Methylene chloride decaffeination is a process by which the molecules of caffeine bond to molecules of methylene chloride.  Caffeine is removed either by 1) directly soaking the tea in methylene chloride or 2) indirectly soaking the water (used to remove the caffeine) in methylene chloride and then returning the water to the tea for reabsorption of flavors and oils.  Because methylene chloride is widely believed to be unhealthy for consumption, a legal limit of 5 parts per million is placed on residual traces in the tea and the US bans all imports using methylene chloride.

Tea processed using ethyl acetate is often referred to as “naturally decaffeinated” because ethyl acetate is a chemical found naturally in tea. Caffeine is extracted in the same way as with methylene chloride processing, but ethyl acetate is the solvent.  However, ethyl acetate is very difficult to remove after the decaffeination process, and is sometimes described as leaving a chemical taste.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) decaffeinated tea is essentially “pressure cooked” with this naturally occurring gas. At high pressures and high temperatures, carbon dioxide reaches a supercritical state. The CO2 becomes a solvent with its small, nonpolar molecules attracting the small caffeine molecules. Since flavor molecules are larger, they remain intact, which is why this process retains the flavor of the tea the best.

Caffeine extraction with water is used primarily for coffee decaffeination, however a small amount of tea products are decaffeinated using the water method. After the caffeine is removed from the tea by soaking the tea in hot water for a period of time, the solution is passed through a carbon filter for caffeine removal. The water is then returned to the tea for reabsorption of flavors and oils.  This process is often described as “watering down” the flavor of the tea.

Arbor Teas offers organic decaffeinated teas that exclusively use the carbon dioxide (CO2) method.  We feel that this is the safest form of decaffeination, while retaining the greatest flavor and health benefits.  Try some today!

The World Tea News recently reported (11/30/09) on a study that suggests that plants producing high-quality tea cannot simply be reproduced in other regions with the same outcome.  Researchers at the Kenyan institutions Maseno University, Egerton University and Moi University, conducted the study, which will appear in the April 2010 issue of the scientific journal Food Chemistry.  They started from the idea: “A superior quality genotype in one location is assumed to replicate the same attributes when planted in different regions, especially when climatic variations are minimal.” To test it, they cloned 20 plants that produced high-quality tea and planted them under identical circumstances, but in three different regions.  The results showed significant differences in the quality of the plain tea produced, based on certain parameters, among varying locations of production. A closer look further indicated that the changes in the tea were not systematic, because the same clone underwent different changes in different regions.  The study led the team to conclude: “A genotype selected in one site for high quality may not retain the relative quality over other genotypes in new areas. It is necessary to test genotypes in new areas of production to fully evaluate their relative quality potentials.”

This is no news to us at Arbor Teas and we look forward to reading the full study in April.  We have always supported the idea that tea, like wine, has a specific flavor profile associated with its geographic region (also known as “terroir”).  Knowing this, we’ve made it a priority to source our teas from their traditional countries of origin.  For instance, all of our Japanese Green Tea is sourced exclusively from Japan.  None of our Japanese Green Tea is grown in China, unlike many of the “Japanese” teas found in the United States.  Furthermore, we are proud to source many single-origin, estate-specific teas that showcase the flavor and quality of each of their individual regions.

Thai Tea is is made from strongly-brewed black tea, often spiced with ingredients such as star anise, crushed tamarind, cardamom, and occasionally others as well (often making this beverage a favorite among masala chai tea fans). This brew is then sweetened with sugar and condensed milk, and served over iced.  For the sake of flavor, consistency and visual appeal, glasses of Thai Tea are usually topped with additional dairy, such as evaporated milk, whole milk, half and half, or coconut milk (this last one, of course, is not actually dairy, but you get the picture).

The best thai iced tea starts with a strong infusion of high-quality black tea – I encourage our readers to try our organic Keemun black tea. It’s a classic among East Asian black teas, and works nicely with Thai Tea’s unique combination of flavors. –Jeremy, Arbor Teas co-founder

Sound good?  Well, here’s a thai iced tea recipe to help you get started!

Ingredients

• 3/4 C black tea leaves (approximately 3 oz.)
• star anise, ground tamarind, cardamom and/or other spices, to taste (optional)
• 6 C boiling water
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/2 C sweetened condensed milk
• 1 C evaporated milk (most traditional), whole milk, half and half, or coconut milk

Directions:

1. Steep the tea leaves (and any optional spices) in the water for 5 minutes, then remove the tea leaves from the water (either by removing the infuser you’re using, or by straining the water to remove the leaves if loose).
2. While the tea is still hot, stir in sugar until dissolved, then stir in condensed milk.
3. Allow tea mixture to cool to room temperature or colder.
4. Fill tall iced tea glasses with ice, and pour in tea mixture until glasses are roughly 3/4 full.
5. Slowly top off glasses with evaporated milk, whole milk or coconut milk, but do not stir (final dairy should remain primarily as its own layer at the top of the glass).

Notes:

It’s important to make the tea very strong, since it is ultimately diluted with milk and ice.  Also, you can make a large batch of the sweetened tea in advance and keep it in the refrigerator, then you can just pour it over ice and top it with the evaporated/whole/coconut milk at the time of serving.  For a caffeine-free version of this iced treat, try our organic rooibos.

Makes 6 glasses of Thai Tea.

• White Teas, Green Teas or Oolong Teas;
• Jasmine Teas;
• Darjeeling Teas (First Flush or Second Flush);
• Flavored Tea Blends.

Decaffeinating teas requires costly equipment and substantial amounts of energy, which typically make it cost-ineffective to decaffeinate small batches of specialty teas.  Only the most main-stream varieties are generally considered for decaffeination – usually versatile black and green teas that can be sold “as is” or blended in some fashion to create products like Decaf. English Breakfast, Decaf. Earl Grey, etc.  You’ll almost never see a decaffeinated version of a limited-production premium tea, like our Jade Oolong, Silver Needle White, or Gyokuro Green.  These products are already rather expensive and have a limited market demand, so creating a more expensive decaffeinated version to serve an even smaller group of customers doesn’t make sense for the tea manufacturer.

After offering this explanation, I was reminded of a way for caffeine-conscious tea lovers to sidestep the limited availability of premium decaffeinated teas.  If you just HAVE to have a particular variety of tea, and you’re not able to find a decaffeinated version, consider using our “easy at-home decaffeination method.” The majority of tea’s caffeine is released in the first 45 to 60 seconds of steeping. Knowing this, you can collect and remove much of the caffeine contained in most tea by using the following method:

1. Place your tea in your brewing vessel (teapot, etc.), and cover with a small amount of water (just enough to cover the leaves) heated to the appropriate temperature for the tea being brewed.
2. Steep for no more than a minute (45 seconds should do), then remove the leaves and discard the water.
3. Re-infuse the same tea leaves in fresh water for the customary amount of time.

You’ve just made yourself a significantly decaffeinated cup of tea! This method will not remove the caffeine entirely, but could take out as much as 60 to 80%. Keep in mind that small amounts of caffeine remain in tea decaffeinated by any method – only naturally caffeine-free herbal and fruit infusions lack it completely. It is also worth noting that the method described above may somewhat diminish the flavor and aroma of your tea.

One of the many new and exciting products added to our catalog this fall is our organic Matcha Green Tea.  Matcha is a variety of Japanese green tea that is stone ground at the end of the manufacturing process, resulting an ultra-fine tea powder that is typically whisked in hot water until a frothy consistency is reached, as in the traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony. The resulting brew has much more body and flavor than tea brewed in a conventional fashion, with a thick, rich green taste and slight bitterness. Drinking matcha has been found to be even healthier than normal green tea, because the entire tea leaf is consumed when matcha is drunk – not just the infusion as with normal teas.

To brew, measure approximately one teaspoon of matcha and place it in a pre-warmed bowl with approximately 1.5 oz. of water at 175°. This is roughly two almond-sized portions when using a traditional bamboo matcha scoop (or “chashaku”). Whisk vigorously in a back-and-forth motion using a traditional bamboo matcha whisk (or “chasen”) until frothy, making sure not to press the whisk down against the bottom of the bowl. After whisking, the matcha is ready to drunk directly from the bowl.

In addition to this traditional method of preparation, matcha is more and more frequently used as a cooking ingredient.  It’s often added to shakes, smoothies, and ice creams, lending a flavor that is at once sweet, bitter and savory.  But whether you’re brewing it or cooking with it, you should definitely try some today!

Many people are accustomed to brewing their iced tea by leaving it out in the sun. We recommend using the method described above instead, which takes advantage of the sterilizing effects of boiling water, as opposed to the “sun tea” method, which can allow bacteria to flourish.

Note: It is OK if your iced tea clouds! There are many reasons this can occur; a clouded tea can sometimes signify a higher quality tea filled with desirable tea solids, or one that has been cooled too quickly. Regardless, a clouded iced tea is certainly not a bad iced tea! Teas from the Nilgiri region of India seem to resist clouding better than other tea varieties, but here’s a nice selection of teas that are also great on ice.

We’re always trying to “raise the bar” in all aspects of our business – environmental performance, customer service, and certainly tea quality.  To that end, I recently attended an advanced training session on tea evaluation (called “cupping”) in Las Vegas, NV, presented by the Specialty Tea Institute.  Yes, they have institutes for this sort of thing.  You might think that Las Vegas would be an unlikely place for such an event – and you would be right.  Strangely, a vast majority of tea-related events seem to occur in Las Vegas, amid the flashing lights, cigarette smoke, and “pling-pling-pling-pling-pling-pling” of the slot machines.  Wierd.

The cupping session explored – often in substantial detail – a variety of topics, including:

• The physiological differences between people with different tasting abilities – mainly the size, shape and (most importantly) density of taste buds on the tongue;
• The effect that steeping time and temperature have on tea, as well as the effect of multiple successive steepings;
• Considerations for matching or replacing one tea with another (such as matching the flavor profile, leaf grade, or other relevant factors);
• Detecting taints or flaws in the manufacture and/or storage of tea.

Over the course of the day, we sampled roughly 40 teas at a variety of temperatures, steeping times and number of steepings.  We were very thoughtfully provided a vessel in which to spit (called a “gaboon” in the tea industry), but as usual, I failed to take advantage (what can I say, I’m a glutton for punishment).  So by the end of the day I found myself with totally worn-out taste buds, well-caffeinated, and desperately in need of a restroom… a typical day in the tea business!

Once I was comfortably at home, away from Sin City’s flash and noise, I was able to reflect on some of the key lessons that the session had to offer.  These included:

• Although different people may have varying sensory capabilities (more or less taste buds, for instance), anyone can be good at sampling and evaluating tea.  It sounds cliche, but it just takes practice.  With enough practice, you can figure out what approach works best for you, and then you’re off to the races.
• Steeping time and temperature really, REALLY makes a difference (but of course, you already knew this, right?)
• Different teas – even within the same category (green, oolong, black, etc.) - will respond differently to variations in steeping time and temperature.  Some may work best at lower temperatures, while some made benefit from a bit hotter or longer infusion to coax out the most flavor.  While rules of thumb for a particular variety are a good start, it’s really worth experimenting to find the “optimal” brewing method to suit the particular to you’re drinking, as well as your personal taste.
• You’re missing a big part of the picture if you’re infusing your tea – particularly oolongs – only once.  We sampled different oolongs steeped for several successive infusions, and were amazed by the different “slices” of the tea’s flavor profile you got as the tea leaves unfurled more with each infusion.

Now, unless your super-power is to boil water spontaneously, energy will certainly be required to boil (or nearly boil) water to brew tea in the traditional fashion.  So what’s an environmentally-conscious tea drinker to do?  Here are a few suggestions:

• Only heat as much water in your kettle as you need for the amount of tea you’re making.  In other words, don’t boil a full kettle for a single cup of tea!
• If you’re making iced tea, experiment with cold-brewing your tea in the refrigerator (results may vary depending upon the type of tea you’re brewing, however).
• If you’re going to be brewing tea one cup at a time over the course of a day, consider using an insulated electric kettle instead of the stove — we haven’t tested this one yet, but I have a suspicion that it would result in lower energy consumption.
• Last, but not least, make the most of that energy used to heat your water, and brew tea in groups – it’s certainly going to be more efficient to brew one large pot of tea than several individual cups!

There are three main considerations when brewing tea:

1. Tea quantity,
2. Water temperature, and
3. Steeping time.

Start by measuring approximately 1 teaspoon of loose leaf tea per cup of water (fluffier blends such as white teas and chamomile may require as much as a tablespoon or more, while denser teas such as gunpowder may require less than 1 teaspoon). Next, heat your water to the temperature suggested below. Use fresh water whenever possible – as we’ve said before, water that has been sitting in your kettle overnight may impart a flat or stale taste to your tea. Finally, steep your tea for the amount of time shown below. Keep in mind that brewing your tea too long can extract undesirable bitterness from the leaves, so steeping time matters! For a stronger brew, don’t steep longer, just use more tea.

• Black — 212° F 3-5 minutes
• Oolong — 195° F, 4-7 minutes
• Green & White — 180° F, 2-3 minutes
• Herbal/Fruit/Tisanes — 212° F, 5-7 minutes

Don’t have a thermometer handy to measure your water temperature? Don’t worry! Here’s an easy way to estimate 180° F, 195° F and 212° F.

• 180° F = bubbles begin to form on the bottom of the pot
• 195° F = the first bubbles begin to rise
• 212° F = full rolling boil

As I said earlier, brewing a good cup of tea is a matter of personal taste. Hopefully these guidelines will help you discover your “perfect” brew!