Where does the dirty rinse of Moroccan Mint come from?

[TheJasmineDragon]

In traditional Moroccan mint tea you brew the “spirit of the tea” first. Then the second brew is a rinse and it looks dirty. I’m noticing a lot of parallels to a problem we keep running into at work. At my coffee shop job we often brew Moroccan mint through our espresso machine (I know ). Well it always comes out looking like the dirty rinse in traditional Moroccan mint tea. We always have to strain it before serving it to customers. This is the only machine brewed tea that does this.

So does anyone know why this happens? I’m just looking for some sort of explanation.

[jayinhk]

In traditional Moroccan mint tea you brew the “spirit of the tea” first. Then the second brew is a rinse and it looks dirty. I’m noticing a lot of parallels to a problem we keep running into at work. At my coffee shop job we often brew Moroccan mint through our espresso machine (I know ). Well it always comes out looking like the dirty rinse in traditional Moroccan mint tea. We always have to strain it before serving it to customers. This is the only machine brewed tea that does this.

So does anyone know why this happens? I’m just looking for some sort of explanation.

I just read up on the spirit thing! I had no idea Moroccan tea was brewed that way. I'm off to Brussels next month and will be drinking a fair bit of Moroccan whiskey, I think, since Brussels has the largest Moroccan community in Europe! Now that I know what's involved I'm going to enjoy it even more.

Because of the pressure used with espresso, you're extracting more when pulling then you would with the conventional method, so you're getting both the 'spirit' and the 'rinse.'

[Bok]

Well, the basic tea used for Morrocan tea is Gunpowder. Mostly Camel brand. That is a green tea from such a low grade that you can not even find it in China, but in every Chinatwon, Asiashop around the world. It is a green tea, very dark rolled leaves, a lot smaller than for Taiwanese oolongs. As the appearance is similar to gunpowder it became its name.

I guess a lot of the dirtiness is actually what it seems to be – dirt and dust.

Used to be a staple of my teas, a long time before I knew anything about good teas.

[jayinhk]

Well, the basic tea used for Morrocan tea is Gunpowder. Mostly Camel brand. That is a green tea from such a low grade that you can not even find it in China, but in every Chinatwon, Asiashop around the world. It is a green tea, very dark rolled leaves, a lot smaller than for Taiwanese oolongs. As the appearance is similar to gunpowder it became its name.

I guess a lot of the dirtiness is actually what it seems to be – dirt and dust.

Used to be a staple of my teas, a long time before I knew anything about good teas.

Actually there are high grade gunpowder teas sold in China, and plenty of people there buy the crap stuff too! I once bought a small bag for 12 cents US...and it was pretty unpleasant!

[Bok]

Actually there are high grade gunpowder teas sold in China, and plenty of people there buy the crap stuff too! I once bought a small bag for 12 cents US...and it was pretty unpleasant!

I stand corrected! Guess lots of people in China, lots of taste profiles, haha

[jayinhk]

Actually there are high grade gunpowder teas sold in China, and plenty of people there buy the crap stuff too! I once bought a small bag for 12 cents US...and it was pretty unpleasant!

I stand corrected! Guess lots of people in China, lots of taste profiles, haha

I thought the same until this thread; then I did some research. The Wikipedia article on it is pretty interesting!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_tea

It seems all rolled oolongs were inspired by gunpowder tea!

[12Tea]

Gunpowder tea in China is understood as something else relative to the West. In China it's called 'zhucha' meaning 'pearl tea'. Anything in tight pearl shape is a zhucha. In the West, 'gunpowder tea' refers more to cheap tightly rolled green tea.

[Suzie-Andreessen]

In traditional Moroccan mint tea, the "dirty rinse" you're referring to is actually a result of the tea's initial brewing process. When the tea leaves are first brewed, they release a significant amount of tannins and other compounds, which can make the liquid appear murky or dirty. This rinse is often discarded because it contains a lot of the bitter and astringent elements from the leaves. The subsequent brew, which is the actual tea used for serving, is clearer and has a smoother taste.

The same phenomenon can occur when brewing Moroccan mint tea through an espresso machine. The machine's high pressure and extraction process can cause similar issues with murkiness due to the rapid release of compounds from the tea leaves. Straining the tea before serving is a practical solution to ensure a clean and enjoyable beverage, similar to how the first rinse is discarded in traditional preparation.

So, the "dirty rinse" is a normal part of the process and is usually removed to ensure the final tea is clear and flavorful.
( Moroccanzest )