A good pot of tea needs no special kit: fresh water, the right amount of leaf, the right heat and a timer. Here is how we brew every pot in the tea room.
1. Start with fresh water
Fill the kettle with fresh cold water each time. Water that has been boiled again and again tastes flat. If your tap water is very hard, filtered water makes a clearer cup.
2. Warm the pot
Swirl a little hot water around the teapot and pour it away. A warm pot keeps the brewing temperature steady.
3. Measure the leaves
As a starting point, use about one teaspoon of loose leaf (2 to 3 g) for each cup of water (around 250 ml). Large, open leaves such as white tea or some oolongs take up more space, so use a heaped spoon.
4. Match the heat and time to the tea
- Black tea: just off the boil, about 95 to 100 °C (200 to 212 °F), for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Green tea: cooler water, about 70 to 80 °C (160 to 175 °F), for 2 to 3 minutes. Too hot or too long is the usual reason green tea tastes bitter.
- White tea: about 75 to 85 °C (165 to 185 °F), for 2 to 4 minutes.
- Oolong: about 85 to 95 °C (185 to 205 °F), for 3 to 5 minutes. Many oolongs can be infused again.
- Herbal infusions: freshly boiled water, for 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Take the leaves out
When the time is up, lift out the infuser or pour the tea through a strainer into a second warm pot or straight into cups. Leaves left in the water keep brewing and turn the tea bitter.
These times are a guide, not a rule. Taste, then adjust: a little longer for a stronger cup, a little shorter for a softer one. If you are not sure, ask us at the counter and we will write the brewing notes on your pouch.