Time for Tea
Hello and welcome to a world of wonderful possibili-teas! This is a place for both tea lovers and newbies alike to find new and amazing teas and online tea shops.
Many people in the U.S. only know about sweet tea and the teas you find in boxes at the grocery store. While these are perfectly good on their own, there is a much bigger world of tea for you to explore.
The best kinds of teas are loose leaf. Loose leaf is exactly what it sounds like, dried leaves that usually come in a tin or a box and that you steep in hot water. There are many ways to brew loose leaf tea. Let's get into a few of them.
First, let's talk about water. When you brew a high quality tea, you want to use the best water available to you. Filtered or bottled is best, but tap works just fine if that's what you've got. Temperature varies by type of tea that you have. A tea kettle that let's you program the water temperature is awesome, but if you just use a regular kettle, there's a simple way to get the water temp about where you need it for the type of tea you intend to drink. If you bring the water to a boil and then let it cool for a minute or two before pouring, you are within the temperature range to not burn green or white tea leaves. Here's a simple temperature guide for you.
| Tea Type | Water Temp. | Mins. from Boil | Mins. to Steep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 190F-209F | 0 | 3-5 |
| Oolong | 170F-190F | 1 | 1-3 |
| Green | 160F-180F | 2 | 1-3 |
| White | 150F-170F | 3 | 1-2 |
| Herbal | 190F-209F | 0 | 3-5 |
| If you're unsure, go by what the packaging on your tea says. | |||
Another important thing about brewing tea is how much to put in your cup or pot. For beginners, I recommend one heaping teaspoon full of leaves for a 16 ounce mug. Based on your preferences, you can adjust the amount from there. If you want your tea stronger, add more leaves. If you brew it longer, it will taste stronger, but it will also taste bitter. Changing the amount of leaves is a better way to adjust the strength of your tea than adjusting the steeping time.
So, what do you use to steep your tea? There are many different options.
Bagged Tea
The teas most people find in the grocery store are bagged teas. Often, those are made of crushed leaves. While this may work for some occasions, whole leaf is far better. When the leaves are able to open as they brew, you get so much more flavor than you do with crushed leaves. Whole leaf is ideal if you prefer drinking bagged teas. Typically, whole leaf teas come in pyramid-shaped or large bags so the leaves have room to open as they brew. Also, you can buy bags to brew your loose leaf tea at home.
Infuser
There are many different kinds of infusers out there. My favorite is the basket infuser, which is a cylindrical mesh basket you place in your teacup or mug. The holes in the basket allow water in to brew the tea and keeps it in a wide enough space for the leaves to open.
Teapot
Teapots come in every shape and size imaginable. Some teapots include an infuser and some have a filter in front of the spout so you can place the leaves directly inside. There are small clay teapots that absorb the flavor and are best used for one type of single-origin tea. There are glass and ceramic teapots that are great for groups or to enjoy on your own.
Gaiwan
A gaiwan is a small cup with a lid that you fill with leaves and can use to steep multiple times. There is a video on the tea recipes page that will show you everything you need to know about brewing with a gaiwan.
Novelty Infusers
A popular trend is the use of novelty infusers. There are many cute infusers out there shaped like animals, flowers, and all manner of things. They are great for pictures. However, keep in mind that most of them do not leave much room for the leaves to open as they steep, and some of them are very hard to clean.