Brewing the perfect cup of tea can make your experience go from good to extraordinary! Understanding the different preparation methods can help you make the most of the flavors and benefits each tea has to offer. Check out some of the brewing methods below:
Hot Tea - Infusions
Tea infusions are generally excellent for all types of tea leaves, leafy herbs, and flowers:
- To make the tea more robust, don’t steep it for longer, as that will usually make it bitter (especially green tea!). Add more leaves instead!
- Generally, use one level teaspoon or 2 grams for every cup (8 oz) you make. Fluffier ingredients like mint and chamomile, or teas with larger leaves like green tea or oolong could use an extra teaspoon.
- Teabag teas are usually one per cup (8 oz) of tea, though you can always double-up when you want it stronger!
- Springwater is ideal for brewing but not necessary for making a good cup of tea.
- Many teas are suitable for a second (even third!) steeping. Multiple steepings can bring out more subtle flavors and notes. Oolong, green tea, white tea, and pu’erh commonly fall into this category. Give it a shot—you might like the second infusion better than the first!
- Experiment with steeping time, water temperature, and tea amount as always! If a tea doesn’t taste right the first time, play with your method until you find the flavor you enjoy.
Hot Tea - Decoctions
Tea decoctions are generally better for blends involving roots, seeds, woods, and barks where a simple infusion will not extract full flavor or full benefits:
- Place three tablespoons of the dried herb mixture into a saucepan
- Cover the herbs with a quart of cold water
- Slowly heat the water to simmer and cover
- Allow to simmer for 20-45 minutes, gently
- Strain the herb and reserve the tea in a quart jar
- Pour hot water back through the herbs in the strainer to fill your jar.
- Add a bit of honey, fruit juice, licorice root powder, or powdered Stevia leaf to sweeten your tea.
Iced Tea
Many of our teas can be brewed and enjoyed, Iced and hot!
The Hot Method
- Put 2 teaspoons of loose tea or two tea bags for every cup (8 oz).
- Fill your pitcher or glass halfway with hot water.
Let the tea steep for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on personal preference. - Fill the pitcher or glass up the rest of the way with cold water, then take out the tea leaves or bags.
- Pour your tea over ice and serve.
The Cold Method
- Put 2 teaspoons of loose tea or two tea bags for every cup (8 oz).
- Pour cold water over your leaves, filling up your pitcher or glass.
- Leave the tea to steep in your fridge for 3 to 8 hours, depending on how strong you like it.
- Pour your tea over ice and serve.
Using your Keurig
You can also use your Keurig to brew any of our teas!
- Add loose tea to a K-cup basket (just as you would coffee), and you are good to go!
- Brew over a plastic cup full of ice to create instant iced tea. Do not use a glass cup or it may shatter!
- If you use tea bags, you can add a tea bag to your Keurig basket just as you would for loose tea. Delicious tea is at your fingertips at any time of the day!
Ready to stock up on tea?
We offer a wide variety of Black, Green, Red, Chai, and Herbal Teas. You can shop all of our amazing teas here!
