Judging by the reviews, many find it difficult to imagine a meal without a cup of tea. Some people like a granular drink. However, most prefer sheet products. There are also consumers who purchase different batches in order to mix the tea leaves in the future, thus creating a unique mixture. Tea ceremony connoisseurs regard such actions as blasphemy, since loose tea and granular tea are completely different. What is the peculiarity of sheet products? What to consider when buying tea from leaves. You will learn more about this from this article.
Acquaintance
In the production of high-quality leaf product, delicate tea buds and young leaves are used. Mechanical equipment for processing raw materials is not involved. Leaflets are collected manually. Tea production involves a fermentation procedure. Its essence is to translate insoluble (non-extrudable) substances that are in the body of the leaf into soluble, which will be easily absorbed. Fermented tea from the leaves is a very tasty, aromatic and color-rich drink.
About taste
Judging by numerous consumer reviews, tea is less tart from tea leaves than from granular or packaged products. In addition, it has a very bright taste and aroma. Of course, a granular and packaged drink is brewed much faster. Thus, in a short period of time, you can prepare a fairly strong infusion. This explains why they are drunk mainly in offices. However, such teas undergo prolonged mechanical processing, as a result of which beneficial substances evaporate from them. Unlike other species, tea leaves are not subjected to granulation, which makes it more useful. It is customary to brew it at home.
About the benefits of leaf tea
According to experts, such a drink will have a beneficial effect on your body. Studies have shown that tea leaves normalize blood pressure, metabolism and digestion. This drink is not only able to quench your thirst, but is also considered a good tonic. It will replenish your strength, relieve fatigue and improve well-being. Tea made from leaves will increase immunity, improve the condition of the skin and hair, and slow down the aging process. It has high antibacterial properties. If you have gout, peptic ulcer or problems with the oral cavity, then most likely the doctor will advise you to drink from a sheet of black tea.
Methods of packaging products
Tea made from leaves can be of different quality. To help you better navigate, pay attention to the packaging of this product. For example, tea from small leaves is the lowest grade product. The fact is that the residues from production are used for it. According to consumers, you can brew it quickly enough, the drink itself is very strong, but with an inexpressive taste. For medium leaf tea, broken and damaged raw materials are used. The tincture has a deep color and a pleasant aroma. The most useful is the liquid brewed from a large sheet. Tea is obtained with an expressive and very rich taste. Unlike previous grades, in this case the whole sheets are twisted and have no damage.
How to brew leafy green tea?
According to experts, in this case should take into account the variety of products. For example, the more tender it is, the less time it will take to brew it. In addition, water should have a lower temperature. In general, it should vary between 75-85 degrees. The procedure takes half a minute. Oolong tea is brewed seven times. It is noteworthy that for each subsequent insistence, time is gradually increased. Prepare a drink in a well-heated ceramic or glass teapot. First, tea is poured into the container, and then it is poured with hot water. As a result, you will get a liquid containing many useful substances.
How to cook a black sheet?
Judging by numerous consumer reviews, black leaf tea is considered the most popular. How to make this drink? According to experts, the temperature of the water that you need to fill in the leaves should vary between 85-100 degrees. Often newcomers are interested in how many infusions are required? The fact is that, unlike green tea, black tea is very strong. This can be seen already in its rather saturated color. Therefore, putting too much tea leaves is not recommended. In general, no more than 7 grams of tea will suffice for a 400 ml teapot. To get a really good tea, you should consider some of the nuances, more about which below.
Products must not contain foreign matter
Specialists call such a product "box", popularly called "tea with wood." Extraneous inclusions are represented by fragments of twigs, wood, foil, paper and plywood. Mostly these inclusions are in low-grade teas. In the crushed leaves, the manufacturer adds tea powder, dust, and then packs it in filter paper or fabric bags. Experts recommend not buying these teas.
About the quality of fermentation
This can be judged by the twisting of long and thin tea leaves. Strong curl indicates that the brewed tea will turn out to be strong, weak - the drink will be softer and more aromatic. If the leaves are not curled at all, then most likely they were dried in the usual way. Tea leaves can be weakly and strongly twisted. According to experts, the greater the curl, the longer the tea can be stored. By conscientious manufacturers such products are delivered to the market in packages with transparent windows. Thus, the buyer has the opportunity to personally familiarize themselves with the torsion of large-leaf tea.
Dry tea
If the product is of high quality, then it should be slightly moist (up to 6%). If this indicator is higher, the worse: it will quickly grow moldy and turn into poison. Too dry tea is also considered bad. The degree of humidity is checked simply: just rub the tea leaves with your fingers. If at the same time it turned into dust, then it means - it is overdried. It may be that the products will simply be burned. In this case, the smell of burning will come from it. Such tea is considered a factory marriage.
About smells
Tea must be properly packaged and with a pleasant aroma. Each type of tea has its own characteristic smell: green - herbal or bitter, black - resinous-floral or sweet. If the products were not stored properly, then the smell of gasoline, cosmetics, fish, cat food, etc. will come from it. It happens that there is a smell of metal. It is quite specific, and therefore it is not immediately possible to recognize it. In general, notes of rusting metal and oxidizing copper predominate. These teas are also not worth buying.
Finally
A very important quality of any tea product is its freshness. The most expensive is tea that has been stored for no more than two months. Products that are already six months old are half the price. However, judging by the reviews, there is not much difference between such teas. If the shelf life has exceeded a year, then such sheets are best discarded.
The fact is that tannin is already being split in them by this time. When you pour boiling water over them, you yourself will see that the taste of the drink is unpleasant, tart and bitter.