Poor quality presentation diminishes the customers level of perception and quality. 

Teapots

High quality aesthetically pleasing teaware s(that are practical & functional) will present well and maximise the flavour that you are able to get from your tea. Poor quality tea pots (especially metal ones) conduct heat away from the pot and therefore cool down quickly. This causes the tea to be under infused and lack character and flavour. Ideally the teapot should have a large removable infuser basket to enable the leaves to be separated from the tea liquor at the optimum steep time. 

Teapot Maintenance

Do not scrub the teapot with abrasive pads or use any detergents, simply rinse it with water ONLY and wipe it dry after each use. By removing the leaves from the pot before serving you are unlikely to get a build up of tannins in the pot which would otherwise cause staining. 

Urns & Digital Kettles

To brew tea consistently well you will require brewing equipment that accurately controls the variables. You also require a system that enables fast service. We recommend using an urn for a back up water source (90degrees) and 1 or 2 digital kettles (set to 80 degrees and 95 degrees respectively). Kettles recommend include the “Cuisineart” and Brewista digital kettles.

Digital timers and digital scales

These can be purchased from Somage. We use timers that flash or vibrate rather than beep so as to create a more relaxing environment for our guests. The best scales are jeweller scales with accuracy to 0.1 gram.  

As tea is approximately 99% water, the quality of the water has a direct impact on the flavour and body of the tea produced. Ideally, the water should be filtered and free from any taint caused by calcified or rusty water lines, or chemicals such as chlorine. This is the best type of water to use for tea, but we understand that it is not always convenient or viable to obtain such water.

If you intend to use tap water, it is imperative that the water is filtered. Tap water often contains chlorides, sulphates, and phosphates that are neither beneficial for health nor conducive to tea quality. The only efficient way to remove harmful chemicals such as fluoride and chloride from water is through reverse osmosis.

However, reverse osmosis also strips water of the minerals necessary to provide body and to help carry the tannins in tea. Our trials found that water with a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) level between 75 and 120 provided the best balance, with the optimum range being between 90 and 105. Water with a TDS below 70 made the tea taste very dry and astringent, while a TDS above 120 made the tea feel heavy, with minerality dominating the palate.

At a minimum, a double-housed water filter should be used—one that removes taste and odour particles from 10 microns down to 1 micron.

Avoid using water from your coffee machine. This water is often re-boiled (de-oxygenated), which can cause the tea to taste flat. It may also be tainted by coffee or coffee machine cleaning agents. Additionally, drawing large amounts of water from the machine can lower boiler temperatures, negatively affecting your coffee. Lastly, many coffee machines expel a significant amount of steam through the water tap, which can scald the tea leaves if the water is dispensed directly over them.