There are thousands of types and varieties of tea, available in bags, loose leaf, and powdered form. It's incredibly difficult to know if the tea you choose will be good and, above all, of high quality. Unfortunately, some teas have been heavily processed, which greatly impacts their flavor and quality.
In this article, we give you the essential points to learn how to recognize a quality tea.
In this article, we give you the essential points to learn how to recognize a quality tea.
The leaves: appearance and freshness
The very first thing to look at is the leaves (for loose leaf tea)! The leaves will tell you everything you need to know. Here are the points to check:
Whole leaves will be of better quality than cut or broken leaves.
They should not crumble to the touch; if they do, then they are too old and may have lost their flavor.
- The leaves should not have stems! If you see stems, do not choose this tea
- Is the color consistent across all sheets? If not, skip this one.
- Dust! If you see any traces of dust on the tea, it has been in the container too long and should not be consumed as it has lost quality.
Whole leaves will be of better quality than cut or broken leaves.
They should not crumble to the touch; if they do, then they are too old and may have lost their flavor.
- The leaves should not have stems! If you see stems, do not choose this tea
- Is the color consistent across all sheets? If not, skip this one.
- Dust! If you see any traces of dust on the tea, it has been in the container too long and should not be consumed as it has lost quality.
The scent of tea
When you choose a loose leaf tea, there's a very good chance you'll want to smell it first, and you're right to do so! It's possible to recognize a quality tea just by its aroma, but how?
- The power of aroma! Fresh, high-quality tea is recognized by the strength and richness of its scent. If you have trouble identifying the flavors when you smell the tea, it means it may have lost its taste; move on!
- Read the ingredient list and try to identify any artificial flavorings. If you find the smell chemical, the tea is very likely processed; don't choose it.
The taste of tea
Surely the most important thing is the taste of the tea! This is probably one of the essential things! If, when tasting your tea, you don't find the flavors that compose it, if the tea is too bitter, acidic, harsh, then it is very likely that it is no longer fresh and has lost quality.
Did you know, for example, that a QUALITY black tea, even if brewed for 15 minutes, will never be bitter? If it is, don't drink it.
What factors can impact the quality of tea?
Cultivation
The methods of tea cultivation are paramount to guaranteeing good tea quality.
The weather also plays an important role, although it is difficult to predict, but favorable weather will mean quality tea!
The weather also plays an important role, although it is difficult to predict, but favorable weather will mean quality tea!
The harvest
The harvest is of course very important; hand-picking is gentler on the leaves and more respectful. It is therefore preferable to choose tea labeled "home-picked".
The transformation
The way the tea is oxidized, dried, and stored will impact its quality.
The preparation
Finally, the preparation! As we mentioned in this article, you must be careful not to overheat the water, as this could burn the leaves, and not to infuse it for longer than indicated!
