Tea, Earl Grey, hot: strong, not stewed.
July 22, 2010 7:19 PM Subscribe
Why are so many people satisfied with the explanation "I like strong tea" when asked why they ruin their tea by over-steeping it?
I like my tea strong too, which is why I usually put more tea leaves in. (But I never steep more than 3 mins.)
This is a topic that has always vaguely confused me and I am wondering if anyone else is bothered by this. But I guess primarily I'm asking those of you who are actually guilty of using this rhetoric.
Over steeping tea just makes it more and more bitter and acidic by releasing tannins. Five minutes should usually be the max... twenty minutes, or even an hour... is absurd! Unless you like the taste of ruined tea. In which case, shouldn't you say "I like my tea bitter," instead of "I like my tea strong?"
I like my tea strong too, which is why I usually put more tea leaves in. (But I never steep more than 3 mins.)
This is a topic that has always vaguely confused me and I am wondering if anyone else is bothered by this. But I guess primarily I'm asking those of you who are actually guilty of using this rhetoric.
Over steeping tea just makes it more and more bitter and acidic by releasing tannins. Five minutes should usually be the max... twenty minutes, or even an hour... is absurd! Unless you like the taste of ruined tea. In which case, shouldn't you say "I like my tea bitter," instead of "I like my tea strong?"
This post was deleted for the following reason: This is more of a opinion/rant than a question. There isn't much to answer here. -- pb
some people like skunked beer. some people claim to prefer pan&scan to having black bars on their screen. some people like gingerale in their scotch (guilty!).
they probably say "i like strong tea" to get you to shut up and let them enjoy their drink.
posted by nadawi at 7:23 PM on July 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
they probably say "i like strong tea" to get you to shut up and let them enjoy their drink.
posted by nadawi at 7:23 PM on July 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
You could ask the same question of why people like their steak "well done" instead of "ruined and leathery." It's just a matter of personal taste.
posted by griphus at 7:23 PM on July 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by griphus at 7:23 PM on July 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
Your "ruined" is not everyone else's "ruined." This applies to more than just tea.
posted by Etrigan at 7:24 PM on July 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Etrigan at 7:24 PM on July 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
One person's "ruined" is another person's "deliciously flavorful." See also: adding milk to tea, dirtying up delicious water with a bunch of leaves or beans in the first place, etc.
posted by No-sword at 7:25 PM on July 22, 2010
posted by No-sword at 7:25 PM on July 22, 2010
What are you, a baby? I leave the bag in for half an hour and it's never bitter. Grapefruit is bitter. Mr Clean is bitter.
posted by GuyZero at 7:26 PM on July 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by GuyZero at 7:26 PM on July 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: I think this is chat filter.
what's that?
posted by brenton at 7:27 PM on July 22, 2010
what's that?
posted by brenton at 7:27 PM on July 22, 2010
Also, Early Grey? Seriously? Until you stop drinking tea ruined with shitty bergamont don't tell anyone else how to drink tea.
posted by GuyZero at 7:27 PM on July 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by GuyZero at 7:27 PM on July 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
they probably say "i like strong tea" to get you to shut up and let them enjoy their drink.
Oh yeah. Definitely. If this is something people are saying to you after you instruct them on the proper steeping time for their tea, then "I like strong tea" translates pretty directly to "Don't hassle me about my tea."
On the other hand, if people are volunteering, "I like strong tea," it means that "strong" and "bitter" are interchangeable for them, and they like bitter/strong tea.
posted by Meg_Murry at 7:27 PM on July 22, 2010
Oh yeah. Definitely. If this is something people are saying to you after you instruct them on the proper steeping time for their tea, then "I like strong tea" translates pretty directly to "Don't hassle me about my tea."
On the other hand, if people are volunteering, "I like strong tea," it means that "strong" and "bitter" are interchangeable for them, and they like bitter/strong tea.
posted by Meg_Murry at 7:27 PM on July 22, 2010
Just here to say that yes, I am bothered by this. This bothers me.
posted by rob paxon at 7:27 PM on July 22, 2010
posted by rob paxon at 7:27 PM on July 22, 2010
Chatfilter explanation. Moreso amirite-filter, I think.
posted by rachaelfaith at 7:29 PM on July 22, 2010
posted by rachaelfaith at 7:29 PM on July 22, 2010
Good to see this is now cool around here. Finally I can ask my epic "mayonnaise, WHYYYYY????" question.
posted by thehmsbeagle at 7:30 PM on July 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by thehmsbeagle at 7:30 PM on July 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
brenton: "what's that?"
My Ask Metafilter question wasremoved referred to as chatfilter. What does that mean?
posted by griphus at 7:30 PM on July 22, 2010
My Ask Metafilter question was
posted by griphus at 7:30 PM on July 22, 2010
I find an "overabundance" of tannins to be delectable. Every combination of tannins has a special flavor. If you can't appreciate the tannins you probably have "tannin blindness", an all-too common taste disability.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 7:32 PM on July 22, 2010
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 7:32 PM on July 22, 2010
In all seriousness if you really drink Earl Grey all the time it's probably the bergamont that gets too strong if you over-steep the tea. Get a single-estate Indian or Sri Lankan and I'm pretty sure you won't see it develop the same flavour profile after a long steep.
posted by GuyZero at 7:32 PM on July 22, 2010
posted by GuyZero at 7:32 PM on July 22, 2010
I'd say knowledge. This describes how I used to drink tea before learning how to brew and drink tea properly. I'd always thought more steeping time meant stronger tea, but had never learned about brewing loose tea, the stronger varieties (Breakfast Assam, anyone?) and simply adding more leaves.
posted by slogger at 7:32 PM on July 22, 2010
posted by slogger at 7:32 PM on July 22, 2010
If someone oversteeps their tea because they like strong tea, then that's what it is. It's not some sort of semantic weaseling. And they don't want to be lectured on tannins and bitterness. They just want to drink their tea, which tastes perfectly fine to them.
Most of the time I leave my teabag or leaves in there while I drink it, because it's more convenient. I don't get any bitterness.
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:34 PM on July 22, 2010
Most of the time I leave my teabag or leaves in there while I drink it, because it's more convenient. I don't get any bitterness.
posted by Metroid Baby at 7:34 PM on July 22, 2010
Consuming plenty of tannins helps me maintain a healthy level of bitterness.
posted by box at 7:36 PM on July 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by box at 7:36 PM on July 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Honestly, I oftentimes let my tea sit in the pot for hours or days (well, up to a day, usually).
I put it in the microwave. It's frigin delicious, not even slightly bitter. Trader Joe's Earl Grey.
You can snob all you want. It's pretty awesome.
posted by sully75 at 7:21 PM on July 22, 2010