zhang.dianli:: 'The subtle complexity that forms the unique signature of each fine tea comes from tea polyphenols (TPP)' from Tea Snobbery 101: Milk and Sugar are Evil
Discovered: May 9, 2026 14:10 (UTC) zhang.dianli:: ‘The subtle complexity that forms the unique signature of each fine tea comes from tea polyphenols (TPP)’ from Tea Snobbery 101: Milk and Sugar are Evil
- I love these “better living through chemistry” explanations of tea and coffee :-)
QUOTE:
- Read the whole thing: Tea Snobbery 101: Milk and Sugar are Evil — zhang.dianli
The subtle complexity that forms the unique signature of each fine tea comes from tea polyphenols (TPP). When milk is added, the casein micelles sweep in and bind to these polyphenol compounds, effectively removing the “free” polyphenols from the tea infusion. This forming of larger complexes decreases the availability of free TPP. What is perceived as “smoothness” in the mouthfeel is, in actuality, the erasure of the fine-grained profile that gives the tea its depth and complexity. The tea’s delicate astringency (the building block of that flavour development I described above) is chemically neutralized at the molecular level.