Brewing Loose Leaf Tea
Steeping tea is an exercise in patience and precision. Treating the leaves as a living ingredient rather than a disposable sachet transforms the cup entirely.
Water quality dictates the clarity of the cup.
Avoid boiling water for delicate green or white teas, as it scorches the leaves and results in an astringent, dry taste.
- Electric kettle with temperature control
- Large-capacity tea infuser or mesh strainer
- Ceramic or glass teapot
- Digital scale or measuring spoon
What goes in.
- 1-2 tsploose leaf tea
- 8 ozfiltered water
Expansion is Key
Never use an infuser that constricts the leaves; they need space to unfurl and release their essential oils into the water.
The method.
Heat the water
For black or herbal tea, bring water to a rolling boil. For green or white tea, stop the kettle at 175°F (80°C) to avoid burning the leaves.
Warm the vessel
Pour a little hot water into your teapot or mug, swirl it around, and discard it. This prevents the cold ceramic from dropping the temperature of your brew.
Measure and steep
Place your leaves in the infuser and pour the water over them. Start your timer immediately. Steep green tea for 2-3 minutes, black tea for 3-5 minutes, and herbal tea for 5-7 minutes.
Remove the leaves
Lift the infuser out as soon as the timer ends. Leaving the leaves in the water creates an over-extracted, harsh finish.
Other turns to take.
Cold Brew
Steep leaves in room temperature or cold filtered water in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours for a smoother, less caffeinated result.
Multiple Infusions
High-quality Oolong or Pu-erh leaves can be steeped 3-4 times; increase the time by 30 seconds for each subsequent steep.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Store your tea in an airtight, opaque container away from light, heat, and moisture.
If your tea tastes bitter, reduce the water temperature or shorten the steep time, not the amount of tea used.
Always use fresh, cold water; re-boiling water depletes the oxygen and leads to a flat-tasting cup.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my tea cloudy?
Cloudiness is often caused by using hard water or minerals interacting with the tannins in the tea. Use filtered water to solve this.
Can I reuse the leaves?
Depending on the grade of the tea, yes. Whole-leaf teas are designed for multiple infusions, while broken-leaf or dust-grade teas usually exhaust their flavor in one go.
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