In Türkiye, tea (çay) is brewed in a çaydanlık: two pots stacked one on the other. Water boils in the larger kettle underneath while the leaf brews in the small pot on top, kept hot by the steam rising from below.
The top pot makes a strong concentrate called dem, with a lot of leaf for its size and a long steep of 10 to 15 minutes on a low heat. Each glass gets some dem and is topped up with hot water from the kettle, so everyone picks their own strength: koyu for dark and strong, açık for light.
The usual tea is a finely cut black tea from Rize, on the Black Sea coast. It's served in small tulip-shaped glasses that show off the colour, a clear deep red known as tavşan kanı, rabbit's blood. Sugar cubes come on the side; milk doesn't.
In Steepbook, log it with the Turkish çay style and the top pot as the teaware. The big number is how long the dem brews, and the leaf is worked out for the water in the top pot, not for the glasses.
Words in this article
- Dem
- The strong tea concentrate brewed in the top pot of a çaydanlık, poured into the glass and topped up with hot water. Brewing it is called demleme.
- Çaydanlık
- The Turkish two-tier teapot: water boils in the big kettle below while the leaf brews in the small pot stacked on top, kept hot by the steam.
- İnce belli
- The small tulip-shaped glass Turkish tea is served in, narrow at the middle and flared at the rim, so you see the colour.
- Tavşan kanı
- The colour to aim for in a glass of Turkish tea: a deep, clear red. Cloudy or brown means it stewed or sat too long.
More in Learn
- Leaf, heat and time
- Water temperature by tea
- Gongfu steeping
- Rinsing the leaf
- Water matters
- Freshness and storage
- The families of tea
- Dialing in a new tea
- Tea glossary
Steepbook is a free app that remembers the steep that worked for each tea, teaware and brew style. Have a look if that sounds useful.