Knowledge
5 Essential Tips for Brewing Delicious and Aromatic Tea with the Right Flavor
Brewing tea may seem simple — anyone can do it. But making a truly delicious pot of tea is something not everyone knows how to do. Brewing good tea isn’t just about steeping tea leaves in boiling water. It takes several careful steps to get a cup with the perfect aroma, color, and taste. Let’s explore the key steps for brewing delicious and fragrant tea with the right flavor!
1. Introduction to Tea Types
Green tea has a dark greenish-yellow color
Tea is a familiar drink to Vietnamese people. However, many may not fully understand or distinguish between different types of tea. Here are the characteristics of some common teas:
Black tea: Often confused with red tea (hóng chá). In fact, black tea is fully oxidized (100%) and has a dark reddish-black color. Red tea is only oxidized about 80–90%, with a brighter red color. Black tea tastes stronger and has a more intense aroma.
Green tea: Very popular in Vietnam. After picking, tea leaves are withered then pan-fried or steamed at high temperature. When brewed, green tea has a yellowish-green color.
Oolong tea: The processing of oolong tea is more complex than others. Finished oolong tea is often rolled into balls, and the brewed tea has a deep, beautiful golden color.
Flower tea: Made from various flowers like chrysanthemum, rose, butterfly pea, lavender, hibiscus, etc. The color and flavor vary depending on the flower.
To brew tea well, you should understand each tea type to follow the right brewing formula. Next, let’s explore the important factors for a good cup of tea.
2. Important Factors for a Good Cup of Tea
Temperature
Boiling water at the right temperature is key to brewing good tea.
There are many factors that affect a good cup of tea. The three most important are water temperature, tea quantity, and steeping time.
Water temperature: Not all teas should be brewed with boiling water at 100°C. The appropriate temperature depends on the tea type. For example, boiling water at 100°C suits black tea or flower tea, which need high heat to fully open the leaves and release flavor. But green tea and oolong tea should be brewed at 60–80°C. Too hot water can make the tea bitter.
Tea quantity: Too much or too little tea will affect the taste. For an 800ml teapot, 15–20g of tea leaves is appropriate.
Steeping time: Even with the right temperature and tea amount, steeping time is crucial. Oversteeping results in bitter, off-flavored tea. The suitable steeping time varies by tea type. Black tea can steep longer, while green tea requires less time.
3. Steps to Brew Tea
Proper tea quantity helps make better tea
Brewing tea may sound simple but involves some care. Tea ceremonies have complex steps and strict rules. But for a good cup at home, it’s simpler. Here are 7 basic steps to brew delicious tea:
Boil water: Tea needs hot water. Depending on the tea, use boiling water or water cooled to around 70°C or higher.
Warm the teapot and cups: Rinse the teapot and cups with hot water.
Measure the tea: Depending on taste, fill the teapot about 1/5 to 1/2 full with tea leaves.
“Wake up” the tea: Pour hot water (not necessarily boiling) over the leaves to soak them, then quickly pour the water out.
Steep the tea: Fill the teapot with hot water, cover, and steep for 10–40 seconds depending on the tea. This step is crucial — ensure water temperature and steeping time suit the tea type.
Pour the tea: Pour all tea from the pot into a serving pitcher, then pour into cups. The serving pitcher stops the steeping at the right time, so pour all tea out and open the pot lid to allow leaves to steep again.
Repeat steeping: Repeat steps 5 and 6. A pot of tea can be steeped 5–8 times. Proper technique here ensures consistent flavor.
4. How to Enjoy Tea
Drink tea hot
Tea tastes best when hot — this is well known by tea lovers. When hot, you can smell the fragrance rising, see the deep green or golden color, and taste the fresh, slightly bitter beginning with a sweet finish.
Sip slowly to fully enjoy the aroma, color, and flavor.
If you like sweets, you can enjoy tea with some pastries or green rice flakes (cốm) to balance bitterness and enhance the experience.
5. Tips for Brewing Better Tea
Avoid using tap water, which contains impurities affecting tea flavor. Use spring water, well water, or bottled water (not mineral water) instead.
For thin, fluffy tea leaves, brew at lower temperatures; larger leaves require hotter water. Green tea uses lower temperature than oolong or black tea.
To intensify flavor, increase the tea amount, not the water temperature or steeping time.
There’s no absolute rule for water temperature, steeping time, or tea quantity. Use your own taste to adjust these factors for the best result.
That’s how to brew delicious, fragrant tea with the right flavor. You can apply these steps at home and enjoy tea with your family. Good tea tastes even better when brewed and enjoyed properly.
You can check out the latest brewing recipes from Jarvis at: https://jarvis.vn/goc-tu-van. Jarvis is a leading beverage training center, always striving to provide the best experience for learners. Students can study and practice without limits but must follow rules to ensure the highest training quality.