Brewing guide

Brewing Guide

Our guide to brewing tea is just that a, guide. You will hear many different ways to make the ‘perfect cup of tea’ yet we believe the perfect cup of tea is personal. We all have different tastes and preferences, I myself prefer a stronger tea and so I generally place more loose tea in. So use this as guidelines and then develop your own methods.  

Just note that not all teas will produce a darker colour that you are use to with more everyday tea bags. Many of the teas are light and once a small quantity of milk is added they can look very milky and weak, although this is not the case. So don’t be put off by this, you get more aware of what shade each tea should look like.

Black tea

-Place approximately 2 grams of tea into the strainer or infuser (1 teaspoon)

-Don’t let the water get to boiling point as this removes oxygen from the water

-The length of time that you brew your tea is the most crucial aspect to how your tea will taste. Too long and it will leave a bitter taste and too soon will give you a weak often tasteless tea. Ideally brew large leaf teas for approximately 3-4 minutes and finer leaf teas for 2-3 minutes.

-As brewing tea is personal, these times are given as guidelines. All you need to know is sticking between these times will give a pleasant tasting tea. Just depends on how strong or weak you prefer your tea.

-Most people will add milk to their tea, especially for the more regular teas like English Breakfast. However we recommend you don’t use too much milk as this will cover up the flavour of many teas. If you use too much milk you might as well go and buy the cheap tea bags at the supermarket, as it won’t taste any different.

-Try particular flavoured teas such as Caramel and Vanilla with as little milk as possible to attain the full flavour

-Add sugar if required and then sit and enjoy your own perfect cup of tea.....

Green Tea

-Place approximately 2 grams of tea into the strainer or infuser (1 teaspoon)

-Use water that hasn’t reached the boiling point. For green tea the water can be a lower temperature than that used in black tea

-Avoid over brewing your green tea

-Ideally brew for large leaf teas for approximately 2-3 minutes and finer leaf teas for 1-2 minutes

-Green teas can actually be used again dependant on how high a grade it is