Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Learning to master the technique of making tea
• Tips
• Necessities

All you really need to make tea from loose tea leaves is hot water, the tea leaves themselves and a tea strainer. However, each tea requires a slightly different technique. For the best cup of tea, follow the recommended amounts, water temperature and brewing time as indicated on the tea package. Experiment with different amounts of tea or brewing time. Finally, add your favorite sweetener or milk for a soothing cup of tea that tastes really good.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Learning to master the technique of making tea

1. Pour fresh, cold water into a saucepan or kettle. Do not use distilled or previously boiled water, as this can negatively affect the taste of your tea. Instead, start with fresh, cool tap water. Use an electric kettle, tea kettle or saucepan to heat the water.
   • If the tap water is particularly hard (i.e., has a high mineral content), consider bottled water for a more pleasant taste.
2. Take 2-3 grams of loose tea in 180 ml of water. Since tea leaves come in different shapes and sizes, it is better to measure your tea by weight (i.e. grams) rather than volume. However, if you do measure by volume, start with about one teaspoon for smaller leaves and about one tablespoon for larger leaves. Spoon the desired amount of tea into a tea strainer or teapot, depending on how you plan to infuse it.
   • A teacup can hold about 180ml of water, but since most coffee mugs have about 300 to 360ml in volume, you may need to double the amount of loose leaf tea you put in a larger cup.
   • The amount of tea you decide to use is a matter of taste. Use more or less tea to see which flavor you prefer.
3. Choose a disposable filter bag for fine, powdered tea. Purchase a pack of disposable tea filter bags from a tea room or grocery store. Use one when preparing particularly fine tea that can easily slip through mesh strainers. Hold the pouch upright with the opening well above the water level so that the tea leaves don't float out.
   • You can also use a filter bag if you just want to make one cup at a time and keep cleaning easy.
4. Avoid using a tea infuser or infuser for large or fine leaves. Metal tea eggs and silicone infusers are popular because they often have a playful design, but keep in mind the limited usefulness of these tools. Do not use them for large-leaf teas, as they don't leave much room for the leaves to unfold when they get wet. In addition, avoid using a tea infuser or infuser for fine powdered tea, as the powder can easily slip through the holes.
   • If you soak medium tea leaves in small amounts of water, a tea infuser or infuser is unlikely to be a problem.
   • A hinged tea infuser is difficult to fill and the mechanisms can be tricky to open and close, especially when the metal is hot.
5. Strain the tea into the teapot after brewing if you prefer. This is a useful technique if you don't have a tea strainer that fits well in your teapot. Instead of putting the leaves in a sieve, you can also weigh the tea leaves and put them directly in the teapot. After the tea has been brewed, hold a tea strainer over a cup. Carefully pour the tea into the cup and make sure that the sieve catches the leaves.
   • Since there are still leaves in the teapot that will continue to brew, the tea will become increasingly bitter.

Tips

• To keep the tea warm for longer, you can preheat the teapot or cup by pouring in some boiling water. Pour this out again before adding the tea and the rest of the hot water. Alternatively, you can put a tea cozy over the teapot to keep it warm.
• Green and white tea are best drunk immediately, while the taste of black tea retains a little longer.
• After pouring the tea into your cup, add milk, honey, lemon or sugar to taste. Avoid using milk with lemon, as this can cause the milk to curdle.
• If you are just starting to brew a certain type of tea, it helps to measure the temperature of the water with a thermometer. Once you know how much steam and how many bubbles the water will show at the optimal temperature, you can estimate it by eye.

Necessities

• Tea kettle or saucepan
• Cool, fresh water
• Teapot
• Cup
• Tea strainer
• Loose tea leaves
• Scale or spoon