How to Brew a Cup of Tea

Easy as 1, 2, 3.

R-e-l-a-x. . .

Whether you’re new to tea or a seasoned veteran, tea can be intimidating. Black or green? Tea bags or loose leaf? Hot or cold? Chinese or Indian? There are a lot of things to consider and it can be overwhelming. So, if you’re stressing about tea. You shouldn’t be. Think about it. Drinking tea is all about relaxation and DE-stressing, and stressing about it is kinda missing the whole point. So, to start you in the right direction, we’ve put together some of the basics for you.

The last thing anybody should be stressing about is tea.

Each package of Chai House tea and tisane comes with specific brewing instructions for that specific product. The following information contains general guidelines that can be used for various teas within each tea type.

1. The Tea Leaves.

If you’re new to tea, you might want to check out our Tea Types page to help you decide which teas you might like.

Let me also point out that choosing a tea is very personal and you should take the time to discover what YOU like. Which means you should not be afraid to try different teas. One of the joys of tea drinking is experiencing the many teas of the world (there are thousands of varieties!).

Have questions? Contact us. We’re here to help.

How much tea should you use?

For a 6oz. cup: 1 teaspoon (3 grams)
For an 8 oz. cup: 2 teaspoons (5 grams)

*Note 1: To eliminate the guesswork of measuring out the correct amount of tea, check out the Chai House Teaspoon. One (1) spoonful = about three (3) grams of tea. Two (2) spoonfuls = about five (5) grams of tea.

*Note 2: We recommend measuring your tea by weight, rather than volume. Five (5) grams of a tea with large leaves will have more volume than five (5) grams of tea with smaller leaves. So, looks can be deceiving.

2. The Water.

If possible, we recommend using clean, fresh (preferably) filtered water for brewing tea.

The biggest mistake people make is brewing with water that is too hot for the type of tea. This “burns” the leaves (especially the more delicate white and green teas), which adversely affects tea taste. Below is a simple guide to help you determine appropriate water temperatures for the various tea types, and how to estimate water temperature without a thermometer.

Black Teas – 212°F. Bring water to a full rolling boil. Pour immediately.

Pu’Ehr Teas & Tisanes – 200-210°F. Bring water to a full rolling boil. Let sit for 1 minute.

Oolong Teas – 175-190°F. Bring water to a full rolling boil. Let sit for 1-2 minutes.

Green and White Teas – 160-170°F. Bring water to a full rolling boil. Let sit for 5-7 minutes.

To conserve water, boil only as much as you are going to need.

*NEVER – 1) Never re-boil your tea water, which causes it to lose oxygen, turning the water stale. 2) Never use the microwave to heat your tea water.

3. Steeping Time.

Different tea types require different steeping times.

Pu’Ehr & Black Teas – 5 minutes.

Oolong Teas & Tisanes – 5-7 minutes.

Green and White Teas – 3-5 minutes.

Bonus Tip:
Re-steeping.

Yes, you read that right. Re-steeping. And don’t let anybody tell you you shouldn’t, because you should.

After pouring your first cup, simply set the once-used leaves aside until you’re ready for the next one. Most teas can handle at least 1 or 2 re-steepings. Some can handle more. At some point, the tea leaves will lose their flavor or start to get bitter.

How many infusions can you get from one batch of leaves? Many factors come into play here, not the least of which is your personal preference. Bottom line: once the leaves lose their flavor, you can stop.

Not only will you stretch your tea dollar, but you’ll get to taste how the tea develops with each infusion.

References:

The Making Of Tea, Harsh Maur, December 7, 2016, https://teafloor.com/blog/the-making-of-tea/