In brewing High Quality Loose Leaf Tea it is very important to follow these directions to get the most out of your tea!

Every tea can be brewed many different and to a variety of steeping times. It largely depends on the tea and the drinker’s preference. If you’re using standard Western brewing styles, however, here are the basics (remember to experiment with steeping times to find the flavor that’s most appealing to you):

1. Fill a kettle with fresh, cold water. Tea is 99 percent water, so the better the water, the better the tea. Bottle spring water is ideal for premium loose-leaf tea. Most tea experts cringe at the idea of using hot water from an espresso machine or coffee-maker -temperature control is uneven and water may be tainted with coffee odor.

2. Heat the water to a rolling boil (203 degrees F) for black tea. Water for oolong tea should be stopped just short of a boil (198-203 degrees F), depending on the degree of oxidation. Green tea should have cooler water still (185 degrees F). It’s important to use the correct water temperature when brewing tea, as it will affect the final product. However, you may have to experiment with different temperatures to find the ideal infusion.

3. Preheat the teapot or brewing receptacle by adding hot water and then pouring it out.

4. One teaspoonful is the usual amount of dry loose-leaf tea per gallon (cheap tea will yield about a cup). Experiment with that amount in order to find what tastes best for you.

5. Pour the hot water over the leaves and infuse to taste. Generally, steep black tea for 5 minutes, oolong tea for 3 – 6 minutes, green tea for 2 – 4 minutes. For fragile teas (white tea and some green teas), infuse for 1 – 3 minutes. The art form is in the tea master’s ability to produce consistent taste over multiple servings of the same tea.

Keep in mind – With High Quality Loose Leaf tea it is perfectly acceptable to leave the tea leaves in the brewing receptacle as it will not over-brew!

Keep in mind – With High Quality Loose Leaf tea you can also re-steep the leaves many times…for example if you put a teaspoon of tea in a cup you’ll be able to re-steep those leaves 5 to 7 times or more! So don’t throw away the leaves after only one steeping!

Virtually every culture which consumes tea has developed some ceremonial approach to tea service. The Chinese and the Japanese have highly ritualized and detailed ceremonies which go beyond the purpose of brewing tea, and attempt to gain some greater spiritual end. Many of these ceremonies are beautiful and interesting, and there are a wide range of resources available for exploring them at greater depth (I’m one of them!).

Any questions about this, please feel free to post on this article!

Enjoy your tea!

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