How to Brew the Perfect Cup of Tea

How to Brew the perfect cup of tea:

Black Tea

Hot tea is best made by warming a teapot while fresh water is being boiled. Tea should be placed in the teapot allowing one teaspoonful for each person plus one extra teaspoonful to increase strength. As soon as the water has boiled it should immediately be poured onto the tea in the teapot, the tea stirred and the teapot lid replaced. To obtain the full flavor and strength the tea should remain in the teapot for three minutes for a small leaf or five minutes for a large leaf, before pouring into cups or glasses. Milk or lemon may then be added if desired.

Iced Tea

To make the perfect glass of iced tea put approximately ½ ounce (¼ cup) of loose tea into a small container. Pour boiling water over the tea to cover. Let steep 5 minutes, strain out leaves into a ½ gallon container and add cold water to fill. Stir and refrigerate. Pour the tea onto ice cubes in large glasses. Fresh lemon juice, mint or sugar can be added if desired. If your iced tea gets cloudy, add a few drops of boiling water to the brew.

Refrigerator Tea

Place 1 oz of loose tea in a 1 gallon container. Fill with cold water, cap, and place in the refrigerator. Steep 6 hours or overnight. Strain out the tea leaves and pour over ice. Easy and delicious! (Return any unused iced tea to the refrigerator.)

Sun Tea

Place 1 oz of black tea in a 1 gallon glass container and fill with fresh cold water (preferably filtered). Cap your container and place in a sunny spot for 3 hours. Immediately strain out the tea leaves, refrigerate the tea, and try to consume in a day or so. Since bacteria can grow in some sun teas (due to the fact that the water does not boil) always make sure to use a glass container that has been thoroughly scrubbed clean.

Oolong Tea

Oolong teas vary in processing and style. To best brew our selection of oolong teas, refer to each tea’s individual brewing instructions shown online. Generally though, to brew Oolong teas, use 1 teaspoon per 6oz cup. Oolong teas prefer cooler temperatures than black teas. The water should be between 190 - 195º instead of 212º to avoid a bitter taste in the brew. Steep for 2-5 minutes (depending on the type of oolong) for the finest flavor. Multiple infusions are possible for some Oolong teas.

Green Tea

Green teas are brewed similar to black and oolong teas except the water temperature should be between 160 - 185º instead of 212º to avoid a bitter taste in the brew. Steep green teas 1½ -3 minutes for the finest flavor (please refer to the individual brewing information located on each tea on our website). Green teas lend themselves to a second steeping, which is about 1/3 the normal time, since the leaves have already absorbed a certain amount of water. Generally: Steep Japanese teas for 1 ½ to 2 minutes and Chinese and other green teas for 2-3 minutes.

White Tea

Since white tea leaves are so much larger than black teas, we recommend using 2 teaspoons per cup. The water temperature, as with green and oolong teas, should be below boiling. We suggest a water temperature of roughly 175º instead of 212º to avoid a bitter taste in the brew. Steep white teas 2-5 minutes for the finest flavor. Please refer to the individual brewing information located on each tea on our website.

One final word though that is important to remember about brewing the perfect cup of tea. Use our information above as a guideline but we encourage you to experiment to discover what suits your tastes best. “Perfect” is subjective… .so if you like it… .it’s perfect!