The thick and thin – Matcha types

Matcha is a very popular tea from Japan, used during the Japanese Tea Ceremony, but also for casual drinking. This tea is a vivid green powder made from ground tea leaves of tencha tea. Tencha is a shaded tea – meaning it was covered from the sun during a period of time in its growth, resulting in a deeper shade of green and a greater production of amino acids that gives the tea a sweeter flavor. The leaves are laid out flat to dry and then ground, creating a green powder known as matcha. However if the shaded leaves are rolled after harvest they are known as gyokuro tea.

Matcha is made of young leaves – primarly delicate buds, but it comes in different grades and some matchas can be very expensive, while others quite affordable. Generally matcha is classified into two main categories – usucha and koicha.

Usucha

Usucha is also known as ‘thin’ tea, because it is more bitter and during the tea ceremony more water is used to prepare it. This does not mean that it’s milder, in fact, Usucha usually has a stronger flavor then Koicha. This matcha is made of tea leaves from plants that are 30 years old of less and it’s a more common variety.

Koicha

Koicha is also known as ‘thick’ tea, because it’s flavor is much sweeter then usucha’s and less water is used for brewing. You also use more powder to make a bowl of this matcha. The leaves used for koicha come from tea trees that are 30 years or older. Koicha is the finer variety, therefore also more expensive.

Mate

A bitter, envigorating beverage that clears your mind, a herbal remedy and a symbol of friendship and understanding – mate has been a part of South American culture and tradition for nearly 400 years. It was first introduced to the Spanish colonists by Guarani Indians and has been cultivated and popularized since. Today, it is the traditional drink of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and also common practice to drink mate in Brazil and Chile.

Mate is prepared from leaves and stems of the yerba maté tree, that have been dried and crushed into very small pieces. The yerba maté trees typically grow in the tropical rainforests of south america and their leaves are evergreen. After the trees are harvested, the leaves are roasted and aged for a few months.

To prepare mate the traditional and perhaps the most convenient way, you will need a gourd

There are many reasons to drink mate. Although it is referred to as a herbal drink, it does contain caffeine and can be a great substitute for coffee or regular tea. It also effect the body in a similar way to green tea – it can prevent vitamin deficiencies, detoxify blood, lower cholesterol and improve digestion.

Better known brands Nativa

Gauchos share mate around the campfire

sharde from person to person

plain and flavored mate and it tea bags – mint orange, lemon

Mate is an acquired taste and a lot of people do not like it when they try it for the first or even several first times.

prepared in hot, non-boiling water usually between 60-80 C

A bitter, envigorating beverage that clears your mind, a herbal remedy and a symbol of friendship and understanding – mate has been a part of South American culture and tradition for nearly 400 years. It was first introduced to the Spanish colonists by Guarani Indians and has been cultivated and popularized since. Today, it is the traditional drink of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, but it is also common practice to drink mate in Brazil and Chile.

Mate is prepared from leaves and stems of the yerba maté tree, that have been dried and crushed into very small pieces. The yerba maté trees typically grow in the tropical rainforests of South America and their leaves are evergreen. After the trees are harvested, the leaves are roasted and aged for a few months. This process produces the yerba – the basis of mate.

To prepare mate the traditional and perhaps the most convenient way, you will need a gourd with a metal straw called the bombilla. The gourd is also called a mate and can be made of wood or stainless steel, sometimes with decoration and ornaments made of other materials. The bombilla works both as a straw and sieve – is has one closed end with small holes that let the liquid though, but stop the yerba in the gourd. You fill the about 2/3 of the gourd with yerba and cover the opening of the gourd with your palm. You turn it upside-down and shake it to make sure that the small particles of the yerba end up close to the opening. This will prevent the smaller particles from entering the straw while you drink, while the large particles additionally block them from coming near the holes. You tilt the gourd sideways to form a yerba ‘mountain’ and now you are ready to pour water into the space opposite of the mountain. The water should be hot, but never boiling – 60 – 80ºC is good for mate, because you do not want the first infusion to be very bitter and the later ones watered out. A lower temperature helps to distribute the flavor over many infusions. This is a general way to prepare mate, there is however a more detailed and careful way of doing it.

There are many reasons to drink mate. Although it is referred to as a herbal drink, it does contain caffeine and can be a great substitute for coffee or regular tea. It also effects the body in a similar way to green tea – it can prevent vitamin deficiencies, detoxify blood, lower cholesterol and improve digestion. It is known to contain antioxidants as well as minerals and vitamins.

On the streets of many South Amarican countries it is very common to see people socializing and drinking mate together, bringing their mate kits to the parks. In such social settings, mate is drunk in a ceremonial way, where one gourd is passed from one person to another. The cebador, who is the server of mate, prepares the beverage and drinks the first steeping which is considered bad, because it is rather strong and bitter. He does it out of politeness, in order to not offend other participants. He then refills the gourd with water and passes it to the next person. When the straw makes a sucking noise it means the person has finished drinking, gives the gourd back to the cebador, who refills it again and so on. Mate is so popular in South America that they even serve it at McDonalds often instead of coffee.

It is very easy to get confused with all the names referring to this wonderful drink, so I will clarify that mate is the name of the beverage drunk in South America, but it is also the name of the gourd it is drank it. Yerba mate on the other hand is the plant and after its leaves are processed, the dry herb mixture is simply referred to as yerba. Today you can buy plain yerba, but also flavored, most often with mint, orange or lemon. Some of the better known brands are Nativa, La Cachuera and Amanda. It is even sold in tea-bags under names “Cruz de Malta” in Argentina or “Mate Leão” in Brazil. Mate is an acquired taste and a lot of people do not like it when trying it for the first time. It is easy to get used to and start enjoying the flavor when drinking it with friends and family. Nevertheless, it is a great was to pass time and share this beverage with others once you have learned to enjoy it.

How to choose and buy a Tetsubin

A Tetsubin (Cast Iron Tea Pot) can be quite a pricey investment and it is good to think about how you’ll be using it and what you want it for before buying one. There are many benefits of using a tetsubin, as it can distribute heat evenly and enrich water in iron, thus enhance the way your tea will taste. These are a few things to consider.

 

1. Are you going to make the tea only for yourself of for more people? If the tetsubin will be your personal tea pot, it can be small in size and doesn’t necessarily need to have a stainer, because you can put the leaves directly in the pot. If you are going to brew large amounts of tea in it, it’s better to choose a tetsubin with a stainer, because then you will avoid over-brewing the tea if leaves are left in the water for a longer time.
2. Tetsubins can come either with or without enamel coating on the inside. The uncoated pot will give off extra iron into the water and improves the taste of tea. If the water you are using is already rich in iron or minerals you should buy an enamel coated pot, as the extra iron might negatively affect the taste of tea. The coated pot is however the safest and most popular choice, the enamel will also prevent the pot from rusting.
3. Check the weight of the pot. Some pots may look like a tetsubin, but they are really made of clay or some other material. A real tetsubin made of cast iron is quite heavy. Also make sure that the pot is not to heavy for you and white trying it out it will weigh even more when there is water inside.
4. Look at the price. Real, quality tetsubins are usually not cheap. The prices often vary from 40 EUR (50 USD) and can even be as high as 150 EUR (200 USD).
5. Finally, choose a design that suits you. Tetsubins come in many different styles and colors, with different relief patterns. The decision is yours to make!

Soderblandning – a tea from Sweden

If you have ever been to cafes in Stockholm it’s very likely that you have come across Soderblandning or Soder Te which can be also called Blend of South Stockholm in english. This blend, as the name indicates comes from the southern part of Stockholm and is generally very popular in Sweden. 

Soderblandning was first created by mistake in 1979 when a tea shop owner, Vernon Mauris was trying to make a new blend. While mixing, an extra ingredient fell into the tea accidentally and Mauris not willing to just throw the spoiled blend tried it and concluded that it tasted interesting. After improving the taste a bit, he marketed this new blend in his shop under the name “Mistake Blend”. Later used at a street celebration it was renamed Soderblandning in honor of the part of Stockholm where the store was located.

The ingredients of this blend are not officially stated and can also vary slightly between brands. The base is a blend of Chinese and Ceylon black teas with addition of flowers and fruits. Blue petals of cornflower and yellow petals of marigold as well as orange rind are very characteristic for this tea. I have tasted an alternative version of this blend with some small red berries, but it didn’t taste as good as the classic, most common Soderblandning. I have also seen variations with green tea instead of black. Generally the liquor has a dark color and a dominant floral note, but mixed with the fruit aroma it produces a unique and sweet combination. 

Soderblandning tastes best as loose leaf tea, but it’s even available in tea bags produced by Twinings. It is also popular in Japan, probably due to the fact that Mauris would export about 4000 kg of this blend each year to Japan. It’s hard to believe that such an exotic and vivid tea could come from a cold place like Sweden, but if you ever have the chance, don’t hesitate to try it.

New Zealand’s own Kawakawa Tea

Kawakawa is one of the New Zealand’s native plants used by the Maori as a medicine. This plant is still popular today because of its positive healing effects on the human body. It can be recommended for digestive and respiratory issues, bladder problems, toothache, but can also be used as a cleansing tonic for skin issues. The leaves could be either chewed raw or consumed as an infusion – like a kawakawa tea. The latter form is often used to fight colds, influenza and other milder illnesses.

Kawakawa tea is not very common outside of New Zealand and therefore its most often prepared locally from freshly picked leaves. In order to prepare Kawakawa tea you need to:

1. Pick Kawakawa leaves. The best leaves to pick are the ones facing the sun, which had most exposure to sunlight. Also it it desirable if the leaves are eaten by bugs, because that indicates higher medicinal value.

2. Rinse the leaves in water

3. Fill a pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil

4. Add Kawakawa leaves and let them cook for 15 minutes with the lid on 

5. Remove and strain all the leaves

The tea should taste peppery and refreshing. Letting the leaves steep even longer will give a more flavorful infusion, so it’s really a matter of preference. You can also dry the fresh leaves for later use.

What is decaf tea?

I think that many of us would like to drink tea all day long, dosing up on all those antioxidants, but the truth is that tea does have caffeine and drinking a lot of it especially in the evening can cause sleeping problems. At some point you might want to consider decaf tea. This was the case for me when I thought about decaf tea for the first time – and I wondered what it means for tea to be decaf, does it change the tea in any significant ways?

There are two ways in which tea can be decaffeinated. The first one uses a solvent called ethyl acetate and it allows about 30% of the polyphenols (antioxidants) to be retained. This method is cheaper, but also less beneficial for us as consumers. 

The second process is called effervescence and is more natural, using just water and carbon dioxide. Here 95% of polyphenols are retained, making this a more desired way of decaffeinating tea.

An alternative way to decaf tea yourself, which I mentioned in an earlier article is letting your tea steep for 30-40 seconds, pouring out the liquid and continue to steep the same tea leaves. The tea you pour off contains most of the caffeine, because it gets released in the beginning of the steeping. You can also choose naturally caffeine-free teas like rooibos or herbal infusions. You want to avoid bagged green tea, because it contains more caffeine then loose leaf and also you get less control of how much tea to brew. 

Since the three main substances in tea leaves (polyphenols, amino acids and caffeine) all affect the taste of the infusion, it is inevitable that the decaffeination process will alter the flavor.

How long does tea remain fresh?

If you store tea in the right way – away from sunlight, high temperature and moisture, its freshness will last longer and the good flavor will be preserved. The shelf-life of tea also depends on the tea type.

White and green – 1 year
Oolong – 1-2 years (sometimes longer if it’s truly a good quality oolong)
Black - 2 years
Pu-erh – is the only tea that can be exposed to air and improves its flavor and quality with years 
Herbal/Flower – varies, some flower teas can lose their freshness even after 2 months 

The more oxidized the tea is, the more prone it is to be affected faster by different factors. All teas are different however and for example Gunpowder, which is tightly rolled will hold longer then any open-leave tea. Tea may also take on odors from other foods, so it’s good too keep it away from the stove area (as it will absorb the steam and flavor) or anywhere where you keep your food supplies. Caddies and tin canisters are not necessarily 100% airtight, so as a percussion you can put the tea into a ziplock bag before putting it into the caddy.  

Some green teas can or even should be refrigerated, because they contain about 6% of water. The refrigerator is ideal for long-term green tea storage, as long as moisture as well as aromatic foods are kept away from it. If you have your tea in the refrigerator and you want to take out a batch you should let the tea warm up first, before opening the container. Otherwise moisture from the air will condense on the tea leaves.

Tea Chemistry

The chemical structure of tea can be generally divided into two parts – insoluble in water and soluble in water. The insoluble part contributes to the physical structure and appearance of tea and consists of crude fiber, cellulose, proteins, lignin, fats, chlorophyll and other pigments and starches.

The part of tea that we are mostly interested in is the soluble part, which contains all those health benefits that we like so much, but also defines the way tea will taste. This part consists of polyphenols to a large degree (commonly known as catechins also refereed to as tannin), amino acids (theanine), caffeine and minerals. Catechins are a type of antioxidants and can make up about 30% of the dry weight tea. Catechin content is higher in green and white tea, because black tea undergoes the oxidation process which reduces catechin content. Caffeine makes up about 3% of dry weight tea.

 

 

Different concentrations of compounds in tea are responsible for different characteristics in tea:

Polyphenols- astringency and bitterness
Amino Acids – sweetness and flavor
Caffeine- bitterness and briskness

Catechins

It’s because of catechins that tea is listed by research as one of the top foods to be consumed for better health and longer lifespan. There are four main catechin types found in tea EC, ECG, EGC and EGCG of which the last one is most potent.

Amino Acids

The amino acid L-theanine is characteristic only to tea plants and a few kinds of mushrooms. This substance provides the sweetness in tea. Leaves and buds collected early in the season have a higher concentration of theanine and are therefore sweeter in flavor.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant that affects our central nervous system and gives bitterness to the tea. Young tea leaves amd buds have a higher caffeine amount, but generally a cup a tea can contain 15 – 30mg of this substance.

How it works

Any substance that works in our as an antioxidant gives away an electron – this is the most important characteristic for antioxidants. Electrons like to be in pairs and substances with an uneven number of electrons can cause damage to our body – these are also known as free radicals. When an electron is donated by the antioxidant to the harmful substance is can be ‘calmed down’ and potential damage can be avoided. What also occurs is that the antioxidant after giving away the electron becomes a radical itself and has to be given an elecrton from a different type of antioxidant. The antioxidants work togather as a team and your body needs different kinds of antioxidants from rich sources like naturally grown foods, fruits, vegatables and tea in order to keep a balance.

Green tea and your brain

I found an interesting short video about the how green tea affects your brain allowing it to be more focused and efficient.

Learning how to taste tea

The tea liquor has different dimensions and it’s flavor has a foreground, middle ground and background flavors and by properly tasting tea we can experience all of those. Teas from the same region can share similarities in taste, therefore their differences and quality can be compared with teas from other regions and provinces. When tasting tea you need to pay attention to three main things - aroma, flavor and color.

A complete tea tasting consists of examining the dry leaves, examining the leaves after infusion and tasting the tea liquor. Look at the dry leaves and pay attention to how they are rolled, what size they are and how they smell. After infusing the leaves look at how they unfolded and if they are whole or in smaller pieces. Professional tea tasters take a small sip of the tea, swish is around their mouth and spit it out, tasting the teas quickly one after another.

Key things to pay attention to while evaluating tea

• Acidity – sensed on the sides of the tongue
• Sweetness - sugary taste that can be tasted at the tip of the tongue
• Tannin – can be tasted at the back of the tongue and tastes bitter, also has a drying effect on the gums
• Length – is how long you can taste the tea in your mouth after you swallowed, the longer the taste stays the higher the quality of tea
• Body – weight and fullness of tea
• Balance – when all the components of tea work well together

You don’t have to be a professional to enjoy tea and with time the more teas you taste the easier you’ll be able to develop your own palette of flavors and indentify tea quality. Here is some vocabulary taken from Teaosophy used by professional tea tasters that might help you describe your experience of each step

Dry leaves

• Adhesive – Well-rolled, wiry leaves that tend to cling together when picked up
• Attractive – Well-made, uniform in color, size, and texture
• Bloom – Leaves look lively and have a lustrous quality
• Brown- Leaves are brown in color. Although black is a desirable color for black tea leaves, tippy teas are never totally black due to the presence of the lighter-colored tips, which are desirable
• Dull – Lacking bloom
• Dusty - Leaf tea that contains some tea dust
• Golden Tip - Tea contains golden colored leaf tips. This is desirable
• Leafy – Tea containing larger than average leaves
• Leggy – Tea leaves are long and thin
• Stylish – Leaf of superior appearance containing “tip”
• Tip – Pieces of the leaf tip
• Tippy – Teas that contain generous amounts of leaf tip and therefore produce a more flavorful cup.
• Well-twisted – Refers to how the leaf was rolled. A leaf that has “twist” is well-rolled.
• Whiskery – Leaves covered with a fine hairy fiber. Also described as “hairy”.
• Wiry – A thin long leaf that has been nicely rolled.

Infused leaves

• Aroma – Leaves have a fragrant smell
• Bright – Leaves have a lively reflective quality rather than looking dull
• Coppery – Leaves have a coppery color, usually denoting a good quality tea
• Dark – Leaves are dark or dull in color, sometimes denoting a lesser quality tea
• Dull – Leaves that lack a bright, reflective quality

Tea liquor

• Aroma – An attractive smell sometimes referred to as “nose” or “bouquet.” High grown teas, such as Darjeeling, are prized for their distinctive aroma
• Astringency – The lively, pungent sensation on your tongue that gives tea its refreshing quality. This is not to be confused with bitterness
• Bakey – An unpleasant taste caused by using very high temperatures during drying (“firing”) the leaves and consequently driving out too much moisture
• Biscuity – A pleasant taste resembling fresh baked bread that can be found in some Assam teas.
• Bitter – An unpleasant bitter taste.
• Body – How the tea liquor feels in your mouth. A tea is described has having light, medium, or full body. Full-bodied teas have fullness and strength as opposed to being thin. A tea’s body will vary according to the region in which it was grown.
• Brassy – An unpleasant, bitter metallic taste.
• Bright – Liquor looks lively as opposed to dull. This quality becomes more apparent after the addition of milk.
• Brisk – A vivacious, slightly astringent taste as opposed to flat or soft tasting liquor.
• Character – Distinct qualities of the tea that allow the taster to detect the region where the tea was grown.
• Color – Describes depth of color. The region when the tea was grown and the grade of tea play a part in the resulting shade and depth of the liquor color.
• Coloury – A liquor that possesses depth of color, sometimes indicating full body or taste, but not necessarily so.
• Course – An undesirable harsh, bitter taste.
• Complex – A multidimensional aroma or taste profile.
• Dry- A slightly bakey or scorched taste.
• Dull – A liquor that lacks a lively, bright character in both appearance and taste.
• Fine – Tea of exceptional taste and quality.
• Flat – Lifeless liquor completely lacking in briskness. This can be the result of tea that is old or has been stored improperly.
• Flavoury- Tea that has a pronounced, satisfying flavor. Pronounced flavour is more generally found in high grown teas such as Darjeeling, Nilgiri, Kerala, and Ceylon.
• Full – Tea possessing color, strength and body as opposed to being empty or thin.
• Hard – Tea that has penetrating and desirable strength, particularly used for Assam tea.
• Harshness – An unpleasant degree of strength.
• Heavy – Tea that possesses a thick, strong liquor with depth of color but is lacking in briskness.
• Hungry – When the characteristics generally associated with the tea variety or region of origin are not present.
• Light/Pale- Liquor that does not have depth of color but may be flavoury or pungent. Darjeeling tea is a good example of this.
• Malty – A desirable malted barley taste often found in Assam tea.
• Mellow – Tea leaves which have matured well produce a mellow tasting tea.
• Muscatel- Grapey taste. This is an exceptional characteristic found in some Darjeeling tea.
• Point(y) – A desirable brightness and acidity often associated with Ceylon teas.
• Pungent – A bright liquor that has pronounced briskness and a strong, astringent flavor. Highly desirable.
• Rich – A pleasantly thick and mellow liquor.
• Round – A full, smooth-tasting liquor.
• Stale – Tea that has an unpleasant taste because it is old or has been stored in damp conditions.
• Strong – Liquor possesses strength of body and flavor.
• Thick – Tea that has good body as opposed to being “thin”. Assam tea is known for producing a thick liquor.
• Thin- Tea that lacks body. This is not necessarily undesirable as certain tea growing regions, such as Darjeeling, are celebrated for their tea’s thin, flavoury liquors. However teas from Assam should never have a thin liquor.
• Tired – Tea that is past its prime and consequently has a flat or stale character.
• Woody – Tea that has a sawdust-like character

 

If you’re interested in tea tasting sessions you can check out Jane Pattigrew Masterclasses or Teatasing.net