The 10 Biggest Darjeeling Tea Mistakes You Can Easily Avoid

If you’re a new or occasional drinker of Darjeeling tea, the world of it is an exciting and delicious one to explore. But it’s easy to make mistakes if you haven’t yet educated yourself on the best practices for brewing, steeping, and drinking this type of tea. How much caffeine is in darjeeling tea?

1. The Wrong Type of Tea

While there are many kinds of Darjeeling tea, the most popular varieties are flat-leaf, or “Common” and “Silver Tips”. However, the only way to truly know what type of tea you have is by tasting it. You may have to buy a sample before you can decide.

2. The Wrong Amount of Tea

Not only is the wrong type and amount of tea a mistake you can’t get away from, but it can also affect your steeping times and even taste.

3. The Wrong Steeping Time

A typical rule-of-thumb for Darjeeling tea is five minutes in boiling water. However, this rule only applies if you choose a short-steeped (or “single”) Darjeeling tea. As a general rule, if you use a second-steep and up, the time you steep your tea should be increased by just under a minute.

4. The Wrong Water Temperature

A popular way to ensure a good tasting cup of Darjeeling tea is to use water that is between 176°F – 185°F (80°C – 85°C) when the teabag hits the water. To ensure that your water has reached this range, check with an electric or stove-top kettle for an accurate reading before using it to make your tea.

5. The Wrong Glass

The most common type of glass used for tasting Darjeeling tea is a “tea tumbler”, with a wide opening. It’s worth noting that any type of glass besides a clear teapot would not be the best way to steep your tea, as the color and appearance of your tea will affect its taste. Also, it’s best to use an empty glass to sample your tea because heavy metal and stone cups can impart flavors or scents into your tea.

6. The Wrong Amount of Time Brewing

The saying, “There’s no time like the present” may be true in many situations, but when it comes to a cup of Darjeeling tea, the rule-of-thumb is that all minutes are equal. You should steep your tea for only 1 – 2 minutes. Although this is an easy mistake to make, brewing too much or too little Darjeeling makes a noticeable difference in both the appearance and taste of the finished beverage. This can also lead to poor aroma, which is a major part of the Darjeeling tea experience.

7. The Wrong Type of Water

Using unfiltered water to steep your Darjeeling tea will not only negatively affect the taste, but it can also affect the aroma of your finished drink. You’ll want to use filtered tap or bottled water for steeping your tea as this is a good way to achieve optimum taste and aroma. If you use bottled, distilled, or softened water to make your tea, your final product may also taste different than normal Darjeeling tea. In addition to the types of water mentioned above, you should use only filtered or spring water for your Darjeeling tea brewing purposes.

8. Adding Sugar

Most Darjeeling tea drinkers choose to add sugar to their beverage after it’s brewed, but this is not necessary. Some people add sugar to their teas for a surprising reason: It makes them taste better! However, that’s not true for Darjeeling tea — instead it will likely mask or alter other flavors and aromas inherent in the brew.

9. Bending the Tea Bag

When you’re finished steeping your tea, it’s tempting to squeeze out every last drop. However, doing so will cause the leaves to release more tannin and become bitter. To get the full experience of Darjeeling tea, it’s best to leave the loose leaf tea bag in your cup and let it steep for one to two minutes. After this time, replace your tea bag with another before pouring and drinking your brew.

10. Mixing the Teas

You can mix a teabag from different origins (such as from Oolong and Black Tea) if you want, but it can mess up your brew by creating a bitter taste if the different types of tea are not brewed at their optimal strength. Instead, always keep a large stock of only one type of Darjeeling tea at home and use that as your default when brewing.

Summary:

With all of that in mind, it’s easy to see how you can improve the quality of your Darjeeling tea experience. Of course, the best way to learn about the type and amount of Darjeeling tea you need is to experiment with as much as possible. These are just a few tips on how to brew and enjoy Darjeeling tea. Although sometimes it’s hard to know what you’re doing wrong, there are always ways for you to control yourself and learn more about the world.