So I used to get my tea from a Keurig machine with there pre-made disposable cups. Thanks to you guys I got some loose leaf (and some bagged tea) from Adagio. I bought their little tea infuser and I'm getting some weak teas. I use the Keurig for easy hot water (just dont place a pack in). It also is exactly 8oz. But I read online that you should pour the water over the tea, compared to what I do now is put leaves in the infuser and dump that in the water and let it sit for 5 minutes. I mean that's what I do with tea bags at a cafe. Please help this noob enjoy fine black teas.
(no my username is not about tea or Tesla. It my lastname's initial and I happen to like Tesla and there logo works nicely)
Water temperature is incredibly important when it comes to teas. With black teas you typically want you water to be at boiling temps (~212 degrees). I'm just going to assume that the Leurig machine probably doesn't get that hot. Infact.. let me google it and see what I can find. Just as I suspected the Keurig machine maxes out at 197 and defaults to 192. You water probably isn't hot enough for black teas.
Adagio should have provided a guide that included the temps you should steep you tea at but if they didn't you could probably just Google it. Also while its good practice to pour the water over the leaves I think getting the water temp right will be more important. You need to ditch that Keurig machine for sure. Maybe buy an electric kettle with temperature settings so you can get the water just right.
Thanks for the quick reply, I didnt know temps were that important. Can an electric kettle just sit on my counter next to the Keurig and all I do it pour in some water and turn it on? Something easy I can do when I wake up and then come back to after a shower.
Yep some of them you can even set a timer so it starts warming the water at a specific time. I suggest either this Bonavida or you can look at this Cuisinart both of those are pretty well reviewed. However if money is no problem and you wanna get really swanky I'd suggest this Zojirushi. Any of those would be a great option.
The reviews aren't too stellar on that one. It doesn't seem to be able to hit the temp you set it on exactly. However you should get whatever you can afford. If you just want to do black teas and don't intend on ever making white, green or some of the more delicate black teas then hell even a crappy stove top kettle from Walmart would do.
That one does have variable temps, a program mode and everything really, the reviews just worry me. I suppose if it doesn't work the way you need it to you could return it. Amazons pretty good about returns.
Get a kettle where you can set the degrees. Then it depends on the tea (temp and time). You can mess up the tea by letting it steep for too long or if you use water that is too hot. Then the tea will be bitter. If you do it right you wont need any sugar or anything, it will taste great :)
I got that one from Hamilton Beach about a month ago and it's working just fine, I use it several times a day. After reading crayzieman's comments and the negative reviews from your link i think I'll check the temperatures for accuracy and hope it doesn't just stop working as some said. But so far it's good, just set the temp for whatever tea i'm having. Other features like one hour "keep warm" and the programmable clock I don't really use. I do like that it will shut off automatically after one hour.
This is the correct way to make tea (recently verified by science). My folks taught me how to brew it when I was a kid.
Step 1 - bring water almost to the boil in a kettle. Do not boil it, turn the kettle off when it is reaching boiling point.
Step 2 - if using a metal tea pot, pour some of the water into the tea pot and swirl it around inside it to preheat the tea pot. Then pour out this bit of water. It doesn't have to be much.
Step 3 - put in your teaspoon full(s) of tea. 3 decent sized ones will usually do 4-5 cups.
Step 4 - add your heated water and leave it to brew for about 3-4 minutes.
Step 5 - pour, add milk (or sugar if you are a sicko) and enjoy.
That is actually how you prepare tea traditionally.
I've been doing the Keurig thing for a long while now. Sorry to resurrect the thread, but I'm curious about how it worked out for you; Keurig vs. traditional kettle.
oh my god I can't go back to the Keurig. I used it one day a couple weeks ago in a hurry. No wonder I used 3 sugar packs per cup before, IT HAD NO TASTE. Now I use 1/2 pack of sugar per cup with the kettle and loose-leaf.
I just use an old fashioned tea kettle and heat it on the stove. Works just like @Soapmak3r says and I have been doing that before I started using the internet. As to the whole milk/sugar talk, I make my decision based on which individual tea I am drinking though I rarely use more than half a spoon of sugar and just enough milk to color it if I use any at all.
The one I bought for like 25 is now 55. Just get whatever you think would look nice in your kitchen. But make sure it's electric and has digital temp control if you drink more than just black tea. And I get all my loose leaf tea from adiago.
