Harney & Sons

Learn About Tea

Body

August 22, 2012

Assess the weight of the tea: Does it feel thin like water or thick like cream?  “Body” refers to a tea’s heft or weight, how much substance or texture it has.  White teas and Chinese green teas are very light, feeling almost like water.  Thicker Japanese green teas often feel brothy, a little like chicken soup with their greater heft.  Some oolongs are actually called “creamy” for the way they coat your mouth like heavy cream.  Black teas have a different kind of heft: Their body is often described as brisk or astringent, for the way they dry up the mouth.

A tea’s body is also among the best indicators of brew strength.  While a poorly brewed tea will still release plenty of aromas, its body will suffer.  Does the tea feel thin or wan  Even the lightest teas should have a little texture; a thin tea probably needs more time to brew and may also need a pinch more dry leaves.  Alternatively, does it taste bitter and make your mouth pucker?  Then the body may be overbrewed.  With many British Legacy Teas, this strength is normal, but the bulk of the teas should taste mellow, rounded, and balanced.

Mike Harney

Michael Harney has been the tea buyer and blender of Harney & Sons for twenty years. He travels to Asia and meets with tea producers from all the major tea countries, looking for the season's best teas. A graduate of Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, he lives with his wife and their three sons in Salisbury, Connecticut.

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