Method and apparatus for making a tea concentrate

Abstract

A method of making an individual serving of an aqueous tea concentrate comprises locating at a strainer a quantity of loose particulate tea material that is sufficient to produce the individual tea concentrate serving. The quantity of tea material is directly contacted with a sufficient amount of water so as to produce the individual tea concentrate serving. The particle size of the tea material, the tea material-water contact time and the temperature of the water can each be controlled so as to minimise the extract of tannins from the tea material and into the concentrate. The aqueous tea concentrate is collected once it has passed through the strainer to thereby separate it from the particulate tea material. Apparatus and a kit for making the concentrate can comprise a strainer (34) at which a quantity of loose particulate tea material can be located for contact with water so as to produce an aqueous concentrate that is separated at the strainer from the tea material, and a mass (36, 36A) that is locatable on the loose particulate tea material so as to restrain the upward expansion of the loose particulate tea material when it is directly contacted with the water.

Description

technical field

[0001] A method and apparatus for preparing a tea concentrate is disclosed. Also disclosed are tea concentrates prepared by the method and kits for carrying out the method. The term "tea" as used herein includes dried and / or prepared leaves of plants of the Camellia family (including plant Camellia sinensis), and includes concentrates that may be dried and / or prepared for subsequent preparation of beverages Any kind of leaves, flowers, etc. of other related or unrelated plants, species, etc. Background technique

[0002] Tea beverages prepared from plants of the Camellia family contain mixed ingredients in an aqueous solution extracted / filtered from the dried or prepared leaves of these plants. The components include polyphenols, flavonoids, catechins and tannins (refer to Journal of Chinese Medicine). Tannins are astringent, bitter-tasting plant polyphenols that can bind and precipitate with proteins, however, the term is more generally applied to any lar...

Examples

Embodiment 1

[0098] A test was conducted using 9 grams of Pekoe tea powder with a crushed leaf size of 20-24 mesh using a Tyler series sieve (ie 20-24 holes per square inch) to determine the quality of the tea concentrate when using boiling water. The Pekoe tea powder was placed in a frustoconical filter with a very fine mesh and a restricted outlet. Use a teapot to prepare boiling water and pour about 70ml of boiling water directly on the Pekoe tea powder for 20-25 seconds of extraction time. The resulting final permeate was separated from the Pekoe tea powder by passing through a filter to provide about 30 ml of this final form of tea concentrate. The tea concentrate prepared by this method has a strong aroma without strong tannin bitterness.

Embodiment 2

[0100] Experiments were conducted using 10 grams of Pekoe tea powder with a 20-24 mesh crushed leaf size using a Tyler series sieve to determine the quality of the tea concentrate when using near boiling water from the outlet of an espresso machine. The Pekoe tea powder is first ground to reduce size and then placed in a conical filter with a very fine screen and a restricted outlet. Near-boiling water is free-flowing water from the hot water outlet of the espresso machine. Pour about 40ml of near-boiling water directly over the ground Pekoe tea leaves and allow the extraction time to be 25-30 seconds. The final permeate produced is passed through a filter, wherein the final permeate is separated from the Pekoe tea powder to provide the tea concentrate in this final form. The tea concentrate prepared by this method has a strong aroma without strong tannin bitterness.

Embodiment 3

[0102] Experiments were conducted using 10 grams of leaf blend with orange tea powder and rose petals with a crushed leaf size of 18-20 mesh using a Tyler series sieve to determine the quality of the tea concentrate when the leaf blend was used. The leaf blend was placed in a conical filter with a very fine mesh and a restricted outlet. In a similar manner to Example 1, boiling water was prepared using a teapot. About 70 ml of boiling water was poured directly onto the blend and the extraction time was 30-40 seconds. The final permeate produced was passed through a filter, wherein the final permeate was separated from the leaf blend to provide about 40 ml of tea concentrate in this final form. Likewise, the tea concentrate prepared by this method has a strong aroma without strong tannin bitterness.

technical field

[0001] A method and apparatus for preparing a tea concentrate is disclosed. Also disclosed are tea concentrates prepared by the method and kits for carrying out the method. The term "tea" as used herein includes dried and / or prepared leaves of plants of the Camellia family (including plant Camellia sinensis), and includes concentrates that may be dried and / or prepared for subsequent preparation of beverages Any kind of leaves, flowers, etc. of other related or unrelated plants, species, etc. Background technique

[0002] Tea beverages prepared from plants of the Camellia family contain mixed ingredients in an aqueous solution extracted / filtered from the dried or prepared leaves of these plants. The components include polyphenols, flavonoids, catechins and tannins (refer to Journal of Chinese Medicine). Tannins are astringent, bitter-tasting plant polyphenols that can bind and precipitate with proteins, however, the term is more generally applied to any lar...

Examples

Embodiment 1

[0098] A test was conducted using 9 grams of Pekoe tea powder with a crushed leaf size of 20-24 mesh using a Tyler series sieve (ie 20-24 holes per square inch) to determine the quality of the tea concentrate when using boiling water. The Pekoe tea powder was placed in a frustoconical filter with a very fine mesh and a restricted outlet. Use a teapot to prepare boiling water and pour about 70ml of boiling water directly on the Pekoe tea powder for 20-25 seconds of extraction time. The resulting final permeate was separated from the Pekoe tea powder by passing through a filter to provide about 30 ml of this final form of tea concentrate. The tea concentrate prepared by this method has a strong aroma without strong tannin bitterness.

Embodiment 2

[0100] Experiments were conducted using 10 grams of Pekoe tea powder with a 20-24 mesh crushed leaf size using a Tyler series sieve to determine the quality of the tea concentrate when using near boiling water from the outlet of an espresso machine. The Pekoe tea powder is first ground to reduce size and then placed in a conical filter with a very fine screen and a restricted outlet. Near-boiling water is free-flowing water from the hot water outlet of the espresso machine. Pour about 40ml of near-boiling water directly over the ground Pekoe tea leaves and allow the extraction time to be 25-30 seconds. The final permeate produced is passed through a filter, wherein the final permeate is separated from the Pekoe tea powder to provide the tea concentrate in this final form. The tea concentrate prepared by this method has a strong aroma without strong tannin bitterness.

Embodiment 3

[0102] Experiments were conducted using 10 grams of leaf blend with orange tea powder and rose petals with a crushed leaf size of 18-20 mesh using a Tyler series sieve to determine the quality of the tea concentrate when the leaf blend was used. The leaf blend was placed in a conical filter with a very fine mesh and a restricted outlet. In a similar manner to Example 1, boiling water was prepared using a teapot. About 70 ml of boiling water was poured directly onto the blend and the extraction time was 30-40 seconds. The final permeate produced was passed through a filter, wherein the final permeate was separated from the leaf blend to provide about 40 ml of tea concentrate in this final form. Likewise, the tea concentrate prepared by this method has a strong aroma without strong tannin bitterness.

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