Darjeeling tea is a popular tea variety that originates from the Camellia sinensis tea plant. This tea is a thin, light-colored tea and has a floral aroma. Darjeeling is a unique kind of tea since its leaves can be processed in various ways to bring out black, white, green, or oolong tea. If you are a tea lover and not getting the pleasing aroma and flavor when drinking Darjeeling tea, you need to note some factors that make you not get the right taste and flavor.
Before preparing Darjeeling tea, ensure that you have Darjeeling tea leaves from the right source. You can get organic Darjeeling tea from online tea and coffee shop near you. Also, note the different procedures of preparing this tea using the various types of tea leaves. Let’s see some of the factors to consider before drinking Darjeeling tea.
Tea leaves storage area
Since tea leaves are sensitive to the external environment, they must be stored under proper conditions. The longer you keep them in an open and unprotected place, the more you weaken their authentic taste. If possible, you can store them in an airtight aluminum container to maintain their natural flavor and aroma.
Additional ingredients
It is best not to add ingredients such as milk and sugar to this type of tea as it will change the original taste of this tea. This is because additional ingredients will eliminate the actual taste of this tea. However, there is no harm in adding few lemon drops of lemon juice since it can complement the tea’s taste.
Type of water
When preparing Darjeeling tea, it is advisable to use only soft water. In many cases, people use tap water, which is not ideal when making this type of tea because it contains chlorine, iron, salt, and other impurities that will spoil its original taste, flavor, aroma, or texture. You can get soft water from a modernized water purifier or packed drinking water and prepare your tea appropriately to get its authentic elements or order from the monthly tea club.
Equipment used
Make sure that you use the appropriate equipment when preparing this tea. The right equipment will give your tea the best flavor and taste. Most tea makers fail to maintain the tea’s original flavor and taste because they are unaware of the importance of using proper equipment. You can use China porcelain pots since they are considered the best for steeping this tea. If you want to brew multiple blends of this tea, use different teapots for each blend to prevent cross-contamination across the various varieties of this tea.
Tea leaves infusion
Tea leaves infusion is an essential part of the preparation procedure, so you should do it properly. The first requirement is to toss the tea leaves before you put them in hot water. Avoid equipment such as metallic infusion balls as they can distort the original taste of the tea. Such fussy minor metal cases can ease the brewing process, but they will alter the original taste of the tea.
The type of tea or flushes that you use significantly determines the steeping time for this tea. In most cases, it can be a trial and error process, but most tea makers agree that you should steep the hot water for about 3 to 5 minutes with tea leaves inside.
Caffeine level
The caffeine level is known to affect blood pressure, sleep patterns, and heart rate. Therefore, it is essential to consider the best moment to drink your tea carefully. Typically, this tea contains about 50mg of caffeine per 8 fl oz cup, depending on the flush. This amount of caffeine tends to be lower than black tea but higher than green tea. Therefore, basing on caffeine levels, the best time you can take Darjeeling is at late hours of the day.
Sensitivities
Sometimes it’s not appropriate to drink Darjeeling loose leaf tea on an empty stomach as it can cause discomfort if your stomach is sensitive. If you like to drink tea first thing in the morning, you can first opt for a cup of white tea since it tends to be better on an empty stomach. If you have a sensitive stomach, the best time to enjoy Darjeeling is after breakfast to avoid the discomfort.
Parting words
Preparing or drinking a cup of Darjeeling entails a lot of factors, such as the above mentioned. Most of the factors result from the overall characteristics of this particular cup of tea. Before preparing or taking this kind of tea, you can keep the above factors in mind to enjoy its original taste and aroma. Get Darjeeling tea bags from the online tea and coffee shop around you or buy organic Darjeeling tea online.
