For those of you who are new to loose-leaf tea and the brewing process, allow us to give you a brief tutorial. In order to enjoy a great cup of tea, there are four things you will need: fire, water, tea and vessel (tea cup). Also, if you desire to steep more than one cup of tea at a time, you’ll need a tea pot. Basically, you place tea leaves in a strainer, place the strainer in a tea cup or tea pot, and pour hot water over the leaves, let the leaves steep, remove the strainer with leaves from your cup or pot, then serve.
A standard cup of tea is not 8 ounces, but rather 5.5 ounces. The rule of thumb is to use two grams of tea for each cup (5.5oz) of water. As tea leaves come in different shapes and weights, the simplest conversion is to use a level teaspoon per cup of tea. A rounded (not level) teaspoon is usually fine for a 10 – 12 oz mug (depends on how strong you like it).
Tea is produced in three distinct styles: Black, Oolong and Green (White Tea is in the Green Tea category). Each tea requires a different water temperature. For Black teas, water should be brought to a rolling boil (212 degrees). Oolong Teas require slightly cooler water temperature (195-210 degrees). You can meet this requirement by taking the water off the “fire” (after boil) for 20-30 seconds before pouring. Green teas require the coolest water (180 degrees). Again, this can be accomplished by removing the water from the “fire” (after boil) for 30-45 seconds before pouring. Green Tea will get bitter if water is too hot.
Once you’ve poured the water the next question is usually: “How long do I let it steep?”. Ultimately, it is a matter of personal taste. Generally we have found the following guidelines to work well: 3-4 minutes of steeping for Black Teas (but taste it after 3 minutes, some black teas get strong), 3-5 minutes for Oolong Teas (again, taste it early to see if it’s strong enough), and 2-3 minutes for Green Teas. Additionally, guidelines for Herbal teas are at 5-7 minutes, delicate White Teas at 2-5 minutes and First Flush Darjeeling Teas at 2-5 minutes.
Whether you drink your tea at first light or by the light of a reading lamp… enjoy your tea from Tea Country.
Duane, Richard, Howard
Tea Country, LLC