Brewing
Why Does My Tea Taste Bitter?
Tea often tastes bitter because of too much leaf, too-hot water, or a steep that ran too long. The easiest fix is to change one of those variables and taste again.
Diagnose the cup
If the bitterness arrives quickly in a green tea, lower the water temperature. If a black tea tastes fine at first but harsh later, remove the leaves sooner. If every cup is overpowering, measure less leaf for the same amount of water.
Astringency and bitterness are related but not identical. Astringency is the drying feeling some teas leave in the mouth; bitterness is a taste. A balanced amount can give structure, while too much can hide the tea’s aroma.
Make a small controlled change
Keep the same tea and cup. Change only the steeping time on the next brew, perhaps by thirty seconds. If that does not help, try leaf amount, then temperature. You will learn your own dependable recipe without wasting a whole pot.
Freshness and water also matter. Tea stored beside strong odors or brewed with hard water may taste unlike the same leaf prepared carefully.