The first thing to consider when preparing tea is water. Water makes up 99% of any cup of tea. Good water is essential to any decent cup of tea. Exceptional tea can’t compensate for poor quality water while superb water will produce a good cup of even the lowest of teas. Chlorinated, distilled, or pure water is not favorable for brewing tea. Ideally, water should have an attractive combination of total dissolved solids and minerals (calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron and others) which provide flavor and reactivity. NOTHING is more important than water for brewing great tea.

Once you have quality water, brewing great tea is actually quite simple. There are only three things to manage: tea amount, steep time, and water temperature. When these three factors are properly managed, a superb brew is almost guaranteed. Below is a basic chart identifying some agreed upon averages for water temperature and steep times for different types of tea:

If the above chart seems confusing and complicated, that is because it is. No wonder people are scared to make loose leaf tea! The reality is that these are general guidelines and that of the three factors that need to be managed; you only need to be good at one – measuring the appropriate amount of dry leaves. Typically 1 -1 ½ teaspoons of loose leaf tea per cup is a good starting point. All of our teas have general preparation guidelines enclosed. Ultimately, you are in control with loose leaf tea and can make it as you like.

In order to brew loose leaf tea, you will need a device to either steep or strain the tea. Disposable tea filters are one option. Another is a tea strainer or a teapot with a built-in infuser. Tea balls, cloth filters, and spoon infusers typically are not a great option as the tea is not given appropriate space to infuse.