Slightly astringent with an aftertaste

I happened to find a boxed tea at the supermarket called Afternoon Darjeeling from Taylors of Harrogate. Just for fun, I bought a box. It's loose tea in a foil bag. It recommends "one tsp/cup plus one for the pot" and to brew it for 4-6 minutes in a warmed teapot with boiling water.

I tried a pot with 7 grams of tea and it tasted kinda weak. I'll try it again later with more tea, but there was no bitterness or astringncy. so, you are all correct. Every tea is different and you just have to try various methods until you find one you like.

That's tough on us techies who like formulas. (sigh) ;-)

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

Got it on the second guess. ;)

Kudos!

As I noted previously, my situation involved 24 oz.

The microwave that exploded my water also had a turntable and I had used it w/o incident several times before under similar conditions to "boil" water for tea.

It was just one of those things that falls under "right time + right place shit happens." Since it happened to me, and it's happened to others as you read on the .gov link I posted, it *could* happen to you, also. I'm just here to tell you. Also, please note that you aren't limited to adding sugar or instant coffee to avoid exploding water - it can be anything that's microwave-safe such as one of those plastic stir-sticks that fast-food places provide for coffee or a wooden spoon or stick.

'Nuf said. I've done my part.

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.

Yabut, yabut (I see your winkie) - when you get a new tea, you get to figure out what works best for you...a personalized formula...and then you stick with it until you run out of that particular tea.

I got a small journal to record all my tests and impressions and it's kinda fun to get another batch of the same tea the following year and see if the "formula" for that tea still works.

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)

And I will probably set up a database to keep track of everything, most of which I will never refer to ever again.

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

Tea Geek!

Not that I ever set up a database to keep track of my tea experiences. No way would I ever do that. Nor would I find a way of synchronizing those databases with another database program on my Palm handheld computer. I absolutely wouldn't do that.

Now, if you'll excuse me, my nose has recently enlarged itself quite dramatically for some reason, and it is making it hard to see the screen. ;)

Any danger of explosion if I put my plastic IngeniTEA in the microwave? I typically fill the IngeniTea with cold water and microwave for 4 or

Thanks, Jennifer

The concern I would have about an IngenuiTEA in a microwave is the mesh filter. Is it metal?

Other than that, because the bottom of the IngenuiTEA is mesh and has the plastic supports for the filter, you've got plenty of "non-smooth" points for promoting nucleation, i.e. the transition from water to steam.

Top Spin wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

That's just what I'd do! Well, except for setting up the database in the first place ;O)

The IngenuiTea is made for use in the microwave. The mesh filter is plastic. There's an air hole in the cover.

That being said, if you overheat the water and open the cover quickly, you risk a steam burn...as with any hot water appliance or vessel. If you try to add the tea quickly before the bubbles dissappear (in the case of super-heating) the contents might flair up toward the top of the pot and you might scald yourself. (I've done that.) Do not heat the water with herbs or tea in it. I tried doing this with rooibos to cut down on the time to infuse and it boiled over in the microwave before the usual time was up. It was a huge mess.

Personally, I may heat my water in the microwave for herbal tisanes but I don't do it for fine tea. I get a better result from a kettle or my electronic water dispenser (since I know what the temperature of the water is based on the digital display.)

As far as your original question, can it explode? Whether or not you agree with the superheated water theory, the cover is on a hinge and the water can boil over or shoot out the top of the unit. My answer is yes--like anything placed in the microwave for too long. Can it be used safely in the microwave? Yes. It was designed to do that.

Renee

Well, if so many theories about it have proven the existence of the phenomenon of "overheating" water without steam, I have to admit it exists. I also realise we don't have the same usage of microwave around the world, as I never cover the water.

Kuri

Thank you Renee. I've been on the verge of buying an electric kettle anyway (so now I have a good excuse).

Thanks, Jennifer