The Chinese dubbed tea one of the ‘seven necessities of life’. Looks like they were on to something as tea is the most popular drink by far globally. Tea, in its early days, was only available to the upper classes. The rest of us managed to eventually gain access to this wildly popular refreshing drink.
Today we have iced tea, herbal infusions, exotic fruit blends as well as black, green and white teas. There’s sure to be a delicious brew calling your name.
So how do you brew a perfect cup of tea? Some people enjoy turning tea making into a long, ritualistic and complicated process. Luckily there are no hard and fast rules for making and enjoying tea. We’ve put together some simple guidelines to make your tea experience as enjoyable as possible.
Some Basics
Use fresh cold water in your kettle because tea loves oxygen. Oxygen helps develop flavor.
Always warm your teapot by swirling around a little boiled water in it.
Use one teaspoon of loose tea per cup and throw in one for the pot. Use one teabag per cup.
When you are brewing black tea use boiling water but if you’re making green on white teas use water that is just at the boil.
Brewing Time
Loose leaf tea can brew in a pot for up to 7 minutes. The larger the pot, the longer the brewing time. Brewing time also depends on the size of the tea leaves. If you’re brewing a small leaf tea, reduce your brewing time. If you’re brewing tea bags reduce the time to 2.5 - 3 minutes.You’ll get the hang of this with a little experimentation.
It’s important not to overbrew. Strain your loose leaf tea or remove your teabags to avoid the bitterness that comes with an overbrew.
Loose Leaf or Teabags?
There’s no doubt that that both have their benefits. Teabags are, of course, convenient but many prefer loose leaf teas and enjoy creating their own blends. Keep both kinds on hand. The secret is to choose quality tea whether loose or bagged.
Brew Loose Leaf Tea Again
The Chinese claim that the second or third brew is the best. Strain your tea immediately after steeping so that it’s ready for your next brew. Watch for those newly released, more subtle flavours on your second brew.
Kettles and Teapots
Choosing a kettle and a teapot is a fun part of drinking tea. They’re are so many choices and materials to choose from. Base your selection on a size that works for you, materials preference and whether it’s easy to lift and hold. Attractiveness is also a key factor because it contributes to the overall tea experience. We’ve got a wonderful kettle here in our shop, It’s an enamelled Staub cast iron. It’s beautiful looking and makes a smashing pot of tea.
We hope these tips were useful to you. Invite a friend over for a ‘cuppa’. Happy sipping.