On Fri, 4 Feb 2005 21:46:24 -0600, "Bluesea" >
wrote:

>
>"Top Spin" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Thu, 3 Feb 2005 23:01:15 -0600, "Bluesea" >
>> wrote:
>> >
>> >Usually, the type and amount of tea affects the intensity of flavor (for
>> >example, a Darjeeling is "delicate" and an Assam is "robust") while
>> >oversteeping causes bitterness and too high a temperature for green tea
>> >causes astringency. Since black teas are typically best brewed with
>boiling
>> >water, but you may have super-heated your water by using your microwave
>and
>> >used a tea ball, it's hard for me to tell.
>>
>> It's a black tea ...
>
>Something I forgot - What I was trying to say was that since too high a
>temperature for green tea causes astringency and since you're using a
>microwave w/o checking the temperature with a thermometer and don't really
>know if your water's boiling at 212F or higher because it might be
>superheated, it's possible that the astringency with your black tea is also
>caused by too high of a temperature, i.e. a temperature that's over 212F.

Oh, sorry. I have been checking the temperature with one of those
probe thermometers. I should have mentioned that.

We are at sea level (100'). The thermometer reads close to 212 when
the bubbles start appearing. It I add part of a small glass of cold
water, it drops about 10 degrees.

But I think you are right about the astringency and also the
bitterness. I will try lower temperatures and shorter brew times.

Thanks

--
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/09/04)