Boiled tea?

[mbanu]

I've always thought of boiling tea as a major no-no as far as flavor is concerned, something to be left to people who see tea simply as a source of caffeine. However, recently I've come to understand that this is both a standard way that Pu'er is consumed, as well as the usual route for making Indian chai, the basis of the tea concentrate (zavarka) used in serving tea Russian-style, and the original method for consuming tea in China back in the Tang Dynasty.

When tea is boiled, what is lost in flavor and what is gained? Are there certain types of tea that take to this sort of treatment better than others?

Edited November 29, 2010 by mbanu (log)

[Will]

Puer is usually only boiled when brewing it for Tibetan style brick tea, and from what I understand, this is usually a fairly low quality ripe puer which has a higher than usual amount of compression. I would guess this is done this way partially because it's tradition; also, I think both types of tea you mention are traditionally consumed with other substances added, rather than just as straight tea, which might have something to do with why the tea is boiled.

Most folks who drink puer (whether sheng or shu) brew it the normal way. Sometimes, if drinking really old and rare puer, I will boil the tea leaves after they no longer produce much tea when brewed normally.

Edited November 29, 2010 by Will (log)

[Jenni]

All I know is that this is the way chai is made. It's got a lot more caffeine in it apparently. Remember though that there tends to be more milk (and sugar) in chai than in Western tea, so it's strong but not over-powering.

[Yajna Patni]

usually the chai i have drunk (not sweet US chai made from syrup) is well boiled using CTC tea, or tea dust. well boiled with half milk and preferably buffalo milk for the higher fat content, with spices and sugar. The boiled tea has a strong more bitter tannic taste, which is perfect when you what it to be tasted through the full fat milk sugar and spice.

To my taste an unbiled chai is a little lame... dosn't have the same strong filling quality. The spices tend to overwhelm the taste of the tea and it all works less well as a whole Leaf teas dno not boil as well as a CTC to my taste.

I really don't see it as an issue of lower or higher or better or not. It's different, two different tastes. A sangria made with a very delicate expensive wine is not much good either.

[mbanu]

A video on making boiled pu'er courtesy of Foreign Languages Press via TEARoma:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VjfN_el6SQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbcPXsD-RI8

Bulk of the actual tea-making process is in the 2nd video.

Edited January 4, 2011 by mbanu (log)