Everyone's got a different way of making a cup of tea. We've spent over 135 years honing our technique for the perfect brew: here's a few of our not-so-secret tips, from water temperature to infusion time.
How To Brew Loose Tea
1. Use Fresh Water
1. Use Fresh Water
Always use water freshly drawn from the tap or a filter jug: the higher levels of oxygen in fresh water give your cup of tea a cleaner, brighter taste.
2. Brew at the correct temperature
2. Watch the Temperature
Did you know that using water that’s too hot can scorch the tea leaves or water that's too cool won’t allow the full flavour to be released? Black teas are commonly brewed at 90°C, while Matcha Green TeaTea should be made with a cooler 70°C. Using a kettle with different temperature settings, such as the Bosch Sky Kettle, which has 7 settings to ensure you’re getting the most out of your favourite teas.
3. Remember to Spoon
3. Remember to Spoon
Loose leaf can seem fiddly, but the truth is it's as easy as teabags. Just remember: use one teaspoon (around 2g) per cup of tea, or two per cup if you're brewing white tea, yellow tea or a fruit and herbal infusion.
How Long Should I Brew?
Each of our teas tells you how many minutes to brew, but it all depends on your taste. As a general rule, more robust teas reach the best strength between 3–5 minutes' infusing, while delicate teas like Darjeelings, white and green teas should only be infused for around 2–3 minutes.
| Tea Type | Boiling Temperature | Steeping Time |
|---|---|---|
| Most black tea | 100 Degrees | 3–5 Minutes |
| Green tea | 80 Degrees | 2–3 Minutes |
| White/yellow tea | 80 Degrees | 2–3 Minutes |
| Fruit & herbal infusions | 100 Degrees | 3–5 Minutes |
