperature is a key consideration in getting the most out of your tea leaves .” says Michelle . “ In very simple terms you could use a guideline of boiling water for black teas , cooler temperatures for green and white teas [ from 70-80 ° c ] and intermediate temperatures for oolongs [ 90 ° c ]. There are exceptions such as Darjeeling First Flush – a delicate black tea that we recommend should be brewed at 95 ° c . How will making this change alter your tea experience ? Well , for example , many people complain that green tea is bitter – using cooler water will deliver a greater taste sensation , remove bitterness and maintain freshness through the infusions . If you are just starting out in tea then buying good quality , responsibly sourced tea and making these simple changes will improve your experience significantly . A kettle which allows you to select these core temperatures is a great place to start .”
“ Once you get a taste for great tea and start to explore we would encourage you to break from these ‘ rules ’. Some teas are very delicate and small changes in temperature can mean big changes in their profile . Additionally , one man ’ s ‘ bitter ’ is another man ’ s ‘ nectar ’. Finally , with multiple infusions of a tea , what is the right approach ? Some people increase the temperature for subsequent infusions and others reduce . Which is right ? Well – does it matter ? In our opinion not really , because at this level it has become about exploration , personal preference and debate . That is one of the beautiful things about tea – it constantly evolves , presenting opportunities , questions and experimentation . In our opinion there is no better way to enjoy an hour or two .”
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