This can vary significantly from tea to tea, but there are rules of thumb. In general, black tea needs to brew 3-5 minutes for best flavor. They will often get bitter if you let them brew more than 6 or 7 minutes (some much sooner). Green tea often needs only 1 minute, but 2-3 minutes…
A tea cup is considered to be 6 fluid ounces, like a coffee cup. So when we say to use 1 tsp. of leaves per cup, if your cup is 8 ounces, you may need to use a bit more leaves to get a full strength cup.
Often confused with an infuser, a tea strainer is used when you have placed loose tea leaves in your pot to brew. When ready to pour, you place the strainer over your cup and pour the brewed tea through it to catch any leaves. If you use a strainer, you don’t need to use an…
Often confused with a strainer, this is a ball or basket that you put your tea leaves in while they brew. The point is easy removal of the leaves once you’re done brewing your tea. You don’t want your brewed tea leaves in the water too long because they will continue to brew and may turn your tea bitter.
The verbs to brew, to steep, and to infuse all refer to the process of adding hot water to tea leaves or tea bags and allowing them to sit for a few minutes – in other words, making an infusion.
If your tea is cloudy, it could be due to hard water. Calcium and magnesium in hard water react with the theoflavins and theorubigens in black tea forming an insoluble precipitate that is most visible when the tea cools. However, not all clouding is due to hard water. Some teas have a tendency to “cream…
Don’t ever underestimate the value of good quality water for tea brewing. I used to live in an area with very hard water and was completely used to it, so I never gave it any thought. But at work, I made tea with bottled spring water. After a while, I could really tell the difference….
We know sun tea is very popular, but from a food safety standpoint, we advise against it. Sun tea is made by steeping tea bags in a large container of water placed in the sun for several hours to warm it. The problem is that the water only gets warm enough to encourage the growth of bacteria. Iced…
Good water is crucial: For best results, use artesian water. Fill an empty kettle with fresh cold water. If using tap water, let the water run for 30 seconds so that it is fresh. Warm your pot: While the water is heating, fill your teapot with hot tap water to preheat it. Alternatively, you can briefly…
How to Quickly and Safely Brew a Quart of Great Iced Tea: Boil one cup of water. Pour it over 6-8 teaspoons of loose tea and brew 5 minutes. If you add sugar, do it now and stir well. Fill a one quart jar half way with ice. Add cold water to fill it 3/4…
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