How to Steep Whole Leaf Teas
Begin with fresh, cold bottled or filtered water. Bringing the water just to a
boil. Place one teaspoon of tea leaves per 8-oz cup of water into a teapot or
infuser or place one tea bag directly into a 12 to 16-oz cup. Note that over
steeped tea will become bitter. For stronger tea, add more leaves rather than
infusing longer than recommended.
How to make Iced Tea
Fill tea filter with 4 tablespoons of black, oolong, green or flavored tea or 6
tablespoons of infusions. Place filter in a 64-oz (1/2 gallon) glass container
and fill with 32-oz of hot filtered or bottled water. Steep tea for 10 to 15
minutes (10 minutes for black, oolong, green or flavored tea or 15 minutes
for infusions). Fill glass container with 16-oz of filtered of bottled water to
one inch below the top of the container. Remember to always keep prepared
iced tea refrigerated.
Begin with fresh, cold bottled or filtered water. Bringing the water just to a
boil. Place one teaspoon of tea leaves per 8-oz cup of water into a teapot or
infuser or place one tea bag directly into a 12 to 16-oz cup. Note that over
steeped tea will become bitter. For stronger tea, add more leaves rather than
infusing longer than recommended.
How to make Iced Tea
Fill tea filter with 4 tablespoons of black, oolong, green or flavored tea or 6
tablespoons of infusions. Place filter in a 64-oz (1/2 gallon) glass container
and fill with 32-oz of hot filtered or bottled water. Steep tea for 10 to 15
minutes (10 minutes for black, oolong, green or flavored tea or 15 minutes
for infusions). Fill glass container with 16-oz of filtered of bottled water to
one inch below the top of the container. Remember to always keep prepared
iced tea refrigerated.
| Brew the Perfect Cup of Tea |
How to Brew the Perfect Cup
You are the best judge of Tea. Please use these guidelines and experiment
and find the perfect method for you .Different tastes of cultures around
the globe from Germans preference for Darjeeling, to those Morrocans for
gunpowder to the Middle Eastern preference for Teas of Ceylon or the Irish
for Kenya Teas. Just remember that when one prepares tea it is a gift of
time to slow down, focus on the task at hand and experience communion
with one of the greatest gifts of nature.
1. Water, Tea, and Utensils
Water-Use the freshest water possible. Preferably filtered, but if the tap
water is good in your area it will do. If the tap water has a perceptible odor
or taste, that will be imparted to the infused brew, and will compromise
the quality of the tea.
Tea - of course, use the best loose leaf tea you can find.
Utensils- one could do a whole class on tea utensils and accessories, but
for the bare minimum info, avoid using the stainless steel tea balls or metal
infusers. Use a nylon mesh basket, paper filter, tea sock, or just do it the
old fashioned way and put the leaves directly into the pot.
2. Heat the Water to the Desired Temperature
This step is more important that you’d first think, but many of the finest
green teas and oolongs are actually “Cooked” by too - hot water. Here’s a
basic rule of thumb to follow:
Black Tea:
Rolling boil, best at 212° Do not boil the water too long, as it boils out
some of the oxygen and can leave the tea tasting “flat”
Green Tea and White Tea:
180°
I try to watch and listen to my kettle, and pull it when the bottom is full of
bubbles, but before they start to release to the surface. Boiling water on
green tea will actually “cook” the leaf and result in a bitter brew, losing all
the subtleties of the tea. Some do it the other way, and allow the water to
cool just a touch after it boils before pouring.
Oolong and Herbal Tea:
195 -210 degrees°, depending on the level of oxidation in the case of
oolong, or depending on the type of herbs used. (Roots and barks need to
be boiling to extract their properties, while flowers and delicate petals use
a lower temp)
3. Warm the Pot and Measure the Tea into the Pot or Brew Basket
Pour the hot water into the empty pot for a minute to warm it. Pour it out
and then measure the tea. The general rule is 1 teaspoon of tea for each
6oz cup. This varies by leaf style, as some leaves are much bigger and thus
take up more volume.
Technically, the amount is 2 grams per 5.5 oz cup.
Of course, you could always measure your tea with a scale. I don’t find this
a very contemplative practice, however, so I’ve devised a sight plan. I use
the teaspoon rule for small leaf, black teas. I use a heaping teaspoon for
green teas and oolongs, and herbals.
This is probably the place where you can best “customize” your tea. You
don’t want to mess with the water quality or temperature, or the steeping
times too much, as the result of that is often not stronger tea, but a more
bitter brew.
4. Pour the Water of the Tea and Steep for the Appropriate Time
This is most likely the Most Imperative step, in my opinion, along with
water temperature.
Follow these guidelines carefully
Black Tea - 4 - 5 minutes
Green Tea - 1.-3 minutes
Oolong Tea 4 - 7 minutes
White Tea 1 -3 minutes
Herbal Tea 5- 15 minutes