Thinking about switching from black to white tea? In this article, we’re explaining what white tea tastes like, the best time of day to drink it, prep tips for optimal flavor, and what kinds of delicious beverages you can make with it.
Let’s dive right in…
What Does White Tea Taste Like?
Many people have tried black tea, but not everyone is familiar with white tea. If you have had black tea, it’s easier to describe white tea as the two are quite similar with white tea producing a much milder effect on the palate.
Different white teas may present different flavors. Some are more herbal while others are a little flowery. That being said, white tea is nowhere near green tea or herbal teas made with fruit in terms of vegetal and floral to fruity qualities. These flavors are more like subtle hints, especially in the aroma.
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Is White Tea Sweet?
Because white tea is not bitter like green or even black tea can be, white tea is considered to be on the sweet side. However, it does not have a particularly sugary taste. It’s more of an absence of intense, bitter flavors.
To get the most depth from the slight sweetness as well as the other flavors present in white tea, it’s crucial to steep it for the right amount of time. Between three and five minutes is best. Any shorter and your tea might be watery while longer steep times can create bitter flavors from tannin development.
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How Do You Drink White Tea?
To drink white tea, you’ll need a pot or kettle to heat water, a teabag to hold the leaves or a strainer to pour the hot water through the tea leaves. Whichever method you use, you’ll immerse the leaves in water just under boiling temperature for three to five minutes, after which you’ll remove them.
You can drink the tea as, which is a good way to appreciate the most delicate flavors in the tea, or you can add sugar or stevia and a dash of nondairy milk like you would in black tea.
You may also enjoy it iced. In this case, you can refrigerate cooled-down white tea and then add ice cubes. Alternatively, you can cold-brew by adding dried white tea leaves to cold water and letting them soak for 12 to 36 hours. This method makes the cleanest-tasting iced tea.
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Can You Drink White Tea at Night?
Many people do drink white tea all day and into the evening as white tea is significantly less caffeinated than black and green teas.
However, there is still some caffeine in white tea (unless yours says that it’s decaffeinated). If you’re sensitive to caffeine, drinking white tea at night is not recommended.
White Tea Fusions and Tips
From hot tea, to iced tea, to frozen blender infusions, there are tons of different ways to enjoy white tea. Give the following videos a quick watch to discover new and ancient ways of preparing this delicate beverage.
This video shows you how to prepare white tea the traditional way. You’ll just need your tea leaves, hot water, a strainer and a tea cup or mug.
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In this video, you’ll learn how to make cold-brewed tea for white or any other kind of tea at home. All you need is your tea (in a teabag), water and a container. That’s it!
We’re making super refreshing frozen white tea “melonade” in this video. Sounds like the ultimate summertime refresher, doesn’t it? It has white tea, some sweetener, frozen watermelon and fresh lemon. Yum.
Wrap Up
White tea shares some similarities with black tea and even with green tea, though it’s very mild, slightly sweet and a bit floral in comparison. Try hot or iced white tea—even add fresh fruit to a cold-brewed white tea for a summery treat.
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Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
