Every time I see the word “brew” it immediately conjures up images of vats of lager and mounds of coffee beans waiting to be turned into heavy brown liquid, yet many tea companies refer to the process of making tea as “brewing”. This got me thinking… and I just spent the last hour doing google searches on the difference between steeping and brewing tea. This is what I gathered from the Free Online Dictionary…
Steep (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/steep)
1. to soak or be soaked in a liquid in order to soften or cleanse2. steeped in filled with: an industry steeped in tradition
Brew (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/brew)
1. To make (ale or beer) from malt and hops by infusion, boiling, and fermentation.2. To make (a beverage) by boiling, steeping, or mixing various ingredients: brew tea.3. To concoct; devise: brew a plot to overthrow the government.
Did that make sense? Apparently to brew tea involves steeping but to steep tea doesn’t involve brewing. Interesting and confusing. So what is the correct way to make tea? Both seem to be the answer and I suppose it comes down to preference. I will continue to steep my tea while others are welcome to brew theirs. For me it just comes down to the simple fact that I like the way “steeping tea” sounds as opposed to “brewing tea.” I’ll be steeping my morning tea (jade oolong) shortly, while some of you will choose to brew yours.
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[…] proof that the Zen master was at the Tea Party long before the anti-establishment brew had steeped in right of center […]
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Thank you for this post, I always use the two terms interchangeably, but wonder if I’m using each the right way.
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I always think of it as the person is the one brewing the tea, while the tea itself is steeping. It just depends on who/what is doing the action. No idea if this is correct or not.
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[…] question: “What should I use to brew my tea in?” First of all, if you read my post on “To Steep or To Brew?” you would know that the word “brew” is like nails on a chalkboard to me. So I answer […]
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I know what you mean…. brewing is, at least in my mind, associated with coffee. I wonder how the term started being used for tea. I admit sometimes it doesn’t “feel” right. One day I half expect someone to say… “duh Tea Escapade you brew coffee and beer – NOT tea…”
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Ah. Its something that has intrigued me for a while now. I see so many companies and people using/saying BREW for tea. I dunno.. just doesnt work for me. I wonder why no one says they steep their coffee beans? Being a 100% non coffee drinker, I know nothing about the bean.
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Funny. I used to always say brew until I started blogging and reading other blogs about tea. That’s when I expanded my vocabulary to include steep. Now I use them interchangeably.
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