Love it or hate it, tea is a popular beverage consumed by millions of people around the world. Hot, cold, sweet or milky, tea remains a best seller and well-loved drink. Many tea drinkers are very particular about how their tea is made. Knowing how to brew tea will come in very handy and can even make your tea taste better. Not just a comforting and delicious brew, but it has health benefits, as well.
Whether you need a large mug of tea to start your day, find it refreshing during a busy day or soothing before bed, let’s look at how to brew that perfect cup of tea.
How To Brew Tea
These suggestions are a guideline only. You have your favorite way, and we’re okay with that.
Water
Use cold water to start making tea. Some may think that using hot water gets you there faster, but it doesn’t. The hot water sits in the hot water heater and tastes different. Different and unpleasant.
If you live somewhere you can’t drink tap water, then use your drinking water. Even if you boil water to drink, it may contain heavy metals or other debris that are not good for you and can change the taste of the tea.
There is also less oxygen in hot tap water, which will also make the tea taste different. You need to start with fresh, clean cold water.
If you microwave your water for tea, it is not recommended.
Type of Tea
The type of tea you are making will require a different brew method. We are not going to get into each type and flavor, but the tea itself.
Tea Bags
Tea bags are the most popular way people buy tea. It’s convenient and easier to make. How you choose to use the bag is up to you. You can take bags apart to add to a ball or diffuser to adjust the taste and strength.
Loose Tea
Loose tea can be used as is or you can bag your own at home to suit your taste. The tea can be small pieces of tea leaves or whole tea leaves. The whole leaves have more flavor and are less processed.
Tea balls, diffusers, and tea pockets are all great ways to adjust the taste of the tea and to make it a strong or weak as you like. It’s also a great way to mix flavors, to make your own blends.
Adding a pinch of flavored tea to green tea or your basic black tea can expand your tea drinking variety. Even adding two tea bags of different flavors makes a nice change and your experiments are endless.
Brew Time
Brewing tea longer doesn’t make it stronger. It only makes it better. If you want stronger tea, then add more tea leaves or an extra tea bag.
For herbal and green teas, about three minutes should do nicely. For the stronger, more hearty teas, upwards to five minutes. Much longer than that, the tea just becomes bitter.
There are methods of making tea where you can add the tea or the tea bags directly to the boiling water on the stove. This is a great idea for Chai tea, and for tea leaves or tea bags.
Iced Tea
There are many ways to make homemade iced tea. Iced tea is easy to make and very refreshing. Here are some suggestions.
Sun Brewed
How to brew tea in a novel way. Fill a large glass jar or container, and add tea bags. Aim for a tea bag per cup. Fill the container with water and leave it out in the sun to slowly brew to perfection. This slow seeping method makes a mellow, delicate iced tea.
Boiling Water
Pour the boiling water into the glass container, and add the tea. Let it brew for about five minutes. Remove the tea, then either chill the tea or add ice. You can also pour the cooled tea over ice and then let it chill.
Add your favorite flavorings, like lemon and sugar or honey to sweeten, if desired. You can also use fresh fruit for flavoring, like peaches, to flavor the tea. The sliced peaches can be left in as a nice garnish.
Long Island Iced Tea
Fun fact: A cocktail of Long Island Iced tea does not contain any tea. It tastes like tea through the magic of alcohol and ice cubes. You can add alcohol to your freshly brewed iced tea, for a refreshing backyard pick-me-up.
Tea First or Water First
This debate rages on. As controversial as to whether toilet paper should go over or under. If you said under, we can’t be friends.
1. Water on the tea
Some people like to pour the boiling water directly on to the tea bag. This pushes the tea flavor out and therefore many believe this is the correct way to do it.
2. Water, then the tea
Many people prefer to pour the water into the cup or teapot and then add the tea. This allows the flavor to seep out on its own.
The Proper Cup
When enjoying your tea, the proper cup is important. If you use a pot, it’s nice to have matching cups. Tea just looks better and tastes better in a proper porcelain cup.
Don’t use plastic cups, and metal will transfer a metallic taste. If you like tea in your favorite mug, then that’s all we need to know. That’s the perfect way to drink it.
Tea in a takeaway paper or Styrofoam cup must only be used in cases of emergency.
Tea for Two
Or favourite brew has been providing the perfect platform for gossip, to calm nerves, for health and also as a great start to the day. It’s very versatility make it the world’s second most popular drink, next to water.
If you are a tea enthusiast, tea seller or just love tea, we are aiming to be everything tea. Please contact us for any questions or events in your area and if you would like to add your listing to our site. If you have any favorite ways on how to brew tea, please pass them on!
