Leave the bag in or take it out?
When using tea that comes in bags, do you leave the bag in when it is done steeping, or do you take it out? Is there a reason why it should be done one way or the other, or is it a matter of preference?
With some teas I take it out. This is especially true if it is a tea that tends to be very strong right after steeping. However, if the tea is supposed to have a more delicate taste I will take the bag out.
I take it out unless it’s herbal. I have a glass tumbler that I use my herbals in as I don’t have to take the “tea” out and can just put it in and go!
Same, or if it’s been cold brewed. I bought a plastic bombilla from DAVIDsTEA and it’s been awesome for drinking cold brewed stuff without having to decant it.
I’ve been looking for something like this. Do they still have it? I didn’t see anything on the website.
I leave green rooibos tea bags in and several other teas, such as the Teavana chai blend. I love a really flavorful cuppa and neither the chai blend nor the green rooibos gets bitter.
For the most part, though, I remove the bag (or filter bag for my loose teas), and don’t squeeze it – or it will make the tea more astringent and, well, nasty!
Unless it’s an herbal/rooibos, definitely take it out! Teas can easily go bitter if oversteeped. It makes me cringe to see people drinking black tea with the strings hanging out of their tumblers the whole time. I don’t know how they can handle the bitterness!
Because they usually have it filled with sugar, so they can’t really tell the difference ;)
If the tea is strong enough, take out the bag so that you can resteep it, that way you save some money.
As Lauren said, oversteeping may cause bitterness.
I love leaving peppermint tea in as long as possible. Sometimes I’ll purposely leave half my tea undrunken so I can have the peppermint go overnight. So mentholy! I like good quality peppermint for this since sometimes it can taste weirdly muddy.
I always leave it in. I have never experience bitterness because of doing so, and I drink it straight, no additives. I typically leave it in because I just fill it up with more water once I finish the cup.
Even when I was drinking tea bags, my mother trained me at a young age to time the steep and remove the bag. The entire concept of leaving the bag in escapes me entirely – I’ve “left in” mate when drinking from a gourd/bombilla, but that’s it. I kind of understand it with herbals, but still don’t do it.
When people tell me that they leave “the bag” (ew!) in their mug, my immediate assumption is that they basically don’t know what tea is, and don’t have a clue how to drink it properly. If you want to re-steep it, re-steep it, don’t leave in the bag!
I completely don’t understand why anyone would want the taste of the cup to change (get stronger, whatever) as they drink it. If I’ve decided to drink a beverage, I want it to be the same beverage at the bottom of the cup as it was at the top.
Depends on the type of tea you brewing. Peppermint, I just leave in the cup. Black tease, I pull out the bag! Or you will have a bitter mess.
for me it depends With my Pumpkin chia i leave that in the stronger the Better!! i will always try a tea ones with leaving it in But if i know it will go Bitter if i do ill take it out .. MOST OF THE TIME at home my tea is Drunk before 15 mins is up so i don’t think it had an effect too bad.. but at work my chia tea bag is in there for Hours
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