Brewing your loose tea  Free tea in chicago

1) Hot the pot. Warm your empty tea pot by filling it with hot water. This prevents the hot water from cooling too quickly when it is poured into the leaves.

2) Boil freshly drawn tap water or try using filtered or bottled spring water instead.  For black tea and most herbal teas (like Red tea), use the water when it comes to a boil about 203 degrees F. Do not boil the water too long. This will cause the water to de-aerate. 

For green teas, water  should be heated to a lower temperature about 175-185 degrees F. White teas even require lower water temperatures of 165-175 degrees F. Letting your boiled water cool down for about 2-3 minutes before pouring it over your (green or white) tea is another way getting to the desired water temperature.  

3) Remove the hot water from your warm tea pot and add 2.25 g or one rounded teaspoon of tea leaves for each cup (5.5 oz) of water (or one heaping teaspoon per mug). We suggest placing the tea directly into the bottom of the pot or using a basket infuser.  If you use tea ball strainers, be sure to use one that is sufficiently large to give room for the tea leaves to expand.

4) Pour the freshly boiled water over the leaves in the tea pot.

5) Brew your tea for the required amount of time. The amount of time needed to brew your tea varies depending on the leaves.  The rule of thumb is that the smaller the leaf, the less time required for brewing.  Broken grades of tea leaves  usually need 3-4 minutes only to brew. Whole-leaf teas often need 4-5 minutes.  Herbal teas usually require more approx. 5-10 minutes.Use a timer if possible.  Timing your brew is important. It is a common mistake to brew the tea until it looks a particular color. The color of tea is a poor indicator of the tea's taste.

6) Remove the infuser or the tea ball when the brewing time has expired. If you brewed your  tea directly into the pot (without the use of a strainer),  pour the tea into the cups through a strainer to catch the leaves.  Depending on your taste preference, you may add  sugar, honey,  milk or lemon.  Some teas taste better plain especially with the green and white teas. Some Black or Red teas taste great with milk and sweeteners.   

Brewing teabags

Place the teabag in the cup. Pour fresh boiled water. Steep for 60 - 90 seconds. Pull the teabag out from the cup.

Storing your tea

Store your tea in a dry, cool place and away from any strong smelling items and direct light. Do not expose the tea in the open air for too long. Store your tea in a closed non-transparent container or package.

How do I prepare tea?

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