Fermentation of tea at home. Fermentation of fireweed and other herbs

The beneficial properties of this ancient drink directly depend on the method of collection and proper fermentation. Knowing how to ferment Ivan tea, you can prepare a delicious and healthy vitamin cocktail yourself.

Of course, it is easier and more convenient to buy a package of the finished product. But there will be less benefit from such a drink, since large-scale industries perform many processes of collecting and preparing raw materials in a mechanized way. Useful properties and composition of the drink lose in quality.

Fireweed as a medicinal plant has been known for centuries. But Russian folk recipes were undeservedly forgotten, and now we are back to this amazing drink.

Koporye, or fermented fireweed tea, was exported to Europe until the 20th century, and was paid for in gold. The great demand for a fragrant medicinal drink created serious competition for Indian tea exporting countries. Therefore, English merchants tried to compromise our product by claiming that harmful white clay was added to it.

The scandal caused a serious reduction in exports, and after the revolution, supplies stopped altogether. Restoration of the plant in Koporye began before the war, in 1941, but work was suspended and resumed in the early 2000s.

Fireweed is found everywhere in Rus', and artisanal collection has allowed us to preserve ancient technologies that are now being restored and improved.

The benefits of properly prepared willow tea

Ivan-tea fermented - a huge potential for the treatment of a variety of diseases:

• prevention and treatment of oncology;
• antiseptic action;
• stimulation of peristalsis and therapy of the gastrointestinal tract;
• composition of vitamins and minerals;
• choice - night mask with fermented tea, instant rejuvenation and tightening;
• cleansing of toxins and the fight against excess weight;
• normalization of pressure and treatment of hypertension;
• cleansing the blood and restoring skin elasticity;
• sedative effect - an excellent antidepressant.

The benefits of fermented willow tea are huge, it has been proven by time. Russian peasants treated almost all diseases with this unpretentious herb, and during the war it was used to quickly restore the body after injuries and injuries. It is important to properly collect and cook fireweed or buy hand-dried collection.

How and when to collect fireweed

To get the maximum benefit from the drink, it is important to know how to ferment fireweed tea at home and understand why this is necessary. Each medicinal herb has a certain collection time, when the maximum amount of nutrients accumulates in all parts of the plant.

Important collection rules:

• the premium drink is obtained from the young tops of the shoots, which are harvested at the end of spring, besides, the bush with the torn off upper part becomes lush over the summer and gives a rich harvest;
• the main collection is carried out in the middle of summer, during the main flowering. Some experts say that the most healing leaves and flowers are on Ivan Kupala;
• the maximum concentration of substances in the leaves and flowers of the plant is from 12 to 13 hours, when the sun is at its zenith;
• until 10 am, the dew has not yet dried on the plants - this worsens the taste properties of the drink;
• it is impossible to use metal objects when collecting - metal destroys many vitamins. It is better to pluck or cut off with a sharpened wooden die or scraper.

The beneficial properties of fermented Ivan tea are revealed if flowers and leaves are harvested separately. The flowers are more tender, and their drying is carried out according to a different principle. The sheet must be plucked before it is covered with a soft fluff.

It is necessary to collect a large amount of grass, since for harvesting it is necessary that the leaves release juice. Delicate and fragrant upper leaves, located under the inflorescence. The bottom leaf must be left so that the plant does not die.

Forest and field fireweed has a different taste and aroma.

Fireweed harvesting processes

What is fermented tea and why is this process necessary? If you just brew dried fireweed, the result will not please. No taste or smell.

The leaf must give all the juice, so the collected raw materials must ferment. The fermentation period is one or two days. Many parameters affect the aging time - container, air temperature, humidity, leaf size.

Therefore, different varieties of the drink are obtained - light yellow spring, green summer and black - high exposure. The addition of dried flowers is made only after fermentation and drying of the leaves. They give the drink a unique field honey aroma.

Fermented willow-tea is a fireweed leaf dried after fermentation in its own juice. The process is not labor intensive, so everyone can prepare raw materials on their own. There are several methods for preparing raw materials.

Fermented tea: what does it mean

Method one is fast

We place the leaves under oppression, where they give off all the useful substances, roam in their own juice. The process is carried out in several stages:

• divide the collected leaves into two equal parts;
• from one you need to get the most juice. You can pass the leaf through a juicer, but it is better to crush it in a wooden mortar;
• we put whole leaves in a container (ceramics or enamel);
• on top we lay the crushed raw materials, which released the juice;
• we press the leaves so that the juice stands out evenly - the principle is the same as when sauerkraut;
• leave for three days in a dark place, covered with a cotton towel.

Now you need to dry the sheet in the oven at a temperature of 90 degrees, no more and no less. Can be dried with the oven door open, so the raw materials will not burn . That's it, now we drink fermented Ivan tea. We assure you: good mood and well-being are guaranteed.

The second method is monastic

This technique requires patience and time, but the result is beyond praise.

• the collected raw materials are dried in the shade in the open air, under a canopy;
• after that, rub the sheet in the palms of your hands and put it in glass jars, tamping tightly;
• cover with gauze and leave to ferment at room temperature for three days;
• then dry in the oven.

The technique is interesting in that the pressed sheet can be given different shapes - a ball or tiles, which is enough imagination.

Method three - folk

What does fermented Ivan-tea mean and how easy it is to prepare, in Rus' they have known for a long time. A leaf crushed in the palms releases juice and secretes an intracellular enzyme, a change in the biochemical composition occurs.

How to stretch the leaf so that all the useful substances are preserved? You have to make an effort:

• on a damp towel we lay the leaves crumpled with our hands;
• we twist it in a towel with leaves into a tight roller and wrinkle for two hours - a good exercise;
• we put the squeezed raw materials in glass jars and leave to ferment.

This method makes the fireweed give the maximum amount of juice for fermentation.

Important points of fermentation

Fermented Chinese tea is divided into varieties according to the place of growth and type of tea bush, and fireweed - according to the time of fermentation:

• light (fermentation exposure up to six hours) - mild taste and aroma of fruits;
• medium (from 12 to 16 hours) - tart, sour aftertaste;
• deep (three days) - strong and rich aroma and bitter aftertaste.

It is important to monitor the fermentation, if you miss the deadlines, then the efforts will be in vain. As soon as the raw material turns brown, the product is ready.

Proper brewing

How to brew fermented willow tea at home? Everything is very simple:

• you only need one gram of tea per cup (200 ml);
• it is not necessary to brew a second time - the benefit is zero;
• pour raw materials with boiling water and insist;
• the longer the infusion time, the greater the benefit - from 40 minutes to six hours.

Ivan-tea fermented can not be boiled for a long time, only to insist.

Be sure to try this pleasant and healthy drink, revered in Rus'. You will definitely like it.

If you prepare raw materials for brewing willow-tea using a certain technology, you will get a wonderful tea that can compete with other popular varieties in terms of taste and aroma. Tea made from fireweed is called Kopor tea.

Collection

Ivan-tea leaves are harvested during the flowering period of the plant. In some regions, it blooms from early summer to early autumn, in some it finishes blooming in August. In order not to damage the plants, the leaves are collected, starting from the flowers and moving down the stem by hand. This method is preferable, since the upper leaves and inflorescences remain intact.

Fermentation

The main secret of making such delicious tea is the proper fermentation of raw materials (in other words, fermentation). It is due to this that the leaves have such a magnificent aroma. The essence of fermentation is the frying and oxidation of the leaves with oxygen. At this stage, fermentation processes appear, which are suspended by roasting. In order to get a more fermented tea, you need to increase the time interval between the start of fermentation and its stop.

Due to different production methods, fireweed tea may differ in taste and color, for example, be red, black or green. Fermenting raw materials is necessary in order to get the desired taste and preserve as many vitamins as possible in the leaves.

Harvesting methods

Method number 1

• First, the leaves are dried, for this they are laid out in a small layer and slightly dried, constantly stirring.
• When the leaves dry, they will darken and curl into small flagella.
• In this state, they are folded into dishes (preferably non-metallic) and covered with a cloth soaked in water. In this way, fermentation is carried out, which should last 12-13 hours at room temperature. The leaves will have a fruity aroma.
• The leaves are then dried. To do this, they are cut and laid out in a thin layer on a baking sheet. They need to be dried at a temperature of 90-100 degrees and no more than an hour so that they do not crumble.

Method number 2

This method was traditional in the old days.

• On a linen fabric soaked in water, the leaves are laid out in a layer of several centimeters and the fabric is twisted into a tourniquet.
• For half an hour, the tourniquet is pulled with a string or rope and crumpled.
• The initial fermentation requires several hours at a temperature of 38 degrees. After that, the crushed grass will turn out.
• In order for the fermentation to be final, the greens are rammed into plastic buckets. The total fermentation time is still 12 hours.
• The leaves are laid out on a baking sheet and dried for about an hour and a half at a temperature of 100 degrees.
• Leaves should be stirred frequently during drying. To get a special taste, you can sprinkle them with water with honey dissolved in it. The oven must not be completely closed. In order not to overcook the leaves, you can put a few bricks in the oven (it will create a semblance of an oven, where the leaves used to be dried).

Method number 3

• The leaves are harvested and dried in the shade for about 24 hours.
• Each leaf is twisted by hand until the juice is released.
• Flagella from the leaves are laid out on a baking sheet and left for 7-9 hours under a wet cloth.
• Manually untwist the flagella and spread in a small layer on a baking sheet.
• Drying is carried out at 100 degrees and the oven door ajar for 45 minutes.

Interestingly, if you reduce the temperature in the oven by 2 times, then the leaves will turn out to be lighter in color, and the tea will taste like green tea.

Method number 4

The process of fermenting Koporye tea using traditional methods is a long and laborious procedure.

In order to save time, you can use the method of rapid fermentation of tea:

• To do this, the raw materials are placed in plastic bags and frozen in the freezer.
• The leaves are kept in the refrigerator for about 8 hours, after which they are laid out on an oilcloth surface.
• In the process of defrosting, cell membranes are broken, and juice is released, the leaves become dark.
• The leaves are wrinkled by hand, covered with a layer of gauze and waiting for the end of fermentation. The end of the process is the appearance of a pleasant rich aroma.
• The fermented leaf is cut.
• Lay in a 1 cm layer on a baking sheet.
• Drying time at a temperature of 100 degrees about two hours. During the process, the oven door must be ajar.
• Then the temperature is lowered to 60 degrees and dried until the moisture has completely evaporated.
• After removing the baking sheet from the oven, allow the raw material to cool.
• Lay out in canvas bags, which must be hung in the shade, in a well-ventilated place, in order to remove moisture from the tea.

After defrosting, fireweed leaves must be carefully mashed.

Store ready-made tea in glass or plastic jars with a tightly closed lid.

Storage

In order for tea to retain its taste and aromatic qualities, it must be poured into glassware and hermetically sealed. If you store the leaves correctly, then over time the taste of tea will become even more saturated, as the process of dry fermentation will take place. Tea can be stored for up to several years.

If the fireweed has already bloomed, then it's time to follow it to the nearest meadow and start preparing tea with an amazing taste and nectar smell for the whole next year. In fact, you can find recipes for Ivan tea on the Internet, but almost all sites cite excerpts from an article by engineer Odintsov "Forgotten Drink" from the journal "Science and Life" for 1989. It is difficult to prepare the “correct” Ivan tea according to this article and quotes - many questions arise during the preparation process. I threw away more than one batch of tea until I got it. The recipe that I am posting here takes into account all the nuances, so the acquaintances to whom I give this recipe usually do not have difficulties in preparing willow tea.

The process of preparing fermented Ivan tea consists of several stages.

1. Collection of leaves

The leaves are harvested in June-August from the beginning of flowering fireweed to the moment of its fluffing. It is necessary to collect in dry weather, away from roads and polluted places, preferably in shady places along the edge of forest glades. In such plants, the leaves are more tender and juicy, they are easier to roll and ferment better, and the tea from them is tastier.

It is convenient to collect the leaves of willow-tea, holding the stem at the peduncle with one hand, and holding it down to the middle of the stem with the other (in the photo this part of the stem is limited by red ribbons). The lower leaves are left on the stem, because. they are coarser than the top ones. It is advisable to leave 3-4 tiers of leaves under the flowers. The plant needs them to lift moisture from the roots and collect dew. This method of collecting leaves does not harm the plant - it continues to bloom and produces seeds.

2. Withering leaves

Withering is necessary in order to make it easier to process the leaves in the future. In addition, excess moisture in the leaves does not allow for a quality subsequent fermentation. As a result, tea will turn out to be of poor quality.

Collected leaves are inspected, damaged ones are removed. And there may be snails, we remove them too. It is better not to wash the leaves before drying, because. you can wash off the beneficial microorganisms involved in the fermentation process.

Then the leaves are laid out indoors on cotton or linen in a small layer (3 - 5 cm). It is necessary to control the process and periodically stir up the leaves so that they dry evenly. Try not to let the sun's rays fall on the leaves, otherwise the leaves will dry out and not wither. For the same reason, it is impossible to dry the leaves on the street, because the sun and wind will quickly dry the leaves, which will complicate their processing and worsen the quality of future tea.

On average, the process takes 12 hours. On a dry sunny day, the process is faster, on a rainy and cool day it takes longer (a day or more). The best temperature for drying is 20 - 24 °C at a relative humidity of 70%. A relatively heavily withered leaf rolls better and makes more good teas than an unsalted one. The remaining moisture in the sheet should be 60-62%.

The readiness of the sheet is determined by squeezing the leaf in half. If, when the sheet is folded, a “crunch” of the central vein is felt, then the sheet is not yet ready. The end of withering can be determined in another way - with a strong compression of a handful of withered leaves into a lump, it should not open.

If the leaves are already withered, and I don’t have time to deal with them, then I wrap them in the same fabric on which they dried. So the leaves can lie until we are free. Withered leaves can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days (in a bag).

If the house is very damp or, conversely, dry, or there is no time to stir up the leaves, then you can wither them in cotton or linen. It is advisable to choose the fabric for this as dense and thick as possible (bedspreads, towels, tablecloths, sheets). To do this, you need to distribute the leaves in a thin layer evenly over the fabric, fold it and twist it as tightly as possible. The fabric will absorb excess moisture, the leaves will not dry out and become very pliable for further processing. We check the readiness of the leaves in the same way - by squeezing a handful. If the leaves have not yet withered after 5-6 hours, then they can be transferred to another dry cloth and the wrapping process repeated.

3. Preparing leaves for fermentation

At this stage, it is necessary to destroy the structure of the leaf before extracting the juice, which allows the most complete extraction of useful substances from the plant and better fermentation. The juice of the leaves contains enzymes, i.e. substances directly responsible for fermentation. If there is not enough juice, then the fermentation will not be of high quality, which will affect the taste and aroma of tea.

There are several ways to destroy the structure of the leaves.

3.1. The first way is twisting the leaves by hand. Take a few leaves (7 - 10), roll them with force several times between the palms until the leaves turn dark from the juice that has come out. As a result, rolls up to 10 cm long and 1 - 1.5 cm thick will be formed. Later, the rolls are cut and small-leaf tea is obtained.

This process is labor intensive and takes a lot of time. If you have a large company, then you can wind the rolls pretty quickly.

One of the books about Ivan-tea says that the old people taught to roll rolls of leaves at the expense of one to eight: “one-two - a ball of leaves, three-four - the ball is pulled into a sausage, five-six - we press harder, seven -eight - the twist manages to roll a few more times between the palms and collect the juice.

3.2. The second way is kneading-crumpling the leaves.

This method is similar to the process of manual kneading dough. With energetic squeezing movements, the leaves are "kneaded" in a deep and wide bowl for 15 - 20 minutes. As a result, the structure of the leaves is destroyed and the juice is released. The leaves darken, become thin and slightly curled. During kneading, you need to periodically loosen the lumps and separate the sticky leaves. In the future, large-leaf tea is obtained from such leaves.

3.3. The third way is twisting the leaves in a meat grinder (grid with large holes). Periodically let the grinder cool down. Depending on the number of leaves, this takes 10 - 15 minutes. The result is granulated tea.

Ivan tea (fermentation of fireweed leaves) - master class

It is believed that the most "correct" tea is obtained by processing the leaves by hand. But I really like granulated tea, and I prepare it in large quantities, so I twist the leaves in a meat grinder. Everyone decides for himself which way to choose.

4. Leaf fermentation

The properties of tea - taste, aroma and benefits of the drink - depend on the quality of this process. Leaves prepared by one of the above methods are laid in a layer of 7 - 10 cm in an enameled, ceramic or plastic container. If the leaves were twisted in a meat grinder, then we crush them a little with our hands. If the leaves were rolled or kneaded, then we put oppression on them. We close with a damp linen or cotton cloth and put in a warm place for fermentation. Periodically check if the fabric is dry. If it dries out, then wet it again.

It is impossible to say exactly how long fermentation will take - it depends on the temperature. The higher the temperature, the faster the fermentation process. Too high temperature and overexposure are dangerous - tea acquires the smell of low-grade tea. The optimal temperature for the fermentation process should be considered 22 - 26 °C. Below 15 °C, the fermentation process stops, at a temperature of 15 - 20 °C, its beginning is noted, above 30 °C, part of the soluble fermentation products, which give strength and “body” to the infusion, becomes insoluble, and at the same time, the pleasant aroma of tea is lost.

If the room is cool, you can wrap the container with the fermented mass with several jackets and blankets. During fermentation, the mass is self-heating, and this temperature is enough for high-quality fermentation.

The time and quality of fermentation is closely related to the thickness of the leaf layer. With a small number of leaves, fermentation will not be of high quality. Therefore, a sufficient number of leaves should be collected for a batch of tea.

The end of fermentation is a change in the color of the mass from green to green-brown, as well as a change in the herbal smell to a strong floral-fruity aroma. There are three degrees of tea fermentation - light, medium and deep.

With light fermentation, the leaves are fermented until the first signs of a fruity-floral smell (3 - 6 hours). Brewed tea has a mild taste and a delicate but strong aroma.

Tea of ​​medium fermentation (10 - 16 hours) is obtained with a pronounced aroma, moderately tart taste with a slight sourness.

Deep fermentation tea (20 - 36 hours) - tart, without sourness, with a relatively light aroma.

For yourself, it is best to choose the time experimentally, preparing weakly, medium or strongly fermented tea - it all depends on preferences and tastes. I prepare tea of ​​various degrees of fermentation, then I mix them in various proportions and get teas that are very rich in color, taste and aroma.

It is important not to miss the end of fermentation, otherwise the mass may become moldy. It is better to underferment tea than overferment it.

5. Drying

If, in preparation for fermentation, the leaves were twisted between the palms into rolls, then after the end of fermentation, they must be cut with a knife into washers up to 0.5 cm thick. You can cut the rolls before fermentation. Then the mass will be denser and fermentation will be better.

We lay out the fermented mass on baking sheets covered with parchment, with a layer of 1 centimeter and gently loosen so that there are no lumps.

We dry the tea in the oven at a temperature of 100 * C for 1.5 - 2 hours. The oven door should be kept slightly ajar. Then we reduce the temperature to 50 * - 60 * C and dry it completely until the moisture is completely released. Periodically stir the tea and check the readiness of the tea leaves to the touch. I mix tea like this. I lift the opposite corners of the paper, then the others. Tea is going to the center. Then, gently with my hands straighten the tea on a baking sheet (does not burn). You can also mix with a spatula, but during mixing with your hands, the tea practically does not crumble than if you do it with a spatula.

Well-dried tea has the color of ordinary tea, the tea leaves break when squeezed, but do not crumble. When the bulk of the tea reaches this condition, we take the baking sheets out of the oven and let the tea cool to room temperature. Carefully! When tea is overexposed during drying, an admixture of the smell of burnt paper appears in the smell of the finished tea.

Drying tea to remove residual moisture is carried out in a bag of thin fabric (in an old pillowcase) in the breeze in the shade in dry weather or in a room in rainy and damp weather. Shake the bag from time to time so that the tea dries faster.

It is difficult to say how long the tea will dry out. It depends on the weather. It happens that in damp weather, when the house is damp, tea is dried for a week. And in dry weather, one day is enough. If it is impossible to create conditions for drying the tea, then you can heat the oven to a minimum, turn it off and hold the tea there until the oven has completely cooled down (we periodically stir the tea).

Well-dried tea is practically odorless, making a dry rustling sound when shaken in a bag. If the tea emits a strong aroma, then it has not yet dried. Granules of well-dried tea do not crumble and are not crushed, but broken.

It is important to dry the tea well, otherwise it may become moldy during storage.

You can dry tea in a thick-walled pan. To do this, the mass is dried in small portions over medium heat with constant shaking for 30 minutes. Then reduce the heat and, constantly stirring with a wooden spatula, bring the leaves / granules to a dry state.

With success, you can dry tea in an air grill. In the air grill "Hotter" this happens as follows. Put tea on a tray in a heated AG and dry first for 15 minutes at a temperature of 150 * (medium speed), mix after 10 minutes. Then dry for 20 minutes at 85 * or 105 * (depending on how the AG heats up - the speed is average). Dry at a temperature of 65 * (medium speed). During the whole process, periodically stir the tea so that it dries evenly. Be sure to keep the lid ajar - you can put a skewer.

You can dry the tea using the method that Chinese manufacturers use for certain types of tea. This method is called "frying". To do this, at the beginning of drying, set the temperature to 125 - 150 * for 10 - 20 minutes. This temperature allows the sugars of the plant juice to caramelize on top of the granules and kind of seal the rest of the juice inside. Then dry the tea as described in the recipe. This method gives a light caramel aroma and flavor to the tea.

If you have collected fireweed flowers, then do not dry them together with the fermented mass, as the flowers dry out faster and at a temperature of 100 * C they can simply burn out. They are best dried separately in the oven or el. dryer at a temperature of 50 - 60 * C. They dry out pretty quickly.

I will add that during drying there is such a magical aroma throughout the house that it is worth making Ivan tea at least once because of this alone.

6. Tea storage

Fireweed tea is stored in a dry, dark place in glass jars with polyethylene lids, birch bark or metal boxes. I store tea in disposable plastic containers, labeled with the date of preparation and the degree of fermentation of the tea.

Tea is aged in jars/containers for at least a month for the so-called dry fermentation. If you try to brew tea immediately after preparation, then it may not impress - it has not been infused yet. The longer the tea is stored, the better it becomes.

I wonder all the time - where does this “additional” smell come from after aging tea? A month is better than a week. A year later is better than six months. Well, and so on. Miracles! The longer the tea is stored, the better it becomes.

For daily use, I pour tea into metal boxes.

Ivan tea (fermentation of fireweed leaves) - master class

I like to mix fireweed tea with dry flowers of fireweed, dry berries of nika, raspberries, blueberries, lingonberries, mint, lemon balm, oregano ... - it turns out very beautifully, and tea acquires a new taste and aroma.

Ivan tea (fermentation of fireweed leaves) - master class

7. Brewing tea

Rinse a clean teapot with boiling water, pour tea at the rate of 1-2 teaspoons per glass of boiling water, pour hot water, cover with a towel, let it brew for 10 minutes, then pour into cups without diluting with boiling water. And immediately pour the teapot a second time, because the second infusion of tea is even tastier and more aromatic than the first. After another 15 minutes, pour tea into cups - no need for it to stop. And do not brew the same tea the next day! Even if you poured it only once, after a break it will not work out well. Drink tea hot, warm or cold. When heating cooled tea, try not to allow even the slightest boil of the drink. The subtle aroma will disappear immediately.

Leaf brewed tea is lighter in color than granulated tea. Therefore, if you want a darker infusion, then make granulated tea. Sugar makes tea sweet.

And I read this recipe for signature Gorodets tea from fireweed in Margarita Voronina’s brochure “Gorodets tea is a joy to the soul, health to the body.”

Bring the water to a boil (when the bubbles start to come off the bottom). Prepare two teapots - a large one and a smaller one. Pour one teaspoon of willow-herb into a small teapot (per one glass of water), pour boiling water over it and leave for 7-10 minutes. After that, pour into a large kettle. Pour boiling water over the already steamed tea leaves and insist again. And so - up to four times. The last time the tea leaves to insist no more than three minutes. This is done in order to consistently extract useful ingredients from fireweed. The famous hanerol, which contributes to the prevention of malignant diseases, is extracted for the third or fourth time.

That's all, our Ivan-tea is ready! When you first taste it, don't immediately try to compare the taste to something you already know, don't try to figure out what it's like. Fireweed tea is unlike anything, it has its own taste, its own and unique. Enjoy this taste!

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Drink this wonderful health drink as much as you can!

Hello my dear readers and friends! Ivan tea is a very healthy plant. The article "The effect of Ivan-tea on the human body" was devoted to this issue. But if you also want to enjoy the taste and aroma of a primordially Russian drink that our ancestors drank for several centuries, you need to learn how to ferment Ivan tea at home.

Until our time, the recipes for brewing Kopor tea are carefully preserved among the people. He has more and more fans. After all, it is such a healthy, tasty, fragrant drink! And does not contain caffeine.

Fermented Ivan tea. Benefits and contraindications

Why do you love this drink? For the fact that the fermentation process several times enhances the unusually beneficial properties of Ivan tea.

Constantly or at least using the drink often, we will improve the health of all organs and systems. If a person suffers from any ailment, then the healing properties of fireweed will help restore and maintain health.

Medicinal properties of fermented fireweed tea

• Koporye tea is drunk to increase overall defenses, strengthen immunity;
• It perfectly calms, improves sleep, treats depression;
• It should be drunk by women with menopause, because it eliminates sweating, relieves irritability, stabilizes blood pressure;
• It is used in gynecology in women with heavy uterine bleeding, and also prevents the development of benign and malignant neoplasms of the reproductive sphere;
• Pregnant women need Ivan-tea to replenish minerals and vitamins and fetal growth. In nursing mothers, it increases lactation;
• Men treat chronic prostatitis with fermented tea, prevent the development of prostate adenoma, increase sexual potency;
• Ivan tea is used to improve digestion: relieve inflammation, heal erosions, ulcers. With constant use, constipation disappears;

• Being a good choleretic and diuretic, it helps in the treatment of gallstone and urolithiasis;
• Tea helps to get rid of iron deficiency anemia, improves blood composition, because it contains iron, copper, molybdenum, manganese and many other trace elements;
• Strengthens the vascular walls, because. contains a lot of vitamin C, lowers cholesterol, lowers blood pressure;
• Participates in maintaining acid-base balance, normalizes carbohydrate-fat metabolism, therefore it is used even in a comprehensive weight loss program;
• Reduces alcohol intoxication of the body, treats the effects of food poisoning, is used for gout;
• Ivan-tea finds its place in cosmetology: it strengthens nails and hair. Rejuvenates the skin of the face.

How to prepare fireweed leaves for the fermentation process

Stage 1 - collection and wilting of leaves:

Collection
It is necessary to collect leaves during flowering, i.e. from July to mid-September. No need to waste time picking individual leaves, otherwise you will spend too much time.
The collection of raw materials is carried out in the morning, when the dew has already dried. With your left hand, hold the stem of the plant at the top where the flowers are located, and with your right hand, hold the stem where the foliage begins, and quickly move your hand down. The palm will be filled with a handful of sheets, put them in your container (net, basket).

withering
After collecting the leaves, it is necessary to sort out, removing insects, accidentally caught weeds. Rinse, spread on a clean surface with a layer of 5 cm, place in the sun or in the attic, where the raw materials will be well ventilated. Stir occasionally to keep the top layer of leaves from drying out.

If the collection was carried out in such a clean place that you are sure that no dust got into the workpiece, then it is not necessary to wash the leaves. Just lay them out on a clean surface and let them sit for a while (about 4-5 hours, longer if possible, but not too long), stirring occasionally. The leaves will become soft and easier to handle later.

Some people are interested in the question - is it possible to dry the flowers of a plant? Maybe this tea will taste different. For an amateur! Usually tea is prepared from the leaves, where a certain number of flowers fall.
In addition, if you take care of the flower stalks when collecting leaves, the bees will only thank you! After all, they will be able to collect nectar after collecting leaves. Nature must not be harmed!

Stage 2 - twisting

After withering, the leaves still retain their integrity, so we need to destroy them so that they release the juice.

There are two ways to do this, and everything will depend on what kind of tea you need: leaf or granular.

If your goal is loose leaf tea, then you will have to twist the fireweed. If - obtaining granulated tea, then the raw material must be passed through a meat grinder.

How to twist Ivan tea?

Take a handful of withered leaves and start rubbing them between your palms. Get a small dense sausage. Place it in an enamel or glass bowl until it is completely filled with a layer (about 2-3 cm). Rub until the juice starts to flow. Cover the top with a linen cloth soaked in water.
This video will show you how to properly roll and stack fireweed sausages to start the fermentation process.

How to get granulated tea?

You can use dried leaves for this purpose. But you can do without drying. Just freeze the raw materials in the freezer and proceed with further processing when you have time.
After defrosting, the leaves are passed through a meat grinder with the largest holes in the grate. Otherwise, the meat grinder will clog, a whole hassle will begin. In general, running through a meat grinder will give faster results. True, the aroma of tea will be partially lost due to the contact of willow-tea juice with metal.

Stage 3 - fermentation of Ivan-tea

So, we have prepared Ivan tea and we can begin further actions. Juice contains enzymes. Soon, lactic acid bacteria will begin to multiply, using the simple sugars of the plant for this. The process of digestion, the formation of very useful elements begins!

We need to speed it up! To do this, we create optimal temperature conditions - 37 degrees. This process can be carried out in a cooling Russian stove, in an oven. The optimal fermentation time is 10-15 hours. But you can keep longer, but no more than two days.

Already after 6 hours a pleasant floral aroma will appear. Usually the taste of this tea is mild, pleasant. If you keep the fermentation to the optimal time parameters, you will get tea with a bright floral and fruity aroma, a little tart in taste, a little sour. If you overdo the fermentation, then the pleasant smell will be lost. The smell of hay will remain, The taste will change to bitter.

Stage 4 - cut and dry

After fermentation, we cut our sausages into pieces. After drying, they will turn into loose leaf tea. If you prepared tea passed through a meat grinder, we do not cut anything, we start drying immediately.

We spread the wet tea leaves on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and put in the oven, slightly opening it for air. Can be dried in a Russian oven. If the weather is very warm, then it is good to dry it in the attic, covering the tea with gauze so that dust does not get in.

Video. Ivan tea fermentation and drying

Stir so that the tea leaves dry evenly. Correct drying can be checked in a simple way. Rub the dry leaf between your fingers. The tea leaves should break, not fall apart into dust.

Stage 5 - storage

We put the finished tea for storage in glass jars and close it tightly with a lid. Ready tea can be stored for two years. I hope you don't need that much time. After all, having tried a properly brewed drink, you will begin to use it more and more often. Most likely, you simply won’t have enough tea before spring!

How to brew fermented Ivan tea?

No matter how tasty fireweed tea seems to you, you should not drink it endlessly. After all, fermentation enhanced the beneficial properties of the drink. And from the last article, you could find out that Ivan tea has its own contraindications.

For example, you should not drink it if you have low blood pressure, if there is increased blood clotting (often in older people!), if there is a state of depression with apathy. Ivan-tea at the same time can deepen depression. It is good to drink it for those who are too excitable and irritant. In general, take a closer look at the beneficial and medicinal properties and contraindications of Ivan tea!

Well, we will prepare a delicious, fragrant drink for you. To do this, take a teapot for half a liter. Put two teaspoons of dry tea into it and pour boiling water over it. Let's let it stand for 15 minutes, without even warming the kettle.

Stir and pour into cups. Tea contains many useful components and, as you already know, there is no caffeine. Therefore, drink it at any time of the day and even late at night. The aroma is wonderful! Want to sweeten up? Just not sugar. Eat figs, dates, raisins, honey and drink. By the way, the teeth from this tea never darken.

Fermentation of Ivan tea enhances the beneficial properties of fireweed. Harvested leaves must wither, twist, ferment, dry and get a delicious, noble drink!

Well, do you want to try such a cool tea? Many will answer “Yes! It's just too much trouble!" I think that for your health, you still need to master a new technology for making Ivan tea.

Well, for those who do not have time, you can simply buy leaf fermented tea. Now it is sold everywhere and you will not have problems with its acquisition.

If you are a fan of walking in the field, breathing in the smell of herbs and flowers, then you may be interested in learning about the healing properties of chamomile. This kind of modest and so familiar flower carries amazing health benefits. You can read about this in the article "Useful properties of chamomile".

Happy tea! Natalia Bogoyavlenskaya

Fireweed narrow-leaved is a very common plant in central Russia. It is also known as Ivan Chai. The plant gained popularity due to the fact that a delicious drink with medicinal properties is produced from it. It is made from the leaves of fireweed. But in order to get real Koporye tea (this is the name of the drink), it is necessary to ferment them before drying the leaves. Only fermented tea will have an excellent taste and aroma.

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  tea fermentation process

  Fermentation is the processing of leaves with the help of enzymes contained in them. In order to isolate these enzymes, it is necessary to prepare raw materials. The fermentation process itself consists of the following steps:

  • collection of raw materials;
  • withering;
  • preparation (getting juice);
  • fermentation;
  • drying.

  During fermentation, the medicinal qualities and taste of the drink increase several times.

  How to collect a plant?

  The leaves of the plant are collected in the summer, after flowering begins. The taste of the drink depends on the place of collection. Ivan-tea will be more saturated and fragrant if the flowers grew away from roads, industrial enterprises and other dusty places.

  Collection is made in the morning, after the dew dries. It is preferable to collect the top leaves because they are more tender. When the lower leaves are left on the trunk, less harm is done to the plant. One hand holds the stem under the inflorescence, and the other hand moves down, collecting foliage.

  Flowers are collected and dried separately. They are added to already dried leaves.

  

  withering

  Leaves are processed faster when they are withered. In order for the microorganisms to remain intact and the fermentation process to be successful, it is not recommended to wash the workpiece. Only insects are removed.

  In the room where the withering occurs, direct sunlight and wind should not penetrate. The leaves are evenly laid out on a clean cotton cloth with a layer of 4 cm and occasionally mixed.

  Withering time depends on the weather:

  • in dry weather - 12 hours;
  • in humid and cool air - about a day.

  Properly withered leaves do not crackle, do not break and bend well.

  Instead of withering in the fresh air, raw materials can be put in the freezer for a while.

  

  Preparation for fermentation

  The leaves need to be crushed to make a juice containing enzymes. This process is done in different ways. The best methods used at home are described below.

  

  Scrolling leaves in a meat grinder

  Rolling the leaves in a meat grinder in preparation for fermentation is popular. The process is the least laborious, with this method the largest amount of juice is released. The result is granulated tea, which is more convenient to store and consume. The disadvantages include the fact that such a drink, made mechanically, is less tasty and aromatic.

  
  Preparation of leaves for fermentation by twisting

  The leaves are taken in several pieces and twisted by hand. The result should be juice.

  The old way of twisting leaves is as follows:

  1. 1. A damp linen cloth is taken. Humidity is needed so that when twisting the fabric does not absorb the juice of the plant.
  2. 2. Fireweed leaves are laid out on the fabric with a layer of 3 cm.
  3. 3. The fabric is tightly rolled up and tied with a rope.
  4. 4. The roll is twisted and squeezed for 30 minutes.

  There is another method of preparing fireweed for fermentation. Juice is released from half of the leaves, the rest are poured into it. Oppression is placed on top. The fermentation process begins in its own juice

  And although there are many methods for preparing raw materials, their essence is the same. A sufficient amount of juice should stand out from the leaves. And then the fermentation process begins.

  Fermentation

  All prepared raw materials are tightly packed in plastic containers or glass jars, covered with a damp cloth and folded into a room with a temperature of 25-26 degrees. The temperature is very important for the fermentation of willow tea. When it is less, the process stops, and if the temperature is high, then the desired aroma and taste will not work.

  The fermentation time depends on what kind of tea you want to get. With an exposure of 4-6 hours, a light drink is obtained with a reminiscent of green tea, but with a more pronounced aroma.

  The process of deep fermentation is 1-3 days. The tea is tart, with the aroma of fruits and flowers. If the fermentation process is delayed, mold may form. The purity of the dishes and the water in which the fabric was soaked to cover the raw materials is important.

  Drying tea

  After the end of fermentation, the raw material needs to be dried. Usually it takes place in an oven heated to 100 degrees. The leaves are laid out in a thin layer on a baking sheet and placed in a well-heated oven. The door remains slightly open. The process lasts 1.5-2 hours. The tea is stirred periodically.

  This is followed by further air drying. Tea is placed in a canvas bag and hung in a dark and well-ventilated room. The bag is shaken from time to time.

  Ready tea should make a rustling sound and not have a strong aroma.. The aroma appears after brewing tea.

  How to store and brew a drink?

  Clean tin or glass jars are used to store the herbal drink. Containers with tea are stored in a dark place, it should not be exposed to sunlight. Shelf life of tea - 3 years.

  Of great importance for the taste of Koporye tea is the water used for brewing. The temperature for brewing tea should be 90 degrees. Brewing time 10-15 minutes. Welding can be done twice. The aroma of repeated brewing will be stronger.

  The difference between a fireweed drink and ordinary tea

  Indian or Ceylon tea contains caffeine, which gives vigor. It is not present in Koporye tea, but there are other substances that are beneficial to health. It has been proven that drinking fireweed tea helps rid the body of cholesterol. Therefore, it is useful to drink the drink before meals in order to prevent the absorption of excess cholesterol.

  Ivan tea contains sitosterone. This hormone is especially useful for older people: both men and women. It contains a sufficient amount of B vitamins. With regular use of the drink, the work of all organs of the human body improves and life expectancy increases.

  The drink has no contraindications, except for individual intolerance.

  Many people have heard about the benefits and taste of fireweed tea, but not everyone knows how to prepare it properly. Only the use of fermentation before drying the leaves will help to get real Koporye tea.