settle this tea discussion, please

Me: Stop messing with your tea bag. Moving it around (dunking) just increases the tanin in your cup of tea.

Hubby: does not

Me: Yes it does

Hubby: does not

So ladies and gentlemen of the tea jury. What say you?

I think that type of action undoubtly aids in extracting more tea from the tea bag, which is then absorbed into solution in the water. To the extent that tea includes tannins (it does), more tea would mean more tannins. Now, is that a bad thing? Not for everyone.

Yes, I would agree that agitation of the bag does not disproportionately increase the amount of tannins in your cup of tea. As Ron says, if you want more out of your tea bag you're going to get more tannins regardless. If your husband just wants his tea stronger... *shrug* it comes with the territory, bag agitation or no. Now if you want to get on to him for drinking too strong tea because of elevated tannins, that's another matter.

I agitate my tea and have no complaints....I never squeeze the bag though, that just seems wrong to do.

OK, did some quick online searchng and came across this on a tea site:

Steep time
After gauging the proper water temperature, the tea leaves are steeped in the water using one of the methods listed above. Steeping tea leaves should be allowed to set still during this process because excess motion can cause the release of more tannins which can lead to bitter tasting tea. Do not steep tea for to long before serving when brewing in a teapot. Many newer teapots have basket filters that can be removed
after the tea has steeped for the recommended time. Start with 1-3 minutes and gradually increase the time to your preferred likeness. This is especially important when preparing delicate green teas.


Sooo, I guess if you like more tannins agitate/dunk, and if not, keep those tea leaves still.

phhhhbt

My understanding is that tea bags generally due to the grind and mass produced nature of the average tea bag are less precise and potent than infusing long leaf tea.

For stronger tasting tea without the bitterness associated with over infusion is to add more tea to the infusion.

Teas prefer a range of temperature from 180 (white & green) to 205 (oolong, black, botanical, pu-erh).

teas themselves prefer different optimal steeping times.

For Japanese greens it's 2 minutes.

3 minutes for Chinese greens, pearl oolong, & Darjeeling

3-4 for white, long-leaf oolong & pu-erh

black teas require five minutes.

botanical teas can be infused for up to 6 minutes depending on taste.




Hope this helps.

For the best tea use long-leaf and spring or filtered water.

An advantage to long leaf tea is that it is reinfusable. Simply add an additional minute to the steeping time for the second and third infusions.

Another thing you can do is preheat your tea pot and cups by flushing them with hot water till they are warm.