How to brew herb tea right?
- DIY recipies
- 29/06/2015
Hello, our dear tisane lovers!
In this article, we would like to share with You General information about how to properly brew herbal tea, so that it will bring you the top benefit and fully deliver your taste.
What is herbal tea?
First of all, we will determine what should be considered herbal tea. Herbal tea is a drink made from various parts of one or more plants that does not contain a tea leaf as such. This, if I may say so, the tea without the tea. These teas are called to as the French word "tisane". Herbal teas are medicinal (they are more often called herbal collections) and taste. Popular herbal teas in Russia contain mint, St. John's wort, fireweed (Ivan tea), Melissa, Marjoram (oregano), Thyme, raspberry leaves, currants, cranberries, etc. Also, the composition of herbal herbal teas may include exotic spices and spices-lemongrass, fennel, cardamom, star anise. South African Rooibos, Egyptian karkade, or South American mates are also herbal teas (tisanes).
Methods of brewing herbal tea:
Water infusion.
Water infusion is brewing plants with hot water, without exposing them to boiling. In this way, it is recommended to brew herbal teas, which include soft components - plant flowers, small leaves of herbaceous plants. The best for brewing such herbal tea is water with a temperature that the Chinese call "white key". Boiling water goes through three steps:
1. At the bottom of the teapot, air bubbles begin to form, which one by one break off and tend to the surface
2. The Separation of bubbles becomes massive, the water becomes turbid and white like the stream of a mountain river. This is the "white key" stage - the ideal temperature for brewing herbal (and not only) tea.
3. Active boiling and bubbling with the formation of large bubbles on the surface and the release of steam. At this moment, the electric teapot turns off. This water contains less oxygen and is too hot, so the taste of the drink may not change for better.
Brewing herbal tea with boiling water can spoil the taste and reduce the beneficial properties of the drink.
Boiling.
If with the soft components of herbal tea, high temperature is harmful, then with more "strong" plants, it is necessary. Solid and large parts of plants need to be boiled over a slow fire. This applies to the roots, shoots and bark of shrubs and trees, Chaga, leaves of Badan (Chigir tea). However, it is worth remembering that the boiling should not be non-intensive, without splashes, foam and bubbles. If the collection includes both flowers, leaves and roots of the plant, it is better to brew it without boiling, but at the same time increase the brewing time.
Time for brewing herbal tea.
As a rule, herbal teas and fees are brewed longer than black or green tea. This is due to the size of the fraction in herbal tea and the absence of fermentation. The larger the parts of the plants included in the tea, the longer it takes to brew. Herbs are quickly brewed in filter bags, but in taste and aroma they certainly lose to whole herbs, because they lose essential oils faster because of the small fraction. Ideally, you need to chop the herbs just before brewing - break them with your hands or cut them with scissors. The recommended brewing time for herbal tea is at least 5-10 minutes. If the composition includes roots, it is better to increase this time to 15-20 minutes. The same applies to blends that include dried berries, citrus zest or candied fruit. They also require more time than herbs. This will allow you to fully reveal the taste and useful properties of the drink. If you try tea three minutes after brewing, you risk getting a colourless and tasteless "water" and being disappointed in herbal teas, while completely in vain.
At the same time, a long brewing process is also not good. As soon as the tea is brewed, it is better to pour it into cups or pour it into a thermos and do not leave the plants to float in the water for a long time.
Dishes for brewing herbal tea.
For brewing herbal tea, it is recommended to use dishes made of natural materials that can keep heat for a long time. Porcelain and clay teapots are ideal for this purpose. You can also use siphons for making tea or coffee, they have the effect of a water bath and the brewing process is soft, which allows you to carefully reveal the taste of plants. Great for making herbal tea in the thermos bottle. Be sure to warm up the teapot or thermos with boiling water before brewing, so that the heat of the drink does not go to warm the vessel! To separate the drink from the parts of the plant, you can use stainless steel tea strainers or disposable filter bags.