From the double teapot to the colour of rabbit's blood, and from Rize's first factory to UNESCO: the story behind a glass of çay
How to brew Turkish tea, in short: in a two tier teapot called a çaydanlık. Water boils in the large lower kettle, loose black tea steeps in the small pot on top, and the tea brews over the lowest heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Each glass then gets some of the strong brew topped up with hot water, and that ratio decides whether your tea is light or dark. Below we walk through the steps, explain the slim tulip glass, and look at the tea culture UNESCO inscribed in 2022.
How to Brew Turkish Tea in a Çaydanlık
GoTürkiye's tea guide describes the traditional çaydanlık as a large metal kettle with a smaller pot sitting on top: the small pot brews the tea, the large one boils extra water. The more common method goes like this:
- Bring the water in the large kettle to the boil over medium high heat.
- Put the tea leaves in the small pot and pour the boiling water over them.
- Refill the large kettle and set the small pot back on top.
- When the lower kettle boils a second time, turn the heat to its lowest setting.
- Leave the tea to brew for 10 to 15 minutes.
The guide also gives a less common method: the leaves go into the small pot with water, both pots are heated together and the steam from below warms the tea; once it starts to simmer, the heat goes down and the tea brews for the same 10 to 15 minutes. GoTürkiye recommends loose leaf tea over tea bags and a strainer if you prefer no leaves in the glass.
Light or Dark: It Comes Down to the Ratio
A glass of Turkish tea has two parts, the brew and the water. GoTürkiye's method fills a quarter of the glass with brew and the rest with boiling water; the longer the brew, the darker the colour. Wikipedia notes that the teapot is meant to produce a strong concentrate that each person dilutes to taste.
That is what koyu (dark) and açık (light) mean when people order: more brew and less water, or the other way round. One pot can therefore pour very different glasses. On the Bozacının Yeri menu, Turkish Tea is described as served hot in a tulip shaped glass, strong or light, with or without sugar, the way you like it.
Tavşankanı: The Colour of a Perfect Brew
Turkish has a word for tea that is just right. The Turkish Language Association's dictionary defines tavşankanı, literally "rabbit's blood", first as a bright, deep red; its third sense is "tea brewed to exactly the right strength". The dictionary illustrates it with a line from the writer Haldun Taner about pouring tavşankanı tea into a slim waisted glass.
The definition shows that a good brew is judged by eye as much as by taste. The thin glass shows the colour clearly, and a deep red that is still clear against the light tells you the brew is where it should be.
Why the Glass Has a Waist
According to Turkish Wikipedia, the ince belli glass appeared in the late 19th century, during the Ottoman modernisation period; the shape slows cooling, is easy to hold and shows off the colour of the tea. English Wikipedia calls it tulip shaped, notes that ince belli literally means slim waisted, and adds that the tea is traditionally served with sugar cubes.
GoTürkiye also recommends the traditional glass and suggests tasting your tea plain before reaching for sugar. The small size means the tea is finished while still hot, and another glass follows, a simple detail that explains why tea in Türkiye rarely stops at one.
From Rize to the Glass: A Short History
Turkish Wikipedia records a 1924 law that opened the way for tea growing in Rize and Borçka. According to the corporate history of Çaykur, the state tea enterprise, the first tea factory opened in 1947 in the Fener neighbourhood of Rize as the Central Tea Factory, with a capacity of 60 tonnes a day. The same history notes that by 1963 domestic demand was being met by home grown tea instead of imports, and that the Tea Corporation Law No. 1497 came into force in 1971.
Turkish Wikipedia puts Rize's share of the country's tea output at around 85 percent. English Wikipedia credits the mild climate, heavy rainfall and fertile soil of this eastern Black Sea coast, and reports that Türkiye has the highest per capita tea consumption in the world.
On the UNESCO List: Identity, Hospitality and Conversation
"Culture of Çay (tea), a symbol of identity, hospitality and social interaction" was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2022, as a joint nomination by Azerbaijan and Türkiye. UNESCO describes tea culture in both countries as a social practice that shows hospitality, builds and maintains social ties and marks important moments, and as an essential part of daily life across society.
The inscription notes that communities mainly grow and drink black tea, served freshly brewed and hot in pear shaped cups of glass, porcelain, faience or silver, alongside sweets, sugar, lemon, jams and dried fruit. Its bearers include tea farmers, harvesters, tea house owners, brewers and the craftspeople who make the tools and utensils.
Another familiar taste of Turkish tea houses is oralet, a fruit flavoured powdered drink made with hot water; the menu lists Oralet as a sweet, warm alternative to tea. In winter, Chestnuts join the menu as well.
Sources: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (Culture of Çay, 2022, Azerbaijan and Türkiye); GoTürkiye (Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency) tea brewing guide; Çaykur (General Directorate of Tea Enterprises) corporate history; Turkish Language Association dictionary; Wikipedia (Turkish tea, Türk çayı).
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should Turkish tea brew?
GoTürkiye's guide says 10 to 15 minutes over the lowest heat once the lower kettle has boiled. The longer it brews, the darker it gets.
Why does a çaydanlık have two pots?
The small top pot brews the tea, while the large lower kettle boils the water used to dilute it and keeps the pot warm with its steam.
What does tavşankanı mean?
Literally "rabbit's blood", it describes tea brewed to exactly the right strength, according to the Turkish Language Association; its basic meaning is a bright, deep red.
What is the difference between light and dark Turkish tea?
It is the ratio of brew to water. Dark tea has more brew in the glass, light tea has more hot water.
Is Turkish tea culture on the UNESCO list?
Yes. The culture of çay was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2022 as a joint nomination by Azerbaijan and Türkiye.
