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5 Tea Mistakes and How to Fix Them

This updated version of our varieTEA kettle incorporates new features requested by our customers: Preset temperature controls have been moved to the handle for super easy thumb access. The outside is now enclosed in a cool-touch PBA-free plastic while the inside remains entirely stainless steel ensuring the water never touches the plastic. Fast and quiet, this kettle is large with a 1.7 liter volume for when you need ALL the tea, and a softer
This updated version of our varieTEA kettle incorporates new features requested by our customers: Preset temperature controls have been moved to the handle for super easy thumb access. The outside is now enclosed in a cool-touch PBA-free plastic while the inside remains entirely stainless steel ensuring the water never touches the plastic. Fast and quiet, this kettle is large with a 1.7 liter volume for when you need ALL the tea, and a softer "ready" beep so your tea operations don't wake the neighbors.
The most convenient teapot you will find anywhere - we guarantee it. When the tea is ready, simply place it atop your cup. This will cause a valve at the bottom to release: crystal-clear tea flows down, while the mesh filter retains all the leaves with one of the best infusers on the market. Super easy to clean and dishwasher safe. You will wonder how you got along without one. 16oz. Made in Taiwan with Tritan, a plastic specially-formulated to be safe in hot-temperature applications and is 100% BPA-free. The filter basket is stainless steel.
The most convenient teapot you will find anywhere - we guarantee it. When the tea is ready, simply place it atop your cup. This will cause a valve at the bottom to release: crystal-clear tea flows down, while the mesh filter retains all the leaves with one of the best infusers on the market. Super easy to clean and dishwasher safe. You will wonder how you got along without one. 16oz. Made in Taiwan with Tritan, a plastic specially-formulated to be safe in hot-temperature applications and is 100% BPA-free. The filter basket is stainless steel.

Everyone makes mistakes, especially when getting into a new hobby. Tea is no different. While brewing tea is a fairly simple procedure, mistakes can happen. But don’t get discouraged! Whether you’re new to brewing tea or simply want to improve your brewing skills, here are five things to avoid while brewing tea and how to correct them.

1. Not Using the Correct Water Temperature

Mistake: We've all done it: put a mug of water in the microwave for a couple minutes and used that water to brew tea. However, this can lead to inconsistent water temperature for brewing. Correct water temperature is essential to brewing the perfect cup of tea. Black teas need high water temperatures in order to absorb the richness of the tea: if a tea is too cool, you’ll end up with a weak cup. Conversely, https://www.adagio.com/green/index.html" target="_new">Green teas need water that’s not too hot or too cool: too cool and the tea’s delicate flavors won’t be infused into the water, but too hot and you’ll brew a bitter cup.

Solution: When brewing tea, make sure to use the correct water temperature for your tea. The easiest way is to monitor water temperature is with a kettle that has set temperatures for different tea types, like Adagio’s updated varieTEA Kettle. You can also boil water on the stove and use a thermometer to keep track of the temperature. Generally, Black or Herbal teas brew best with boiling water, Green with water around 175°F, White around 185°F, and Oolong around 195°F. There are, of course, exceptions to these guides, so always pay attention to instructions that come with your tea.

2. Leaving the Leaves in the Water

Mistake: Who else has left the tea infuser in the mug for more than a couple of minutes? Anyone ever sipped tea with the tea bag still in the mug? Like Mistake #1, everyone has probably done this mistake at some point in their tea drinking life. While you want to give the leaves enough time to infuse, allowing tea to infuse into hot water longer than its recommended time can lead to a bitter cup.

Solution: Set a timer to remove Black, Oolong, and White teas after 3-5 minutes and green teas around 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Herbal teas can be infused a little longer but shouldn’t be brewed more than ten minutes. For already astringent cups, sometimes a small pinch of salt can do some cool chemistry to hide some of the extra bitterness. However, if you want to take the guesswork out of brewing tea, Adagio’s VelociTEA Kettle will brew tea for the perfect amount of time (and with the correct water temperature).

3. Using the Wrong Infuser

Mistake: But aren't all infusers alike? Nope! They may serve the same function, but different infusers have their pros and cons. If you notice tiny tea particles in your cup (or even tea leaves) or if you notice the tea leaves are crammed inside the infuser (whether before or after brewing), then it may be time to consider using another infuser.

Solution: First of all, avoid tea balls! It’s a rookie mistake and you deserve better tea. Select an infuser based on the size of your tea leaves and if there are any tea particles that need to be considered. Most teas will brew nicely with basket infusers, but some teas require more thought. Something like Chamomile with fine particles will benefit from being brewed with a fine-mesh infuser or a perforated basket infuser (provided the holes aren’t too big). However, big leaf teas like Milk Oolong brew well when they have plenty of room to spread, so brew large leaf teas in Gaiwans or loose in a teapot with a spout infuser or poured over a cup infuser.

4. Using Tap Water

Mistake: While not the most egregious mistake, not using filtered water can keep you from making the purest cup of tea possible. Though water from the tap may be clean, it can still carry things like chlorine or metal particles from the pipes that carry it. This can affect the taste of the water and ultimately the tea. If you notice your tea doesn’t taste as good as it does when it’s prepared at a tea house, consider not using tap water.

Solution: There are a couple of options here. My go-to option is to use a water purifier. Adagio’s GraviTEA will filter out 80% of chlorine and 70% limescale from tap water, which will improve your cup of tea. Alternatively in a pinch, you can brew tea with bottled water (though it may be more economical to use a water purifier). Whether you’re using a water purifier or bottled water, always descale your kettles: not only will you prolong the life of your kettle, but your water and tea will taste better as well.

5. Giving Up on a Tea After One Session

Mistake:While first impressions are important, don’t write off a tea just because you didn’t like it. Practice makes perfect, and it might take a little time to tweak and adjust your brewing technique before you brew your ideal cup.

Solution: First, check to see if you’re making any of the other mistakes in this article. Otherwise, experiment! Since you’re brewing your own tea, you have complete control over how strong you want to make your tea. If you find a tea is too strong, shorten the brewing time. If a tea is too weak, then try lengthening the brew time. Additionally, some teas like Gyokuro can be particularly finicky (though well worth it), so it may take practice to brew them correctly. Brew teas with a tea’s instructions and make adjustments when necessary. Adjust the amount of tea per ounces of water used (a great scale can be life saving), the water temperature, and the amount of time you're brewing the tea. Everyone's tastes are different. Adjusting the amount of tea you use by half a gram and five degrees of water temperature can make a world of difference.

Good luck!