This is Chapter 5 of The Masterclass on Tea, where we explore the best practices for tea infusion, and how factors of infusion time, water temperature, and leaf:water ratio can affect the flavor profile of tea. #tea #howtomaketea #tealover

Tea infusion is the process of extracting the flavors and aromas from tea leaves by steeping them in hot water. The quality of the tea infusion depends on many factors, including the type of tea, the water quality, and the brewing method.

One of the key factors that affect the flavor profile of tea is the infusion time. This is the amount of time that the tea leaves are steeped in hot water. The longer the infusion time, the more flavors and aromas will be extracted from the tea leaves, but if the infusion time is too long, the tea can become bitter and astringent.

Another important factor is the water temperature. The ideal water temperature for tea infusion depends on the type of tea, but in general, the hotter the water, the more flavors and aromas will be extracted from the tea leaves. However, if the water is too hot, the tea can become bitter and astringent.

The third factor that affects the flavor profile of tea is the leaf:water ratio. This is the ratio of tea leaves to water used for brewing. The higher the leaf:water ratio, the stronger the tea will be, but if the ratio is too high, the tea can become overpowering and overwhelming.

Overall, the best practices for tea infusion involve finding the right balance of infusion time, water temperature, and leaf:water ratio that will extract the maximum flavor and aroma from the tea leaves, while avoiding bitterness and astringency.

Beyond that, we discuss the molecular basis of tea flavor, and how each of the 3 tools affect the extraction of key flavor compounds to impact the final flavor profile of your tea.

We talk about the relative roles of tea polyphenols, tea free amino acids, and caffeine in building tea flavor, and how those compounds infuse into water at different times and temperatures. We discuss the TC:AA ratio, or the Tea Catechin:Amino Acid Ratio, which is a metric commonly used to objectively quantify a tea’s overall astringency/palatability. We talk about 3 ‘high risk’ situations in which it is easy and common to brew a cup of tea with an exceedingly high TC:AA ratio, and how we may best apply the three tools of tea infusion to prevent this from happening.

Finally, we end the chapter with a discussion of the role of personal preference in ‘optimal tea infusion’. How much of tea infusion is objective vs. subjective? Is there really a one-size-fits-all approach to tea infusion? Of course there is not, due to environmental and genetic factors affecting individuals, as well as numerous factors affecting tea type, quality, etc.

Overall, this video is an excellent primer on tea flavor and the individual’s role in affecting tea flavor through their chosen tea infusion practices. So, be sure to watch this video to learn more about the factors that affect the flavor profile of tea.


00:00 – Intro & Hype Reel
2:19 – The Goal of Tea Infusion
2:36 – 3 Critical Tea Flavor Compounds
3:29 – 3 Tools of Tea Infusion/Tea Flavor Extraction
3:57 – Tool #1: Water Temperature
7:14 – Tool #2: Infusion Time
9:30 – Tool #3: Leaf:Water Ratio
10:10 – Let’s Apply the 3 Tools of Tea Infusion
10:26 – The TC:AA Ratio: A Tea Flavor Quality Metric
11:09 – Excessive TC:AA Risk Factor #1: Low Grade Tea
14:48 – Excessive TC:AA Risk Factor #2: Less Oxidized Tea Types
20:28 – Excessive TC:AA Risk Factor #3: Sit-and-Soak Infusion Styles
24:16 – Improvising with the 3 Tools
25:30 – PERSONAL PREFERENCE affects tea infusion
27:33 – Chapter 6 Preview & Closing Words


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My FAVORITE Tea Infusion Style is with Clay TEAPOTS and Gaiwans from Purple Cloud Tea House: https://purplecloudteahouse.com?bg_ref=7kHiafoSDT

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A tea tumbler that I like:
https://amzn.to/3tgFeAd


Credits:


Intro track: I Dunno by Grapes http://ccmixter.org/files/grapes/16626 Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/i-dunno-grapes Music promoted by Audio Library    • I Dunno – Grapes (No Copyright Music)  


Outro track by Jared Mulcahy