On Tea

The heat that is poured

Upon aged lapsang souchong

Burns silver needles

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Though the leaves that make up lapsang souchong and silver needle white tea are both harvested from camellia sinensis, their flavour and character are widely different. As such they require different brewing methods to reach their full potential. The most important factor is the temperature of the water they are steeped in. Strong, robust lapsang souchong would benefit from boiling water while the young and tender silver needles are best brewed at lower temperatures.

I find myself pondering over a saying that, when paraphrased, seeks to inspire us to be like tea (or coffee) and change the water around us for the better. But that all depends on the heat of the water, the age of the leaf and from where they are plucked.

We can't expect an eight year old to take care of their younger sibling for extended periods of time. But it happens.

We can't expect a teacher to do the job of a cop. But we seek to arm them.

We can't expect a soldier to transition seamlessly back into civilian life. But we insist they can do it without additional support.

And so they burn.

On a lighter note, here's some brewing instructions for both lapsang souchong and silver needle white tea:

Lapsang Souchong

Use 1 rounded tsp of tea for every 8oz of water. Boil the water and pour over the leaves. Let steep for 2.5 minutes (or to taste).

Silver Needle White Tea

Use 1 Tbsp of tea for every 6oz of water. Either use a kettle with a temperature setting or let boiling water cool to 85°C - 90°C. Pour the water over the leaves. Let steep for 1-3 minutes.

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Thank you for lingering.

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Sources:

Sencha Tea Bar. "Lapsang Souchong: A Black Tea That Emerges From Fire" Senchateabar.com, https://senchateabar.com/blogs/blog/lapsang-souchong

Tea Curious. "The In-Depth Guide To Silver Needle White Tea." Teacurious.com, uploaded by Tulali, Rie, 15 Nov. 2017, https://www.teacurious.com/guide-silver-needle