Does anybody really need to be taught how to brew tea? It's the simplest thing in the world—isn't it?
Yes and no. You can definitely microwave a mug of water, drop a bag of tea into it, and get on with your day. But when you learn how to brew tea the right way, you can avoid ending up with weak mugs of hot, brownish water, and drink robust pots of something aromatic and invigorating instead.
So if you ever plan to put that pot of coffee down, take a minute to skim through our guide on how to brew tea the right way. It may seem fussy at first, but all it takes is one run-through before you'll be brewing tea—quickly, perfectly—like a pro.
1. Choose and Measure Out Your Tea
There are thousands of tea varieties, but they can all more or less be put into one of five categories: white, green, oolong, black or dark (pu-erh from China’s Yunnan Province being the dominant dark). The big difference between them is the degree to which the tea leaves are oxidized during processing. Generally, the more that’s done to the leaves, the darker the tea.
What's that? You're looking for chamomile and rooibos? Those aren't technically teas—they're herbal infusions or tisanes. But they're brewed the same way tea is, so keep reading.
Once you've chosen your tea, measure it out. The perfect tea-to-water ratio is personal—some people prefer stronger teas, some prefer them light—so you're going to want to experiment. But a good starting point is one teaspoon of loose tea per cup of water. (Using this ration, a teapot that holds four cups of water will require four teaspoons of tea.)
Using tea bags? Most bags hold about 1 teaspoon of tea. Use one for a single serving of tea, a few if you're making a pot.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle
2. Heat Your Water
Getting your water to the correct temp is crucial—if the water is too hot, it will burn the tea. Too cool, and the tea will barely steep.
