Straight ・ Rize
Rize
ByTadashi KitataniUpdated
A tea with very low export volume.
- Origin
- Turkey
- Liquor color
- Dark Brown
- How to enjoy
- Best enjoyed as chai or straight tea
About Rize
This is Turkey's national black tea, primarily grown in the Rize province along the Black Sea coast. Most of it is consumed domestically, with little exported. The Turkish style involves brewing a strong tea in the upper tier of a two-tiered pot called a 'çaydanlık', then diluting it with hot water from the lower tier to achieve the desired strength, served in small tulip-shaped glasses. Sugar is often added.
How to brew
Good tea comes down to three basics: the amount of leaves, fresh boiling water, and steeping time. Use about one teaspoon (3g) of leaves per cup, pour freshly boiled water at 95–100°C briskly over them, put the lid on the pot, and steep for 2.5–3 minutes. When the leaves circulate up and down in the pot (the 'jumping' effect), the aroma and flavor come out well.
- As a straight tea
- Enjoy the tea's natural aroma and liquor color. Steep for about 2.5–3 minutes; shorten it slightly if you find it too astringent. Pour out to the very last drop (the 'best drop') so the second cup keeps the same strength.
A general guide to brewing black tea. Adjust to the tea and your taste.