How to Brew Loose Leaf Tea

Tea Blog Tea Tips

by Imperial Tea Garden October 27, 2017

1.) Start with fine quality loose leaf tea - Imperial Tea Garden is pleased to provide so many wonderful tasting and healthy teas to our fellow tea drinkers. Green teas are widely known for their health benefits. However, there are so many antioxidant rich green teas and black teas available you should choose one or the other based on personal preference. We recommend choosing your teas based on their flavor profile so you are likely to continue drinking them with your meals. Substituting tea for sugary sodas is an easy way to provide health benefits and promote weight loss.

How to Brew Loose Leaf Tea Using Tea Pot Strainer Tea Filter Tea Infuser

ANTIOXIDANT RICH TEAS

Green Tea

White Tea

Black Tea

Mim Estate Black Tea - 13%
Jun Chiyabari Black Tea - 10.7%
Ilam Estate Black Tea - 10.55%
English Breakfast Black Tea Blend - 7.8%
Earl Grey Flavored Black Tea - 7.5%

2.) Measure the right amount of tea - Use 1-2 teaspoons per cup of tea is usually the preferred amount or about 2 grams if going by weight. Our dual purpose tea measuring spoon is a simple tool for measuring loose leaf teas. Perfect for measuring 1 cup or 1 Pot of tea at a time and easily stores in a drawer.

How to Brew Tea with Loose Leaf Tea | Measure your Tea

3.) Use fresh filtered water - Always choose the best water source available. Avoid water that is too hard or soft. Neutral pH and mineral content is most likely to be the best choice for most teas. All bottled water is not created equal - You will have to do your own study but some popular brands of water are just awful when used for tea. Distilled water is another poor choice for brewing tea. The bottom line is your water affects the overall taste of tea and you should be aware that it is especially important when preparing a fine quality loose leaf tea.

4.) Heat your water to the proper temperature - A tea kettle or teapot to boil your water in is a must but we do not judge those who microwave water! Some teapots come with basket filters and always are a great choice if your are just starting out purchasing tea brewing utensils. If using white tea or green tea bring to an almost boiling point (when the water starts to bubble) without actually seeing the roaring boil. Black teas and herbal teas require higher water temperatures so bring water to a full boil and allow to set for just a minute and it should be just right.

5.) Steep and Strain your tea leaves - You will need some way to filter the loose leaf tea. The method you choose will be based on your lifestyle and which process gives you the best results.

Loose leaf in a teapot – This method of brewing tea allows for maximum freedom for the leaves to unfurl. This makes for a stronger, more flavorful cup. The disadvantages are removing the leaves, and cleaning the teapot after brewing. If the tea is not served and allowed to infuse longer than necessary, the tea can become bitter.

The tea ball – Most tea balls are made from aluminum or stainless steel mesh to hold the tea in place. This allows for easier cleanup of the leaves. However, there is usually insufficient space for the tea leaves to expand and prevents water from circulating freely around the tea leaves. Tea balls vary in sizes from one to three inches.

Stainless-steel mesh infuser – This method is similar to the tea ball, however, handles were added for easier handling and cleaning. The same disadvantages hold true for the mesh infuser as do for tea balls.

Tea Pot Strainer | Loose Leaf Tea Infuser Cup | Tea Strainer Stainless Steel

Tea Filters – This method is nice for brewing in teapots because it allows you to easily measure your loose tea and insert into the tea filter. The downside is that the tea filters must be suspended but this is easily remedied by using the mesh infuser to hold in place

Loose Leaf Tea Filter | Tea Pot Filter | How to Brew Loose Leaf Tea

Follow these steep times as guide (Actual steeping time is based upon personal taste)

Steep black tea between 3-4 minutes.
Steep green tea for 1-2 minutes.
Steep white tea for 1-5 minutes.
Steep herbal teas for up to 3-5 minutes based on taste.

Steep time is dependent on the type of tea you use, particle size, grade, and leaf size. There is also variances even within tea types. A Peony White Needle will require more time to steep than a leafy tea such as Pai Mu Tan. Smaller leaf sizes infuse more rapidly and can produce very robust flavored teas. Trial and error is still the best method for learning how to brew the perfect cup of tea!

6.) Pour and enjoy your tea - Have a favorite tea cup or mug to drink from.