How to Make Tea
Whether you’re looking to host a tea party or just hoping for a cup of energizing green tea, the first thing you’ll need to learn is how to make a great cup of tea. Luckily, tea is incredibly easy to make. If ancient Chinese emperor Shennong can brew a cup by accident, you’ll be able to in no time!
First, pick out your tea. This is often the most exciting part of brewing (aside from drinking it!). Different teas have slightly different brewing requirements, so make sure you know what you’re brewing, whether it’s an oolong tea, hibiscus tea, or whatever makes you happiest!
Next, heat up your water. Filtered or purified water will impart the least unnecessary flavor into your cup, however normal tap water is usually fine as well. Boiling water can make tea taste extra bitter, so you should either remove your water from heat right before it boils (at about 190°F - 205°F if you’re able to measure it) or remove it from heat once it boils and let is cool down for a few moments before use.
If you’re brewing loose-leaf tea you’ll need an infuser. There are many that are commercially available however Argo Tea suggests using a teapot that comes with an infuser, like our Sencha Green Bee House Teapot. Teapots are a great sustainable way to brew tea, and often have large infuser baskets which allow the tea leaves lots of room to expand as they steep. If you’re in a rush or don’t want to give up your tea bags, Paper Tea Filters are a great way to brew your tea on the go!
How much tea should you use to brew? At Argo Tea we recommend using our Golden Ratio of 1 tsp of loose-leaf tea for every 8 ounces of water you’ll use to brew. This can be altered if you’d like a stronger or weaker cup. Whatever makes you happiest is what you should do!
After you’ve measured out your tea and placed it in the infuser, pour your hot water over the leaves, making sure that everything is wet. If you find some dry leaves floating on top of your water, use a teaspoon to submerge them fully.
Set a timer for how long you’d like to brew your tea. Most teas come with a suggesting brew time, however a good rule of thumb is that black tea, oolong tea, and white tea should brew for about 4 minutes; green tea should brew for about 2 minutes; and herbal teas such as hibiscus tea and chamomile tea should brew for about 6 minutes.
When the timer goes off, remove the infuser from the water. Leaving the tea leaves to steep in the water after it’s done brewing will result in bitter, overbrewed tea.
Finally, enjoy your tastea beverage! Feel free to add milk or your choice of sweeteners to taste.