19 Jul Why Does Machine Tea Taste So Bad and How to Improve It?
One may think, it’s just a simple cup of tea! How hard can it be to get it right if you have all the right ingredients? Unfortunately, despite the apparent simplicity of preparing a humble cup of tea, there are a lot of factors that influence your tasting experience, especially when its tea coming from a vending machine. Of course, it may not be practical to expect home-style tea from a vending machine, for obvious reasons, but it also isn’t necessary for tea coming from a vending machine to taste bad.
Why does Machine Tea taste bad?
Mostly, everyone blames the tea powder mix quality when tea from a vending machine taste bad. But there are many reasons for the bad tea taste. From the method of preparing to the quality and temperature of water, several reasons can affect the tea taste.
Some of the reasons why machine tea tastes bad are:
1. Low quality ingredients
The quality of the tea leaves or tea bags play a key role in crafting a great cup of tea. The flavour hinges on the extraction of solids from the tea itself. Low quality ingredients result in lacklustre taste.
2. Wrong brewing temperature
The degree to which the water is heated is integral for brewing a good cup of tea, if the machine doesn’t bring the water to an optimal temperature, as required, then the flavour can be affected.
3. When the brewing time is too long or short
Depending on the type of tea, the brewing time should neither be too short or too long. Brewing it for a longer time (as most of us think, is the right thing to do) can make the brew too bitter or lose its essence.
4. Unkempt machine
It’s a vending machine, so it’s important that you take extra diligent care when it comes to cleaning and maintaining it as an unclean machine may have residues left from the previous brews, that can alter the taste of the tea.
5. Bad water quality
The water your tea goes into must be of excellent quality. You just cannot use water that has been sitting in the machine for too long, or in general stale water and expect a good cup of tea dispensed out of it. Fresh water is integral to make a perfect brew.
The quality of the water used in the machine can significantly impact the taste. Chlorine, impurities, or an off taste in the water can ruin the flavour of the tea.
6. Cross-contamination
Vending machines often dispense more than one type of beverage. If your vending machine is brewing other beverages like coffee, there is a chance of the flavours being mixed, no matter the precautions taken. This can affect the tea taste.
7. Incorrect water to tea ratios
If you don’t get any flavour out of your brewed tea and think it tastes like hot water, then there is a possibility that you are not using enough tea leaves for water you use. For instance, you should use 2.5 grams of tea leaves with water, having a temperature 80 to 85 degrees Celsius to prepare 180 ml cup of the white tea. Similarly diverse types of teas require different water to tea ratios.
Addressing these issues can significantly improve the taste of the tea from a vending machine and may even give you your exact, desired cup of tea.
Tips to improve the tea taste from a vending machine
Now that we have established the reasons as to why machine tea can taste bad, let’s see some of the tips that can help save the tea.
1. Use of high-quality ingredients
Excellent quality tea leaves or tea bags specifically designed for vending machines can help with producing a good brew and you’ll be able to see a noticeable difference in flavour.
2. Ensure the right brewing temperature
Make sure the vending machine heats the water to the appropriate temperature for brewing tea. Green tea, black tea, and herbal teas all require different temperatures to bring out their best Flavors.
3. Adjust the brewing time to be exactly right
Set the machine to brew tea for the optimal amount of time. Over-brewing can make tea bitter, while under-brewing can result in a weak flavour. For example, your green tea should steep for 2 to 3 minutes while you should steep black tea for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Clean and descale regularly
Make sure to clean the machine, descale it every day as there will be a residue buildup that can not only alter the texture of your brews but also the flavour of it. Ensure to especially clean the parts that come in direct contact with tea and water.
5. Use clean fresh water for the brew
Water is an integral part of deciding the taste of the brew. Fresher the water, better the brew. One thing you absolutely must avoid is using water that has been sitting for a while.
6. Do not cross contaminate
If the machine is dispensing other beverages like coffee, make sure to separate the compartments. This can help prevent mixing of flavours.
7. Ensure the right water to tea ratio
Ensure the machine uses the correct ratio of water to tea for a balanced flavour. Adjust settings if necessary to achieve the right strength.
8. Maintenance and customization
Make sure you schedule maintenance checks from a professional to ensure all components are functioning properly. Additionally, if required, customize the machine settings, and allow users to adjust the temperature and other parameters to their preference.
By following these steps, you can significantly improve the taste of tea from a vending machine and ensure a more satisfying experience for users.
How is Brewtal different than other vending machines? Why is it better?
Brewtal has invented, and patented, a tea vending machine that crafts home-style, flavourful tea for Indian offices. This solves one of the major problems of cross contamination.
The tea brewed by brewtal is made by boiling, like homestyle tea; It’s got the masalas; As per your preference, you get to pick your preferred tea-milk ratio; the tea is never stored inside the machine, its brewed and served on demand; Can brew a variety of teas such as Ginger tea, masala tea, Black tea and Elaichi tea. It’s the tea, tea lovers deserve.
Brewtal’s tea vending machine for offices has customizable pricing that includes rental and cost of consumables. As per client’s preference we tailor a pricing plan based on their specific needs.
If you are looking to experience our tea vending machine personally, we can organize a free demo session at your office. Contact us to know more.