Tea Filter Cup
Posted on Sunday, January 10th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
Loose Leaf Or Tea Bags: Quality Vs. Convenience
With an ever-growing selection of quality pre-bagged tea as well as the increasing availability of loose-leaf tea, tea lovers have a choice of formats and presentations. Bulk teas offer a certain experience, while pre-bagged teas are inarguably convenient. There is a bit more to it than this, however.
It isn’t really disputable that the store-bought tea bags don’t contain the highest quality of teas, although many teabag-producing firms will probably argue this point. It’s clear, however, that in order to get the tea into standard-sized bags the leaves must either be crushed and broken (also called “fannings”) or quite small—smaller than the leaves of tea bought in bulk. Breaking tea leaves causes them to shed natural oils that preserve their flavor.
Tea purchased in bulk is nearly always whole, unbroken leaves. This takes up more room for shipping and retailing, but allows the teas to retain their oils, which leads to longer shelf lives and better taste. Teas that have been carefully handled and stored during processing should be largely unaltered by the time they are purchased.
A related issue is that of simple space. Tea expands and unrolls when steeped in hot water, especially when they are shrunken-looking or crumpled while dried. Tea in bags requires not only that the leaves are small or broken, but can also allow insufficient room for them to expand while brewing. The proper circulation of water around the tea promotes the full extraction of flavor.
The main advantages of teabags are convenience and portability. Equipped with a teabag or two, the only requirement for a relaxing cup of tea is a good mug and a supply of hot water. Preparing loose-leaf tea requires the addition of a tea ball or infuser, usually with a lid, and a small additional dish on which to rest the sloppy, wet device after removing it from the liquid. Discarding a tea bag is likewise a simple chore, while clearing up the wet tea leaves and other soiled equipment can be time-consuming and messy.
Loose-leaf tea lovers also complain of reduced freshness and flavor retention stemming from the crushed state of the tea found in bags, and likewise that the tea loses its charm far more quickly. It is occasionally asserted that the paper from which the bags are made lend disagreeable flavors, but this is disputable unless the bags have been whitened with harsh chemicals.
The dichotomy between bagged and loose-leaf tea isn’t quite as stark as it used to be. High quality teas of many types formerly obtainable only in bulk form are now available in bags; conversely, large, empty bags and filters are available to construct homemade teabags with favorite loose teas for convenience or travel. It doesn’t seem like tea lovers would balk at a delicious tea experience even if offered in something other than their preferred format!
The best quality tea is loose leaf, so you’ll need a japanese tea set, kyusu, or cast iron teapot to steep it.
Personal Filter Cup
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