How To Brew a Perfect Cup of Tea
After you chose a high quality tea for yourself, here are few tips how to transform it to a perfect cup of tea you can enjoy every day, over and over:
Tea is 99% water and therefore the choice of water has an immense impact on the smell, appearance and taste of the tea. Use only fresh cold water. The softer the water, the better. In areas with hard water, use filtered water or bottled water for best results. Also, the right water temperature is essential because different types of tea require different brewing temperature. If you are serious about your tea, get yourself a temperature controlled kettle.
Never re-boil the water.
Every tea has an optimal brewing time. Anything outside the suggested time frame will either be under brewed with no body, or over brewed and possibly bitter. Strength of your tea comes from the amount of tea leaves brewed, not the brewing time. And don’t leave the tea leaves sitting in water since that just makes the tea way too strong and bitter.
Always check the tea label for suggested water temperature, brewing time and quantity of tea needed for a cup.
You can add milk or just a bit of sugar if drinking oolong or black tea. But never add milk or sugar if you’re drinking green or white tea. (Please, no!)
Green, Oolong, Pu Erh and some black teas can be brewed more than once. Multiple infusions allow the leaves to unfold completely and release their full potential. Every infusion will taste slightly differently and contributes to an unique tea experience. Always make sure to pour fresh hot water over the leaves and so you can have a second, third... delicious brew.
Tea should be stored in an airtight container in a dry and dark place. Do not store with other strong smelling food, such as coffee, herbs or spices, since tea will absorb the stronger smell and loose its taste.