如何像专家一样沏茶？

A delicious cup of tea can chase away the winter chill, recharge you during the day, or relax you at night. To brew tea, you steep it in hot water. Steeping is the process of extracting the flavor and health-promoting compounds from the solids used to make tea. This article explains the best ways to steep tea so you can enjoy a perfect cup every time.
一杯好茶能够驱赶冬日的寒冷，让你的一天充满活力，或是在睡前舒缓心情。沏茶就是用热水浸泡茶叶。浸泡的过程会萃取出茶的风味和精华物质。本文将与大家探讨如何才能让你每次都能沏出一杯好茶。
茶还是香草茶？
Not all tea is the same, and steeping techniques vary depending on the type you’re brewing. True teas come from the Camellia sinensis plant and include black, green, oolong, and white tea. Their flavors, colors, and antioxidant contents differ depending on how the leaves are oxidized before they’re dried . True teas are available dried, both as loose leaves or in tea bags.
并非所有茶都是一样的，沏茶的方式应当视茶的种类而定。真正的茶，例如红茶、绿茶、乌龙茶、白茶等，它们虽然产自同一种茶树，但味道、颜色和抗氧化物质含量差别很大，很大程度上取决于茶叶的氧化程度。茶一般是干的，有散装茶和袋装茶。
Herbal teas, also called tisanes, are not true teas. Instead, they’re infusions or decoctions made from the roots, leaves, stems, or flowers of herbs and plants, such as hibiscus, peppermint, rooibos, chamomile, turmeric, or ginger. Often you use dried ingredients, but you can also make herbal teas from fresh ingredients.
香草茶并非真正意义上的茶。它们是用植物的根茎、叶子、茎、花制成的，例如芙蓉花、磨合、博士茶、洋甘菊、姜黄或生姜等。香草茶通常用干的原材料制成，当然也可以用鲜的。
The basic steeping technique is the same for both types, but the amounts needed to brew a cup vary between dried and fresh ingredients. The steeping time and water temperature needed to extract the best flavors can also differ.
沏茶的基本方法，二者基本相同，但要根据原材料是干的还是鲜的而定。浸泡时间和水温需要根据萃取的需要来进行调整。
鲜原材料茶
If you’re making an herbal tea from fresh ingredients, such as herbs or ginger or turmeric root, it’s best to use them shortly after they’re cut or purchased. Dried tea leaves have a long shelf life when kept dry in an airtight container and out of direct light. However, extended storage times may negatively affect the quality, flavor, and aroma.
如果你选择的是用鲜原材料制成的香草茶，例如香草、生姜或姜黄，你应当在原材料准备好后尽快沏茶。干茶放在密封包装袋里避光保存，可保质很长时间。但时间太长也会影响品质、风味和香气。
Researchers who monitored the antioxidants in green tea stored at 68°F (20°C) found that catechin levels were reduced by 32% after 6 months.
茶叶富含多酚抗氧化物质，例如儿茶酸、茶红素和茶黄素等，这些也是茶健康功效的来源，但会随时间的推移而慢慢减弱。研究者发现，以20℃保存绿茶，在6个月之后，茶的儿茶酸含量会下降32%。
The quality of your water also affects the flavor of your tea. Tap water high in minerals or treated with chlorine will impart an off-flavor, so ideally, you should use fresh, cold, and filtered water when brewing.
水的品质也会影响茶的口味。自来水矿物质含量较高，或经过氯处理，会带来异味。因此最好用新鲜、低温的过滤水。
时间和水温
To steep tea, pour hot water over your ingredients and let them rest for a few minutes. It isn’t an exact science, and you should experiment to find what tastes right to you. That said, here are some general guidelines.
沏茶需要将热水倒在茶叶中，浸泡几分钟。虽然不是一门科学，但通过实验，你会发现特定的配方能激发出茶的最大潜力。以下介绍的是基本方法，仅供参考。
A hotter temperature or longer steeping time isn’t necessarily better. For example, in studies, green tea brewed this way scored lower on color, flavor, aroma, and overall acceptability. On the other hand, if the steep time is too short, you won’t extract enough flavors and antioxidants.
水温越高或浸泡时间越长，并非一定是好事。例如，有研究显示，沏泡绿茶的水温过高或时间过长会导致茶失色，流失口味、香气，降低整体可口度。但时间太短，有可能无法萃取出茶的全部风味和抗氧化元素。
Researchers analyzed the total amount of polyphenol antioxidants extracted over time from black tea and found it took 6–8 minutes to extract the maximum amount.
研究者发现，若想最大程度最去红茶的多酚抗氧化成分，需要浸泡6-8分钟。
It’s also worth keeping in mind that caffeine content increases with a longer steep time. True teas have varying amounts of caffeine. A 6-ounce (178-ml) cup of black tea contains 35 mg of caffeine, while the same serving of green tea has 21 mg. Steeping tea for an extra minute increases the caffeine content by up to 29%, and using boiling-temperature water increases it by up to 66%.
同时要注意，浸泡的时间越长，被萃取出的咖啡因就越多。茶的咖啡因含量视茶的品种而定。1杯6oz（178ml）的红茶咖啡因含量为35mg，绿茶则为21mg。延长浸泡时间1分钟，咖啡因含量会增加29%；用开水沏茶，会增加咖啡易因含量66%。
热萃取
Steeping your tea with hot water is the quickest way to brew a delicious cup. Here are some guidelines for the best steep time and temperature for various popular teas:
用热水沏茶能快速萃取出茶的风味。以下是常见茶叶品种和相应的沏茶时间、温度：