An early Monday morning. You are just about to brew your favorite cup of loose tea. With every sip you begin to wonder – can it get any better? What if there is a more filled taste bouquet possible besides what I experience now?
There could be if you master the way you brew it! We say about 60% of the taste of your morning tea is affected by how you brew it. In fact, there are various aspects that can affect the taste, like, the quality of water, the temperature of it, the material of tea ware and many more.
Well, there’s good news: brewing loose tea doesn’t have to be all that boring and casual. With a few of the right principles applied to your brewing method you can significantly improve the taste of tea as well as to have more enjoyable experience – all without fancy tools.
Further we’ll walk through the principles and practical steps on brewing loose tea. When we’re done you’ll know exactly how to brew a perfect cup of loose tea that enhances the rich taste of precious tea leaves. Ready? Let’s get started.
7 steps to brew a perfect cup of loose tea
1. Preparation
It is better to have everything nearby before starting the brewing process. Make sure you have a tea pot (if your friends are joining you) or a tea cup. It is useful if you have a tea strainer available but it is not mandatory.
2. Choose the tea
Plūkt has created a range of teas suitable for most moments and moods. So, in what mood are you? What kind of taste are you craving for? It is important to answer these questions – just like it is with food, your tea will taste better if it match your current mood and feelings. Also, what is the purpose of your tea time? To get peaceful, have a time for yourself or to boost energy? For example, if you have just finished evening yoga session you might want to relax – choose White Night tea, Peppermint tea or Linden tea. But if on the afternoon of a busy day you want to keep your energy going, Nordic Black tea, Fireweed tea or Wild strawberry leaf tea will be just in time.
3. Calculate servings and the size of each portion
Finding the right fit of intensity of the tea takes a little bit of practice and time. Some people love really intense tastes, while others find light ones more enjoyable. Which one are you? On average, it takes 1.5 tsp of loose tea for 1 serving (200-250 ml cup). If you’re preparing tea in a tea pot, calculate how many servings (each 200-250 ml) will be needed. Then multiple 1.5 tsp with the number of servings. This is a starting point but if you feel like the taste is too intense or too light for you, slightly change the amount depending on your needs.
4. Prepare the water
It is recommended to choose filtered water so that the taste of your tea would not be mixed with unnecessary ones. The better the quality of water, the richer the taste of tea. Heat the water up to 90°C (194°F) which is nearly boiling temperature. It is important to not to boil it – as it is known, water contains one of the most important minerals and goodies, and we want to have them also in our tea.
NOTE: However, if you are not sure about the quality and the source of the water available to you, it should be boiled.
5. Warming up the tea ware
Just like it is with water, the tea ware – tea pots and cups – can affect the taste of your beverage depending on the material they are made of. Also, an unheated tea ware can draw the warmth from your tea. Warming the teapot before adding the tea is a brilliant method for keeping the tea warm longer Therefore, pour hot water in the tea pot and tea cups so much that it covers the bottom. Swirl the water around the tea pot and tea cups to make sure that all surfaces have been warmed. Pour the water out just before you intend to pour in the tea.
6. Brewing tea
Either you use tea pot, tea cups with or without strainer, now it is time to pour in the tea according to your serving calculation. Then, add the previously prepared hot water and let it brew for 5-7 minutes.
7. Adding sweeteners?
If you prefer additional sweeteners (sugars, honey etc.) to your beverage, add them only when you have finished the actual brewing process of tea, so, 5-7 minutes after you have added the hot water.
NOTE: at this point you can remove the strainer and the tea leaves or flowers from your beverage, if you prefer.
Last, but certainly not least, you want to enjoy your masterpiece slowly. This way you will see that brewing a cup of loose tea is an enjoyable experience.
Now you’re ready to amaze your guests by showing off your tea brewing skill on your next tea party! Choose from a selection of Nordic teas here.
Got excited and want to explore more? Join us for a tea masterclass here!