If you want to make a proper cup of tea, there are a few extra steps you should follow. Keep reading for a few tips that could really elevate your tea experience and enable you to make the ideal cup of tea.
It’s incredibly easy to make a cup of tea. Just add hot water to the teabag, right? OK, so yes, but also no. There are a plethora of things that influence the taste of your tea, so the devil really is all in the detail.
If you want to make a proper cup of tea, there are a few extra steps you should follow. Keep reading for a few tips that could really elevate your tea experience and enable you to make the ideal cup of tea.
Top tips
1. Use filtered water
Clean, filtered water doesn’t add any other taste to your tea.
2. Use an electric kettle with temperature settings and set the correct water temperature
Water temperature can be a little bit tricky when it comes to different types of tea. An electric kettle with adjustable temperature settings is vital to making a really good cup of tea.
3. Steep for the correct amount of time
Over-steeped tea leads to a bitter cup. Set a timer on your phone. Follow the steep time recommendations on the tea package. It is approximately 3 minutes for green and oolong tea, 4 minutes for white tea, and 4-5 minutes for black tea. The only tea that can and should steep for longer than 5 minutes is herbal tea.
4. Use loose-leaf tea
There is a HUGE difference in the quality of loose-leaf tea over tea bags. Teabags are typically filled with leftover broken bits, or tea dust, collected after the tea has been processed. Drinking “dust” doesn’t sound too appealing, does it? Loose-leaf tea is usually a much higher quality tea.
There are different kinds of loose-leaf, too. Some teas are rolled and unfurl when they steep in the water. Others are pieces of the plant that are crushed, or cut into smaller sizes for easy brewing.
Teabags are quite nasty for the environment. Contrary to popular belief they are not biodegradable. Although there are now biodegradable options, they are more pricey. If you like the convenience of a teabag you could make your own loose-leaf tea bags using reusable tea bags. This is an environmentally friendly alternative to those nasty, yet convenient little bags.
5. Warm the teapot
This really takes your tea to the next level and almost no one ever does it. Take some of the water you have just boiled and fill half of the teapot. Give it a few swirls and throw out the water. The teapot is being warmed so that when the hot water goes in, the water temperature doesn’t drop too much.
6. Take out the bag/infuser
Don’t leave your tea sitting in water after the steep time. This can make the tea really bitter. The easiest way to avoid this is to use a tea infuser inside a teapot so that the tea is separated from the water after the first pour. Alternatively make just enough tea, pouring out every last drop, so that there isn’t any water sitting in the teapot.
A loose-leaf cup of tea
Loose-leaf tea really does taste better. It goes through far fewer processes and it is a far purer and generally better quality product.
What you need
- The tea – You can choose any variety of loose-leaf tea, or easily make a custom blend of multiple types suited to your taste.
- Filtered water
- An infuser – Use a teapot with a large infuser. It makes it easier for the tea leaves to open up and steep.
- An electric kettle with temperature settings – Change the water temperature depending on the type of tea you are brewing.
Steps
1. Boil your water – Check the tea packaging to see the recommended water temperature, or read up about it online.
2. Warm up the teapot.,
3. Put the tea into the teapot and add hot water.
4. Close the teapot and steep the tea – Steep it for the correct amount of time.
5. Strain the tea and pour it into teacups.
If you want to have another cup, pour more hot water into the pot. You can use the same leaves as before, but if you do, steep the tea for an additional 2 minutes. This helps you to achieve the same taste.
Photo by Manki Kim on Unsplash
The teabag
– the most common, out of convenience, but not the best for the environment.
What you need
- A teabag – Not all tea bags are created equally. It makes a difference to go for better quality tea if you are using teabags. Try to find environmentally friendly options.
- Filtered water.
- Teapot, mug, or teacup. Use a teapot with a large infuser. It makes it easier for the tea leaves to unfurl and steep.
- Electric kettle with temperature settings.
Steps
1. Boil your kettle. Remember to boil only as much as you need.
2. Add the teabag and the water. Pop a tea bag into your mug, or cup, pour over the hot water, and stir briefly.
3. Wait patiently
4. Give it a squeeze – Before removing the tea bag, gently squeeze it. Just once. If you squeeze it too much you could end up with a really bitter cup of tea.
Now that you are equipped with the basic knowledge needed to make the ideal cup of tea, get out there and brew up a storm.
Main photo by Drew Jemmett on Unsplash
