On Sat, 06 Nov 2004 14:47:04 -0500, Darren
wrote:

A cup of tea should be made fresh every time. NEVER microwave your tea.
When you microwave tea, it changes the chemical composition of the tea
and thus, the taste and purity.

Exactly what changes occur to the chemical composition?

--
PC: HP Omnibook 6000
OS: Win 2K SP-4 (5.00.2195)
LAN: P2P with an HP Vectra workstation
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/03/04)

Top Spin wrote:
On Sat, 06 Nov 2004 14:47:04 -0500, Darren
wrote:


A cup of tea should be made fresh every time. NEVER microwave your tea.
When you microwave tea, it changes the chemical composition of the tea
and thus, the taste and purity.


Exactly what changes occur to the chemical composition?

--
PC: HP Omnibook 6000
OS: Win 2K SP-4 (5.00.2195)
LAN: P2P with an HP Vectra workstation
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/03/04)

Research could be done on the precise changes that tea undergoes
when microwaved. I do not have the equipment or expertise to carry out
such a study. I will, however, quote you what I have found from a well
regarded professional Tea taster:


"Tea should be made in a lidded vessel to contain the volatile and
vital aromatics it contains, not in an open cup. And, further, the
teapot or lidded cup should be appropriate in every respect to the tea
which is being infused inside of it."

"Volatilization or degree of evaporation (retro-nasally) is
dependent on many factors. The temperature of the tea and the surface
area of the cup or spoon changes both volatility and evaporation rate.
If I cup a tea using a cup with a surface diameter of 9 cm and an exact
tea cupper's spoon and at a temperature of 200 degrees, and if you, at
home, use a cup with a surface diameter of 7 or 11 cm, a tablespoon and
at a temperature of 130 degrees, are we then cupping the same tea?
Obviously, we are not. Can you understand how the dynamics of the flavor
profile will change?"

"Volatile flavor components can be generated in a number of ways.
Fermentation causes one type of flavor, as esters, as well as alcohols,
and trace sulfur and other components are formed. Oxidation is another
avenue of flavor component generation. Heating, cooking or browning
causes yet other flavor components to be generated..."

source: http://www.teatalk.com/general/taste.htm

Again i tell you, Tea is very delicate. My own experience with tea tells
me that a microwaved cup of tea or tea thats been sitting on a slow
burner all day, is a much different tasting and LOWER quality tea than a
freshly prepared cup.

Tea preparation should be considered an art form. Subtle changes in the
way we brew tea lead to better tasting, more enjoyable cups. Americans
especially, where tea drinking is gaining in popularity, need to make
sure we arent treating tea as something to be consumed carelessly.

Darren

Top Spin wrote:
On Sat, 06 Nov 2004 14:47:04 -0500, Darren
wrote:


A cup of tea should be made fresh every time. NEVER microwave your tea.
When you microwave tea, it changes the chemical composition of the tea
and thus, the taste and purity.


Exactly what changes occur to the chemical composition?

--
PC: HP Omnibook 6000
OS: Win 2K SP-4 (5.00.2195)
LAN: P2P with an HP Vectra workstation
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/03/04)

Research could be done on the precise changes that tea undergoes
when microwaved. I do not have the equipment or expertise to carry out
such a study. I will, however, quote you what I have found from a well
regarded professional Tea taster:


"Tea should be made in a lidded vessel to contain the volatile and
vital aromatics it contains, not in an open cup. And, further, the
teapot or lidded cup should be appropriate in every respect to the tea
which is being infused inside of it."

"Volatilization or degree of evaporation (retro-nasally) is
dependent on many factors. The temperature of the tea and the surface
area of the cup or spoon changes both volatility and evaporation rate.
If I cup a tea using a cup with a surface diameter of 9 cm and an exact
tea cupper's spoon and at a temperature of 200 degrees, and if you, at
home, use a cup with a surface diameter of 7 or 11 cm, a tablespoon and
at a temperature of 130 degrees, are we then cupping the same tea?
Obviously, we are not. Can you understand how the dynamics of the flavor
profile will change?"

"Volatile flavor components can be generated in a number of ways.
Fermentation causes one type of flavor, as esters, as well as alcohols,
and trace sulfur and other components are formed. Oxidation is another
avenue of flavor component generation. Heating, cooking or browning
causes yet other flavor components to be generated..."

source: http://www.teatalk.com/general/taste.htm

Again i tell you, Tea is very delicate. My own experience with tea tells
me that a microwaved cup of tea or tea thats been sitting on a slow
burner all day, is a much different tasting and LOWER quality tea than a
freshly prepared cup.

Tea preparation should be considered an art form. Subtle changes in the
way we brew tea lead to better tasting, more enjoyable cups. Americans
especially, where tea drinking is gaining in popularity, need to make
sure we arent treating tea as something to be consumed carelessly.

Darren

On Mon, 01 Nov 2004 17:01:18 -0800, Top Spin wrote:

Can anyone recommend a good thermos (4-6 cup capacity)?

I think that you also need to look at the quality of the tea: Some of my
teas become cloudy (opaque) after a while and those do not keep long at an
elevated temperature. Cloudiness is always connected to fine dust in the
liquor and this dust seems to influence the quality. On the other hand, I
have used very clean Oolongs many times and kept them in a thermos for 5
or more hours, without a significant change in taste.
Discarding the first few seconds of a brew might possibly help, it may
remove particulate material.

JB

On Mon, 01 Nov 2004 17:01:18 -0800, Top Spin wrote:

Can anyone recommend a good thermos (4-6 cup capacity)?

I think that you also need to look at the quality of the tea: Some of my
teas become cloudy (opaque) after a while and those do not keep long at an
elevated temperature. Cloudiness is always connected to fine dust in the
liquor and this dust seems to influence the quality. On the other hand, I
have used very clean Oolongs many times and kept them in a thermos for 5
or more hours, without a significant change in taste.
Discarding the first few seconds of a brew might possibly help, it may
remove particulate material.

JB

On Mon, 01 Nov 2004 17:01:18 -0800, Top Spin wrote:

Can anyone recommend a good thermos (4-6 cup capacity)?

I think that you also need to look at the quality of the tea: Some of my
teas become cloudy (opaque) after a while and those do not keep long at an
elevated temperature. Cloudiness is always connected to fine dust in the
liquor and this dust seems to influence the quality. On the other hand, I
have used very clean Oolongs many times and kept them in a thermos for 5
or more hours, without a significant change in taste.
Discarding the first few seconds of a brew might possibly help, it may
remove particulate material.

JB

J Boehm wrote:
I think that you also need to look at the quality of the tea: Some of my
teas become cloudy (opaque) after a while and those do not keep long at an
elevated temperature. Cloudiness is always connected to fine dust in the
liquor

Always? I've read that various tea components (e.g. tannins and caffeine)
react over a few minutes to form sparingly soluble complexes that
precipitate out as a fine floc. My own results with dust-free teas are
consistent with this. In addition, the temperature-solubility profile of
some other components is so steep that a few degrees' drop, especially in
stronger brews, brings on cloudiness.

-DM

On Sun, 07 Nov 2004 16:00:48 +0000, Dog Ma 1 wrote:

J Boehm wrote:
I think that you also need to look at the quality of the tea: Some of my
teas become cloudy (opaque) after a while and those do not keep long at
an elevated temperature. Cloudiness is always connected to fine dust in
the liquor

Always? I've read that various tea components (e.g. tannins and caffeine)
react over a few minutes to form sparingly soluble complexes that
precipitate out as a fine floc. My own results with dust-free teas are
consistent with this. In addition, the temperature-solubility profile of
some other components is so steep that a few degrees' drop, especially in
stronger brews, brings on cloudiness.

-DM

I am not a chemist but only a simple physicist and hence try to reduce
phenomena to their simplest cause. I use a Pyrex glass beaker (from a
laboratory) to drink tea and can therefore see the opacity quite clearly.
On a number of Assams I see cloudiness quickly, hence they are not used in
a thermos anymore. However, a few Oolongs and a Turkish tea (low in
tannin) hold up very well and even after 6 hours I cannot see cloudiness.
The taste holds up pretty well too, especially with the Oolongs. I brew my
teas well below boiling, at about 80-90 centigrade, Assams are doused with
boiling water. Maybe it is time for a chemist to speak now ;-)

JB

On Sun, 07 Nov 2004 16:00:48 +0000, Dog Ma 1 wrote:

J Boehm wrote:
I think that you also need to look at the quality of the tea: Some of my
teas become cloudy (opaque) after a while and those do not keep long at
an elevated temperature. Cloudiness is always connected to fine dust in
the liquor

Always? I've read that various tea components (e.g. tannins and caffeine)
react over a few minutes to form sparingly soluble complexes that
precipitate out as a fine floc. My own results with dust-free teas are
consistent with this. In addition, the temperature-solubility profile of
some other components is so steep that a few degrees' drop, especially in
stronger brews, brings on cloudiness.

-DM

I am not a chemist but only a simple physicist and hence try to reduce
phenomena to their simplest cause. I use a Pyrex glass beaker (from a
laboratory) to drink tea and can therefore see the opacity quite clearly.
On a number of Assams I see cloudiness quickly, hence they are not used in
a thermos anymore. However, a few Oolongs and a Turkish tea (low in
tannin) hold up very well and even after 6 hours I cannot see cloudiness.
The taste holds up pretty well too, especially with the Oolongs. I brew my
teas well below boiling, at about 80-90 centigrade, Assams are doused with
boiling water. Maybe it is time for a chemist to speak now ;-)

JB

Darren wrote:
Top Spin wrote:
Darren wrote:
A cup of tea should be made fresh every time. NEVER microwave your
tea. When you microwave tea, it changes the chemical composition of
the tea and thus, the taste and purity.
Exactly what changes occur to the chemical composition?
Research could be done on the precise changes that tea undergoes when
microwaved. I do not have the equipment or expertise to carry out such a
study. I will, however, quote you what I have found from a well regarded
professional Tea taster: snip
source: http://www.teatalk.com/general/taste.htm Again i tell you,
Tea is very delicate. My own experience with tea tells me that a
microwaved cup of tea or tea thats been sitting on a slow burner all day,
is a much different tasting and LOWER quality tea than a freshly prepared
cup. Tea preparation should be considered an art form. Subtle changes in
the way we brew tea lead to better tasting, more enjoyable cups. Americans
especially, where tea drinking is gaining in popularity, need to make sure
we arent treating tea as something to be consumed carelessly.



My experience with microwave and with prolonged (hours) steeping has taught
me never to use these techniques: the change in quality is slight but
perceptible with the first, but considerable and unacceptable with the
second. This concurs with Darren's observation.

On the other hand, if you drink tea specifically, or additionally, for its
medicinal properties, and the enjoyment of its flavour and its aroma is low
down in priority, then prolonged steeping may be the preferred procedure.

Black, Green Tea May Slow Alzheimer's Disease
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/96/103548.htm
"The scientists steeped the green tea for 45 minutes in freshly boiled water
and prepared the black tea in boiled water for 30 minutes." in the last but
one paragraph.

Bee.
--
[I have found my Shangri-La in ntlworld.]

Darren wrote:
Top Spin wrote:
Darren wrote:
A cup of tea should be made fresh every time. NEVER microwave your
tea. When you microwave tea, it changes the chemical composition of
the tea and thus, the taste and purity.
Exactly what changes occur to the chemical composition?
Research could be done on the precise changes that tea undergoes when
microwaved. I do not have the equipment or expertise to carry out such a
study. I will, however, quote you what I have found from a well regarded
professional Tea taster: snip
source: http://www.teatalk.com/general/taste.htm Again i tell you,
Tea is very delicate. My own experience with tea tells me that a
microwaved cup of tea or tea thats been sitting on a slow burner all day,
is a much different tasting and LOWER quality tea than a freshly prepared
cup. Tea preparation should be considered an art form. Subtle changes in
the way we brew tea lead to better tasting, more enjoyable cups. Americans
especially, where tea drinking is gaining in popularity, need to make sure
we arent treating tea as something to be consumed carelessly.



My experience with microwave and with prolonged (hours) steeping has taught
me never to use these techniques: the change in quality is slight but
perceptible with the first, but considerable and unacceptable with the
second. This concurs with Darren's observation.

On the other hand, if you drink tea specifically, or additionally, for its
medicinal properties, and the enjoyment of its flavour and its aroma is low
down in priority, then prolonged steeping may be the preferred procedure.

Black, Green Tea May Slow Alzheimer's Disease
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/96/103548.htm
"The scientists steeped the green tea for 45 minutes in freshly boiled water
and prepared the black tea in boiled water for 30 minutes." in the last but
one paragraph.

Bee.
--
[I have found my Shangri-La in ntlworld.]