Caffeine in Tea Myths vs. Facts

I have been asked so many times about caffeine in tea that I thought I should write a short post about some of the myths and hopefully some facts. Let me start out by saying this is a complex subject.

Myth or fact? 
Tea has more caffeine than coffee. 
Fact. Tea by weight has more caffeine than coffee, but per cup it is about 1/3 to 1/2 the amount of a cup of coffee But some teas have more caffeine than some coffee, so not always true.  
White Tea is naturally decaffeinated.  
Myth. White Tea like all tea has caffeine. The caffeine levels decrease as you go farther down the plant. It is thought that caffeine is used by the plant as a natural insecticide, so only the new growth needs this extra protection. So the bud (used to make Silver Needle White Tea) has the most caffeine and the levels drop as you go down.  
White Tea is lower in caffeine than Green or Black Tea.
Myth. White Tea may have some of the highest levels of caffeine. But here comes the complexity. The caffeine levels are dependent on the tea varietal, the growing region, which leaves are picked, amount of sunlight, and I am sure a host of other factors. Shorter steeping time for White Tea & lower water temperature might make it lower than the same plant processed as a Black Tea, but this can't be said across different varietals. So the only thing I say with certainty is that Camellia Sinensis, the name for the tea plant, has caffeine.  
You can decaffeinate tea by washing with hot water for 30 seconds, pouring that liquid off and re-steeping. The tea will now be caffeine free.  
Myth. You are only removing about 10% or less of the caffeine with a 30 sec. steep. About a quarter to a third of the leaf's caffeine is released in a 3 minute steep. Subsequent steeps remove about a quarter to a third of the remaining caffeine in the leaf.

So here are the facts about caffeine and tea, as I know them. Feel free to correct any mistakes I make.
Fact. Tea has caffeine.
Fact. Tea has L-Theanine a calming agent. So the caffeine is balanced by calming agents.  
Fact. Caffeine level isn't determined by how the tea is processed but more by the steeping temperature and steeping time and plant varietals. Caffeine is water soluble and so if you like to over-steep or stew your tea, you are getting more caffeine than someone who does a short steep.  
Fact. Decaffeinated tea still has caffeine.  
Fact. If you want tea with out caffeine you are out of luck.
Fact. Herbal infusions or Tisanes are not made with the tea plant, and many are Caffeine free.
Fact. Yerba Mate has a stimulant in it. Matteine is chemically similar to Caffeine & is a stimulant. Yerba Mate does not contain L-Theanine.  
Fact. If you drink Loose Leaf Tea & re-steep you are ingesting less caffeine than if you use new leaves for each pot.  
Fact. Roasting or baking tea does reduce the level of caffeine in the tea, but again it is not caffeine free & if you start with a really high caffeine tea might only make it the same level as a lower caffeinated tea.  
Fact. Caffeine in tea is complex and there are no hard & fast rules. Like sugar levels in wine grapes, caffeine in tea is weather dependent and varietal dependent.
I think specialty tea is where the wine industry was about 10 years ago. As people become more educated and more sophisticated with their palates, loose leaf tea will be more understood and appreciated. So take a break, make a cup and siptea while you think about how complex tea is and what a gift it is too.

October 22nd Cooking with Tea Class

On Saturday October 22nd, we will have a Cooking with Tea class here at siptea. The cookbook author

, teacher and Chef Robert Wemischner will demonstrate four dishes using tea as a main component. The menu is tea smoked mushrooms, tea sauced scallops, tea smoked salmon and tea flavored flan with citrus. Each dish will be accompanied by the tea used to make the dish.
The class is from 5:30 pm - 7 pm. Chef Robert will walk you through each dish and at the end of the class you get to take a gift basket with the recipes and each of the siptea's used home with you.
Come by if you have questions about the class. We are in Santa Monica at 1627 Montana Ave. Or call to sign up #310/395-2626

Cupping Tea

Tea cupping is the sign of a professional tea taster. Cupping is a system that tries to give the same parameters to each type of tea, so any flaws show up to the taster. The cupping set consists of a cup with a lid and a bowl to pour the tea into. The picture shows what the set looks like when the tea is done steeping. You observe the dry leaf, smelling it & recording your observations. A hint learned in class is, if the smell isn't strong, try exhaling then inhaling on the leaves. The heat of your breath will release the oils in the leaf and increase the smell. Try this at home, it really works! The next step is to weigh the tea and place it in the cup, hot water is added, temperature is dependent on type, but some people use boiling water for all teas. It might not be the best taste, but it will tell you if a tea is spoiled or inferior, that the lower temperature might mask. I tend to cup at the temperature that is recommended for the tea type. Then the tea is poured out into the bowl when the steep time is reached. Observations of wet leaf are taken, noting smell and look of the leaf. The color & smell of the liquor in the bowl are noted, and tasted. The professionals slurp the tea off a spoon to get air in the tea and help to identify the different flavor notes in the tea. Cupping is kind of like wine tasting. The more you do it, the more sophisticated your palate gets and the more notes you can pick out of the tea. Having taking all the classes to fulfill the Specialty Tea Institutes Level 3, I am now a Certified Tea Specialist. Tea is one of those things where you keep learning as you go & cupping is the best way to learn about tea. So stop by our location on Montana Ave and sit at the bar, we will cup any of our teas for you.

TeaTuesday and upcoming Classes

We just got the sorapot in! It is the most beautiful way to see and steep your tea. You can watch the agony of the leaf as it unfurls and then enjoy two cups of tea.

#TeaTuesday is a twitter campaign that we are using to have extended hours and give a bit of information about tea. We are open til 7pm on Tuesdays and will have tea to sample and information about tea.
Starting in September we will have classes on how to make the perfect cup of tea, cooking with tea, making kombucha. Stop by the store to sign up for the classes.
Enjoy a short break in your day, by slowing down, making a cup and savoring your tea.

Tea Cocktails

Last night siptea made 3 tea cocktails for the Grand Opening Party. The most popular was the Mojito, or Mo-tea-to, then the Pina Chai-lada and a Lapsang Souchong Whiskey Sour.

Mojito

Day before put green tea (I used organic Gunpowder green tea) in Vodka to infuse, use approx. 6-8 Tbsp. per 1.75L of vodka
Make a pot of double strength Mint tisane (herbal tea)
Add sugar to Mint tea to taste

Combine
1 part Green Tea Vodka
3 parts sweetened Organic Mint tisane
1/2 part lime juice
pour in glass with ice
garnish with fresh mint

Pina Chai-lada

Day before put Chai (I used organic Masala Chai black tea) in rum to infuse, use appox. 6-8 Tbsp. per 1.75 L this infuses quickly, so could be done a few hours before.
Make a pot of double strength organic Coconut green tea
Add sugar to Coconut green tea

Combine
1 part Chai spiced rum
2 parts Coconut Green tea
1 part fresh pineapple
Blend well
pour over ice
garnish with pineapple slice or umbrella

Lapsang Souchong Sour

Day before put Lapsang Souchong (I used organic Lapsang Souchong) in Marker's Mark, use approx. 6-8 Tbsp. per 1.75 L. This makes a great smoky whiskey, it actually resembles a aged peety, smoky scotch whisky when finished infusing & can be enjoy neat in a glass too.

Combine
1 part Lapsang Souchong infused Maker's Mark (or other whiskey)
3 parts sour mix (you can make your own, I used the mix for the party)
pour over ice
garnish with maraschino cherry

Enjoy & let me know if you have any tea infused cocktails you want to share!

Matcha Shortbread Recipe

Thought I should put up the recipe for the Matcha Shortbread Cookies I made. It is my mother's recipe that I modified.

Oven temp 300-325 degrees

Matcha Shortbread
1 pound of salted organic butter, good quality
1/2 pound of very fine organic sugar, (approx. 1 cup heaped)
6 C less 2 Tbsp. of organic flour sifted
2 Tbsp. of organic Matcha powder

If you can't find very fine organic sugar, castor sugar is a non-organic substitution or blend organic sugar in food processor with blade or in blender til fine.

Kneed butter & sugar together. I do use a mixer with the paddle for this. Add sifted Matcha powder & flour. Kneed together in mixer til just starts to come together, then finish by hand. Roll or pat flat. Cut into shapes, squares, wedges, etc. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet. Cookies do not rise or spread, so roll & cut accordingly. Prick surface all over with a fork. Bake 20-25 minutes. Sift very fine sugar over the top when hot if desired.

Enjoy!

Sign Up on the Window at 1627

We are now officially here on Montana Ave. Our sign was installed! I don't know if it's my imagination, but we seem to have gotten more people in the store, so hey signs do work to tell people what you are doing & let them know where you are. Next have to hang the banner, that should go up in a day or so. Will try to update before heading to Las Vegas for World Tea Expo.