Tips on Removing the Caffeine from Quality Tea

Approximately 80% of the caffeine in tea is released during the first 30-seconds of steeping, therefore to remove most of the caffeine from any tea simply

1. Pour boiling water over the tea leaves
2. Allow the leaves to steep for 30 seconds
3. Pour out the brew, saving the steeped leaves
4. Re-steep the same leaves with more boiling water for the recommended steeping times.

Note: I have tested this method because I am sensitive to caffeine and it works!

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Green Tea and White Tea

When preparing green tea and white teas, always use filtered cold water and bring it to a rolling boil. Next, allow the water to cool to a temperature somewhere between 165-185 degrees before you pour it over the tea leaves. (Boiling water usually takes between 30 and 60 seconds to cool to this temperature.) Never use boiling water to prepare your white or green tea. Water at this temperature will "cook" the leaves and destroy the tea and its flavor, creating a bitter tasting tea. Approximately 160 degrees is perfect for green teas and white teas taste best at approximately 185 degrees.

The amount of tea you will need per pot or cup is less than you might expect. Use approximately 2 grams of tea per cup to make a perfect tasting tea (1 teaspoon for a 6 to 8 oz. cup). You can use leaves for more than one infusion, and this is a common practice throughout the world. Full-leaf teas always produce more than one cup per teaspoon when made correctly.

Always rinse out the cup or pot you are going to use to prepare the tea with hot water to heat the vessel. Then measure in the leaves. To reduce the amount of caffeine, pour just enough hot water over the leaves to cover them. Next, let the tea sit for approximately 20 seconds, and then pour off the water. Now cover the leaves with enough water to make a perfect cup or pot of tea and allow the tea to steep.

Green Tea: Steep the tea for 1 to 2 minutes only.

White Tea: Steep from 4 to 15 minutes, with the leaves immersed. Now taste. With tea, smell is next to taste in importance. If the taste of the tea isn't to your liking, then adjust the steeping time. Steeping is entirely based on individual preference. You can reuse green tea leaves for a second and third cup. If you make additional cups from the same tea leaves, we suggest you steep the first cup for 90 seconds, the second cup for 1 minute, and the third cup for 1 minute. You can also steep 2 minutes for each cup.

Once you've poured water over the leaves they begin to uncurl, leaving large pieces of tea floating in your pot or cup. Because some teas are denser than others, you'll want to experiment with the amount of tea you put in your cup and the length of time you allow for steeping.Remove the leaves to avoid overcooking, which may create a bitter taste. You can use a cupping set and experiment with different amounts of tea and steeping times.

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What you will need: Two pots, large glasses, crushed ice cubes, granulate sugar or gum syrup, tealeaves, strainer, glass, and timer.

1. Place tea leaves into a pre-warmed pot. The amount of tea should be adjusted accordingly (same as with hot tea). One teaspoon of leaves per glass.Quickly pour boiling water into the pot using half the amount of water normally used for hot tea. Melting ice cubes will dilute the tea. Tea should therefore be brewed at double strength by using half the amount of water for the same amount of tea.Cover with a lid and allow tea to steep approximately two minutes.Pour tea into another pot using a strainer.(Optional) If you prefer sweetened tea, place sugar into a second pot before you pour tea into it. Sugar should be absorbed completely at this point. If you add 1.5 to 2 times more sugar than you would for hot tea, it will taste just right. Place crushed ice cubes into glass and pour double-strength hot tea over it allowing it to chill.

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For best results:

Before tea leaves are placed within a pot, pour hot water over the pot and cups so until they are warmed. Alternatively, fill teapot with hot water then pour more hot water into tea cups to warm.

Use more tea leaves than you would for Japanese tea. Fill with hot water to the top of the pot. It is important to remove bubbles from the surface of the tea with the cover of the pot. Covering the pot will also prevent loss of aroma. Once again pour hot water over the teapot to maintain the proper temperature.

When the surface of the teapot is dry, the tea will be ready to drink. Discard water from the tea cups then pour tea equally (quantity and strength) amongst the cups.

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Preparing Rooibos Hot Tea

Rooibos tea should be steeped or brewed with boling water for a minimum of 5 minutes to release the flavor and the valuable antioxidants and minerals. Experts suggest that brewing Rooibos for 10 minutes or longer will increase the antioxidant content of the tea by 30%. After this, the tea can be used immediately or stored.

 Important Note: Greentealovers is using a Chinese green tea with its Rooibos combination blend that can withstand boiling temperatures (green tea typically is best infused at lower temepratures). We recommed and infusion of 3-5 minutes for this combination blend (per taste) to balance the Green and Roibos tea notes.

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