Tea Brewing Guide

How to store your tea?

Tea keeps very well. It is best to store your tea leaves in a tea caddy or container, away from heat and light. Our tea is very fresh, we would recommend using green or white teas within six months and black teas within a year.

We have some lovely, traditional caddies here.

Brewing Guide

How you brew your tea depends on the tea leaves you have chosen and, ultimately, your personal preference. But here is a guide to help you get the best out of your tea and appreciate its delicate characteristics.

Use a teaspoon of tea leaves per cup, for large leaves and herbal teas, or if you like it strong, use more.

Use freshly drawn water and boil. Tap water is fine, but for hard water areas filtered water can be better. Spring water is best but unless you have access to a fresh spring let’s stick with tap and save the plastic bottles.

Warm your pot or cup with a little of the hot water and discard.

For black teas use just boiled water, between 95C and 90C, and steep the leaves for between 3 - 5 minutes.

For Oolong teas use water between 85C-95C, the greener the leaves the cooler the water to use,  and steep for between 2-5 minutes.

Green teas need cooler water, between 65C and 85C and steep between 2-4 minutes.

White teas need water between 65C and 80C, steeped for 1-3 minutes.

Herbal teas can use water just off the boil and can be steeped to your personal preference, up to even 10 minutes. (That’s how I like my Chamomile!)

White and green teas have delicate leaves, so be mindful of the water temperature as water that is too hot can burn the leaves, also over steeping can cause your cup of tea to be bitter.

You can re-steep your tea leaves, making them economical. How many times is dependent on the tea and ratio of tea to water, generally black, green and white teas can be re-steeped 2-3 times.

Some Oolong and Puerh teas, and other tightly rolled teas, can be re-steeped many more times, some up to 10 times, until the leaves have unfurled.