Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mason Crews on April 14, 2009 at 2:10pm

I'd love to talk about it but I don't really know much about tea. That's why I decided to join! Thanks
Mason

Permalink Reply by Dave on April 14, 2009 at 6:35pm

Hi Peter. In general, I understand and agree with what you are suggesting. With regard to getting the best cup(s) from any given tea in restaurants, cafes and other venues in the U.S., a number of obstacles exist.

First let me ask you if you are talking about green and oolong tea as opposed to black tea? I have thought that one usually steeps black tea (from China or elsewhere) just once. Although, even if that is true, there are probably exceptions to the 'rule'. For instance, when I brew black tea at home, the first steeping is usually for hot tea. I then pour more water over the 'spent' leaves and allow them to 'steep' for a few hours; that makes a cold or 'iced' tea, albeit a mild one. Actually, latter steepings of green and/or oolong tea can produce a nice cold or 'iced' tea (for my taste).

In a commercial setting in the U.S. (probably not much differently from in China), one has a number of concerns: (1.) water quality, (2.) water heating, (3.) proper water temperature for the tea, (4.) , i.e., kettles and heat source problems, i.e., stovetop flame or electric, plug-in electric kettles, (5.) monitoring of steep times, (6.) insufficient knowledge of the tea (training), (7.) proper drinking cups. To get it 'right' it takes some dedication and is labor intensive.

Permalink Reply by Peter Tam on April 16, 2009 at 10:42am

Hi Dave,

About the tea, we mainly have two different ones, one is tea leaves, and the other is the very small pieces of tea leaves in small bags; that is tea bag. For Chinese tea, we talk only about tea leaves.

The main kinds of Chinese tea include Green tea (not fermented), Oolong Tea (half fermented), and Chinese Black tea (full fermented); all in leaves. For tea bag, one steeps only once, but for tea leaves, one could not draw most of the tastes in one steep. In fact, only very little of the taste can be drawn from the tea leaves in one steep. Like pre-infusion, the first steep is not tasted and only a preparison; so is to be dropped. Only from the second steep on, one can get good and strong enough tea tastes. While till the fourth steep, the tastes can be good enough, and then the leaves can be dropped.

If one leave the water together with tea leaves for too long time in one steep, the tea will be taswted bad. So, in general, one use fast steep and fast pour. That is to get tea away from the tea leaves soon after one pour the water in, normally a few seconds. If one drop the first steep, then about 10-15 seconds for the second steep, and 5 seconds more for each the following steeps.

We have the good tools for it, if necessary, I can prepare some photoes for those tools next time.

I am not sure if I explained it well or not. If anything not clear, let me know.

Permalink Reply by Eldad Yogev on June 8, 2009 at 10:09am

Tea is a most difficult thing for the cafe as everyone likes the flavor differently. Unlike coffee, tea is totally dependent on the steep time and most people just don't have the patience or knowledge to do it right. I think this is why in the West tea is respected but not served in the loose leaf form.

The general public, even the English who quaff huge amounts of the stuff, are happy with the shavings that go into tea bags. And the subtler tastes of Green or Oolong teas just don't smack hard enough into the Western taste buds that are accustomed to the Black varietals.

I love tea and drink much more of it than coffee, but I would never serve it in my cafes as its just not worth the headaches. The ROI just isn't there to invest in doing tea. Now, a tea shop with a great afternoon/high tea format is a different story and if you can tap into a good market (especially amongst women) you can make a great living just doing that.

Permalink Reply by Peter Tam on August 18, 2010 at 12:43am

We have some tools for people to enjoy Chinese tea. With their help, you people may manage it easily.