2020/08/26 - Gaëlle
Use loose tea
If all you add to tea is water, always go for loose tea. This one will be much richer in flavor.
Look at the tea leaves to see how many tea leaves are whole. The highest quality loose teas are those where you can see whole tea leaves - unbroken or crushed.
As a general rule, loose tea is of better quality than tea bags, however it is important to choose it wisely! A tea bag is still a very good choice.
Feel free to use tea bags when making tea lattes or in recipes, they are more than enough.
Don't always use boiling water
Have you ever had really bitter green tea? Probably because it was infused with too hot water. Not all teas should be prepared with boiling water, especially green tea. For more information, read our article on water temperatures for different types of tea.
Water that is too hot can alter the taste of the tea, making it too bitter and strong. Take the time to always inquire about the temperature of your tea water.
Get a kettle with a temperature control
Speaking of water temperature, we highly recommend getting an electric kettle with temperature control so that the water is perfectly heated. This is the must have accessory for tea lovers!
Do not use a tea ball that is too small
As the loose tea brews in the hot water, the tea leaves begin to unroll.
To get the perfect flavor, the leaves need to have enough space to unroll. Do not put them in a tea ball or in a tea infuser that is too small. The bigger the brewer, the better - give your tea leaves some room to unwind.
Use filtered water
We say it over and over again, the best water makes the best tea. The quality of the water plays an important role in the taste of your tea. Use filtered water to make tea whenever possible.
Brew your iced tea in cold water for the best iced tea
We very recently wrote an article on this topic, the best iced tea is the one infused in cold water, read our article to know the secret!
Heat the teapot
Warming up the teapot is something every tea professional does before brewing tea.
Boil additional water, pour it into the teapot, and then throw it away.
This step, unknown to most of us, keeps the teapot warm so that there is not a big difference in the temperature of the water while the tea is brewing.
Cover the teapot while the water brews
Cover the teapot while the tea brews, this helps keep the temperature stable.
If you are brewing tea in a mug with an infuser, be sure to put something on top of the mug so that the water can stay piping hot while the tea brews