A Tea Ball Can Infuse Flavor in Your Tea
Michalis 'BIG Mike' Kotzakolios


Defined Tag: Tea Ball.

The majority of tea drinkers simply use bags. Why? It is a heck of a lot easier to dip a bag in hot water than to figure out how to use all sorts of floating gadgets and electronic tea makers. Additionally, most people have a kettle and drink tea rarely; and for this reason, they are often unwilling to invest in another tea making gadget.

However, with that said, I want to present to you a gadget that might seem strange at first, but if you are willing to try to understand it, will greatly enhance your tea drinking experience. Not only will it make the tea taste better, but it will improve the brewing process, too.

The ball, which is actually a tea infuser, is generally a small perforated metal or mesh container. The tea infuser holds the loose tea leaves for the purpose of brewing tea. So instead of using a tea bag, a tea infuser is used. It can also be used to brew multiple servings or only one cup of tea, because there is a wide range of sizes available. And besides having the shape of a ball, other common shapes for tea infusers include cylindrical, and conical. There is even one style that is a sphere that splits apart with long handles to open the basket for the loose tea. The tea infusers allow the loose tea leaves, which are typically whole or large pieces of leaves, enough space to expand and open up. And unlike in a cramped tea bag, the good water circulation around the leaves in the infuser, is what helps to release the awesome flavors of the tea.

So, to make a cup of tea using a ball, first open the ball and fill it with the tea leaves. Close the ball and attach the two sides together with the small locking mechanism. Usually, a chain will be attached that allows the tea ball to hang over the side and in the drink, allowing the leaves to steep in the hot water. In some cases, the chain will clasp onto the cup to allow for easy retrieval without the worry of burning your fingers. Then place the ball in a cup that is not quite filled with hot water. By using less than a full cup of water, it allows the tea leaves to all get wet and expand, releasing their flavor, while not spilling into the cup. It also allows for quicker brewing. In some cases, you will want to consider using an infuser (tea ball) that has larger holes. This may cause more leaves to fall out during the brewing process; however, you can always use a strainer later to catch all of the debris before you drink.

So if you really enjoy drinking tea and want to take your enjoyment of it to the next level, why not try a tea ball? They are relatively easy to use and they will create a far superior product. Additionally, they will give you the ability to customize the drink you end up producing, unlike conventional tea bags.