Making Tea at Home
Water
Water is actually the most important ingredient. Use good quality, filtered water and not distilled water.
Heating Water
Boiling begins releasing water's oxygen which carries the sweetness and bouyancy. Your tea will taste better when it hasn't been made with water that has been boiled and reboiled before steeping. To learn more about water please go to our "Reading Water" page.
Scald that teapot
Warm it with a bit of a hot water rinse before making tea.
Infusing Contraptions / Confusing Intraptions
The tea leaf will expand up to 3 times its dry weight when put in water. Allow plenty of room for this so that the flavor doesn’t get constricted. The more room the better. Try the traditional 2 pot method (letting the tea steep freely in one teapot then pouring off the liquor into another warmed teapot.).
Tea Strength
To make stronger tea, use more dry tea, only steep for the same amount of time. Steeping tea longer can bring out the tannin-like flavonoids and their bitter taste.
Black Tea Generalities
Measure about a teaspoon of tea per cup for smaller leafed teas to almost a tablespoon of the larger wiry leafed teas. Use boiling water and allow to steep for 2-3 minutes to start. Most black teas like a 3-5 minute steep but find the timing that’s right for you.
Oolong and Green Tea Generalities
Measure the same way as black tea but remember these two differences. Use water below the boil , usually 170-185 degrees F (aka "fish eyes") and steep for two minutes or less. Usually the more delicate the tea the lower the temperature. Watching the leaves open up as they steep is particularly enjoyable with these teas.
Herbals
Herbals are different from tea in that they usually don’t expand in their steeping. Often two teaspoons per cup yields better flavor(with the exception of rooibos, where 1 teaspoon per cup is usually plenty). Try tasting the infusion after 3- 4 minutes. Some say steeping various herbals even longer can yield more health benefits. Boiling water is fine.
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