Why the Same Tea Can Taste Different Every Time You Brew It

You measure the same spoonful of tea leaves, use what appears to be the same amount of water and expect the same familiar cup. Yet sometimes the tea tastes smooth and comforting, while another cup made almost identically turns harsh and bitter. It is easy to assume that the tea leaves are to blame, but brewing is far more sensitive than it appears. Temperature, steeping time, leaf size, water chemistry and even how the leaves move through the water can change what ends up in your cup. The amount of tea matters, but it is only one part of the extraction process.