How to Make a Great Cup of Tea

Adagio Ingenuitea Teapot

The health benefits of tea are well documented, but even though more and more people are drinking tea, few know how to brew a really great cup. The key to success is different depending on what you're drinking: from oolong, black or white to green tea, the preparation is slightly different depending on the type of leaves you are using. No matter what your favorite type is, choose the highest-quality leaves you can afford, for a head start.

Things You'll Need

• Quality tea leaves
• Good teapot
• Fresh water

Instructions

1. Use 1 tsp. quality tea leaves for each cup of tea. For lighter, more "fluffy" leaves, you may need to use up to 2 tsp.

2. Heat fresh, clean water to about 180 degrees. Do not use boiling water; it is far hotter than that. A quality electric teapot is designed to hit this target temperature.

3. Steep the leaves. The amount of steep time depends on the type of leaves. For light oolong and green teas, steep for 3 minutes. For black teas, steep 5 minutes; and steep 7 minutes for dark oolong and white teas.

Tips & Warnings

• Buy quality tea leaves you'll appreciate the difference.

• Don't over-steep; doing so will make the tea bitter.

References

• English Tea Store: How to Make Tea
• Bigelow: Brewing Tips