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How to make a perfect cup of tea........using loose leaf tea

Posted on May 01, 2015

Unsure about brewing loose leaf tea? It really is very simple!

You can do it the traditional way in classical Chinese tea ware, or quite simply in your favourite cup, tall glass or teapot!

All you need to start with is some good quality loose leaf tea, some water and your favourite receptacle! We recommend spring water, but if your water tastes good out of the tap then it will make a delicious tasting cup of tea.

Water temperature and steep time are crucial.

Boiling water is too hot for white and green teas and can make them taste bitter, as will steeping the leaves for too long.

And don't forget that all Chinese loose leaf tea can be brewed many times. Each time you brew the tea different flavours will be released. In China thy believe that the second or third brew is the best. Its entirely up to you! Just make sure you don't leave the tea leaves to stew once they have been brewed. Straining the water from the leaves completely once it has brewed will prevent the tea from becoming bitter.

Try following these simple steps for a perfect tasting and refreshing cup or tea using a tea pot:

(1) Select your choice of premium loose leaf tea. Loose leaf tea is fresher and much tastier than a tea bag. Plus you get more health benefits from loose tea as it retains more of the nutrients.

(2) As well as good quality tea you need good quality water. If the water is bad you wont get a good cup of tea!

(3) How much tea to use? It depends on your personal taste, but a general guide is to use one teaspoon of loose leaf tea to every 8 ounce cup of water, (240 ml), more if you like it stronger or vice versa.

(4) Pour the water from the freshly boiled kettle, (don’t use previously boiled water which has lost some of its oxygen as it will make the tea taste flat) into the cup first and then into the pot, this way the proportions will be perfect and the water will have cooled to the correct temperature of around 85 degrees C

(5) Green and white tea will only need about 3 minutes to steep, black tea can be steeped longer. Whatever you do, do not allow the leaves to stew too long in the water of you will end up with a bitter cup of tea.

(6) Pour out your tea and enjoy the refreshing delicate taste of a healthy beverage.

Generally white and green teas don't work with milk, but with black tea anything goes, it’s all a matter of taste.

And if you are lucky enough to have a glass teapot, stand back and enjoy watching the leaves seductively unfurl and dance around in the water, before you taste your magical cup of tea, and enjoy the moment.

It really is that simple!