Things You'll Need:
- Loose leaf tea
- Hot water
- Teapot, cup or whatever you like
- Tea filter
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Step 1
Please -- do not microwave !!!
You should use, if possible, natural spring water. Should your tap water be hard, use bottled water. Avoid boiling the water too long, and AVOID USING THE MICROWAVE. Using a standard electric kettle or a tea pot on the stove-top will work very well. -
Step 2
Hot (not boiling) water
The hotter the water, the less taste tea will have. Extreme heat burns the leaves' essential oils. Heat the water, then let it sit a few minutes. Just a few minutes should be enough to attain the desired temperature. If possible, use a cooking thermometer for greater accuracy.
These general guidelines should apply:
Chinese green teas 70º C to 95º C
Japanese green teas 60º C to 85º C
Semi-fermented teas 95º C
Black teas 95º C
White teas 70º C to 85º C -
Step 3
It is preferable not to use the metallic-type infusion balls. The tea leaves will expand and block the holes, thus preventing a proper infusion. You should ideally place the leaves in a first tea pot. Allow for the desired infusion and then filter with a second tea pot. A number of filters allow sufficient space for the leaves. Some of these useful accessories can be found at www.divineteaonline.com.
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Step 4
Avoid metal!
White metal, steel and ........ should be avoided. Metal accessories leave an unpleasant after-taste, and may also be hazardous for your health.
That old and ancient sylver tea pot may be cherished, but it may leave a copper-like taste if the tea is left in it for long periods.
The only exception to the above are tempered-steel accessories, which are safe and usually do not have an after-taste. These accessories last a long time and are easy to clean. Remember to replace them should rust (or other alterations) appear. -
Step 5
Do not OVER-STEEP your tea.
Only a few minutes are necessary for your tea to be good. Refer to our Infusion Chart to obtain ideal temperatures for the teas in our catalogue.
These general guidelines should apply:
Green teas: 2-3 minutes
Semi-fermented teas: 3-4 minutes
Black teas: 3-5 minutes
White teas: 4-10 minutes -
Step 6
Warm up your tea pot
Heat your tea pot with boiling water to keep your tea hot for a longer period. Let it rest a few minutes, empty the water and then filter the tea. You can also use a tea cosy. Even though a tea cosy seems archaic, it really does the trick! -
Step 7
Prepare your tea pot
Once you have your new tea pot, prepare it. Start by rinsing it with boiling water. Then filter a large quantity of tea for about thirty minutes. Rinse again, and you're ready to go! -
Step 8
One tea pot for one tea.
If possible, use the same tea pot for one specific tea, or for one specific type (eg. green). Also avoid filtering a stronger tasting tea (eg. Lapsang Souchong) before a lighter one (eg. Jasmine tea). The flavours would blend and you would loose the lighter tasting flavour. Thoroughly rinse the tea pot between teas if you only have one. -
Step 9
Do not use soap
Never use soap to clean your accessories, tea pots, tea tins, etc. You may wind up with a soapy taste in your cup. The brownish ...... (tanin) in your tea pot is useful,enhancing the flavours. A good way to clean is to use baking powder and rinsing thoroughly. -
Step 10
Decaf your tea.
Since caffeine is very soluble, it will remain in the infusion for the first minute. The best way to decaffeinate your tea is: filter for one minute, throw away the water, then filter again. This is the method to eliminate just about all of the caffeine.
Comments
KuanShiYin said
on 2/19/2009 Excellent tips; I'm saving this to Favorites!
cooperph said
on 1/18/2008 I agree with most of the above. I would brew my black tea for longer, and just add a little extra milk to compensate for the greater strength of the brew. Personally I steep for ten minutes.