Tea Leaves Leave Tannins

• The quality of the tea plays an important role in determining the bitterness and flavor of your cup of tea. Lower-quality tea bags are typically made from the dust and fanning of tea leaves; this powder-like consistency dissolves more quickly in hot water than full leaves. And even whole-leaf tea tends to break into much smaller pieces toward the bottom of the box. These smaller pieces release tannins faster than larger pieces of tea and thus can cause tea to taste more bitter if brewing time and water temperature are not adjusted accordingly.

Don't Overdue It

• Brewing time is a major factor in determining how bitter your tea tastes. The longer tea steeps in water, the more tannins are released, and the more bitter or astringent the tea tastes. Each type of tea has a particular recommended brewing time; surpassing this time results in a more bitter flavor. Read the tea-maker's instructions on your tea box for its recommended steeping time.

Keep It Clean

• After multiple uses, tea residue may build up on the inside of your teapot and tea strainer, leaving tannins behind, which will eventually start to affect the taste of tea brewed in your pot. Clean out teapots by rinsing them with warm water and then cleaning the inside with baking soda. Soap can leave behind residue that will affect the flavor of future tea. Baking soda rinses clean, and its natural alkaline state counteracts the acidic tannins.

Too Hot to Handle

• The temperature of the water you use to brew tea will affect the flavor, and different teas brew at different temperatures. In Pursuit of Tea recommends guidelines for water temperature for different teas, but the tea box often indicates the best temperature for that particular tea. Tea that is brewed at too hot a temperature will have a bitter taste because more tannins are released. Also, tea needs oxygen to develop its full flavor, so use fresh cold water, which has a higher content of oxygen than stagnant warm water or previously boiled water, when you make tea.