How to make a cup of tea how to make

How to Make the Perfect Cup of Tea

Is there a perfect way to drink tea? With hundreds of varieties of tea leaves and 3000 years of history, brewing the perfect cup of tea seems fraught with overwhelming possibilities and potential slip ups.

Fear not! Achieve a top notch brew with our expert tips for making the perfect cup of tea.

A cup of tea is part of many morning and daily rituals. It is estimated that the number of cups of tea drunk every day in Britain is 165 million!

Tea is an intricate part of our daily lives and no matter what you drink or when you drink it. We believe that everyone should have that perfect cup of tea every single day.

There are many theories and ideologies behind making the perfect tea and everyone has their own way, their favourite way, the way their mum taught them.

Here’s our perfect method to make that special cup of tea.

Essential Rules for Making the Perfect Cup of Tea

Preparing the perfect cup depends on a few simple factors.

1) Choose a Tea to Suit Your Mood

The best place to start is to find the right tea you’re in the mood for.

If you’re tired, a good cup of black tea could give you an energising boost. If you’re a bit full up from that yummy meal you have just eaten, a nice cup of peppermint is said to aid digestion. And if you’re quite awake but wanting to go to bed, a soothing cup of camomile could help you relax into that deep peaceful sleep.

Whatever your mood, there is a tea to suit.

2) Use Decent Tea, of Course!

Strong, fragrant, and full-bodied, whatever your cup of tea, we have a black tea to suit. Start your day with English Breakfast, add some zing with Lady Grey, and revive with a refreshing afternoon tea.

3) Choose Your Favourite Mug, Cup or Teapot

Once you’ve decided on the tea that matches your mood, you now need to choose the perfect cup to drink it out of.

I’m sure you have your favourite teacup; it’s your go to every time and you get that terrible feeling when it’s dirty in the dishwasher!

We personally believe that the teacup is one of the most vital ingredients to a perfect cup of tea. If you love the cup you’re drinking out of, it automatically makes the tea taste better.

Now you have chosen your cup it’s time to get that kettle boiling.

4) Always Use Freshly Drawn Cold Water

Always use freshly drawn (filtered if possible) cold water in the kettle. Tea loves oxygen as it helps the flavour develop.

Most of us are guilty of the following. looking at the kettle seeing there is some old, used water in there and re-boiling…

We say, try your hardest not to do this. If you keep re-boiling the water in the kettle it loses all of its oxygen and then you are left with a really flat cup of tea.

If you boil the kettle with fresh water you will be left with a full cup of oxygenated tea that tastes just divine.

5) Make Sure to Use a Clean Teapot or Mug

Nothing makes tea taste better than when you are sharing it with someone special. Our selection of teapots makes this so easy; we have a fantastic range that will suit all tastes.

6) Make Sure the Water Temperature Is Right

Once your kettle is boiled with fresh water you need to leave it for a few minutes to cool down.

Some of you may read this and think ‘but I love my tea piping hot?’ Leaving it for a few minutes will still produce a very hot cup of tea and will give you better results.

Our top tip is that you should never pour boiling water over a tea bag or loose tea. The reason for this is because the boiling water will burn the tea, it scalds it and therefore, the tea doesn’t release all of its maximum flavours.

Tea is a very delicate plant and needs to be cared for in order to receive the full benefits. So once your water has rested for about 2-3 minutes it’s ready to be poured onto your tea.

7) Stick to the Brewing Instructions

Now you have poured your water onto your tea you need to let it brew for the recommended time.

Our group of professional tea tasters have travelled the world finding and tasting every tea you could possibly image and you’ll find their recommendation for the perfect time to brew any blend on the box or pouch.

Obviously if you like your tea stronger or weaker that is a personal taste. However, the optimal brewing time will produce a beautiful, smooth cup that will leave you wanting more.

8) Separate Tea From Water Immediately Once Brewed

Now sit back, put those feet up and enjoy a little moment with your well-deserved perfectly brewed cup of tea.

The Perfect Way to Start Your Day

Strong English Breakfast 80 Tea Bags

English Breakfast 100 Tea Bags

Assam 80 Tea Bags

Everyday 100 Tea Bags

What’s the Difference?

The Chinese have experimented with tea processing methods for thousands of years. What makes the difference between your black, white, green, oolongs and Rooibos ad infinitum is quite simply the level of oxidation.

Brewing Time for Tea

The more oxidized your tea, the stronger it is. So for instance, a black tea is fully oxidized which means that it prefers near boiling water and a longer brewing time. The same goes for processed teas such as Oolong. So allow your freshly boiled water to cool for 1 minute, pour on and sit back and relax while the tea steeps for up to 3 minutes (according to taste).

Milder teas such as green, white and yellow teas are hardly oxidized at all – meaning they prefer milder temperatures and shorter brewing times. Simply put, this means after boiling let the water cool down for a few minutes to around 80 degrees, before pouring. Then let the tea steep for just a couple of minutes. Never again will your green tea be taste bitter!

We would say always use fresh filtered water – as old water that’s been sitting around in the kettle has less oxygen.

To brew or not to brew that is the question. To suffer the overstewed leaves to tell your fortune or take arms against a milk of troubles.

— As Shakespeare would have written

How Much Tea Per Cup?

The rule of thumb here is one tea bag per person. And honestly, it is just as easy for loose tea.

We would recommend 1 tea spoon (2g) or Twinings scoop of loose leaf tea per person.

If your choice is a milder white or green tea you can add in another spoonful per person for good measure.

We recommend warming your cup or pot by swirling a small amount of hot water in it before adding either the leaves or the tea bags.

Milk in First or Last?

This has long been a controversial topic. Do you put the milk in first? Or splash it in after the tea has steeped?

This comes down to personal choice, of course, but the milk-in-first approach refers to the early days of tea-drinking. Lower quality china would sometimes crack when the hot water was poured onto the tea leaves. Adding the milk first, resolved the issue. All modern day teaware is made to cope with boiling water which means it is no longer necessary to add the milk first.

When using tea bags, let the tea fully infuse the water first before adding your milk. On the other hand if you’re using loose leaf tea, the tea will already have brewed in the pot and so adding a dash of milk to your tea cup first won’t impact the infusion and “steeping time”.

Milk goes well with the stronger black teas – but we would suggest avoid adding it to green, herbal and fruit teas!

The Perfect Tea Drinking Temperature

To avoid burning your tongue: After the steeping / brewing time and adding or not adding the milk, let the tea cool down to a manageable temperature of around 60 degrees before drinking.

Best Time of Day to Drink Tea

Well, we are certainly not going to insist on this as it really does come down to personal preference! But for the new tea aficionados amongst you we would recommend:

How to Store Tea Bags and Leaves Properly

Whether you prefer loose leaf tea or tea bags, using an airtight container or tea caddy helps to keep your tea dry, fresh and also stops any strongly scented teas from passing their flavour onto more delicate varieties in your cupboard.

If you are using loose tea leaves instead of a teabag, make sure to use a good quality strainer. We recommend an open top strainer you place into the cup. This way the tea leaves have a lot of freedom to move around in the cup, if you use a small strainer ball the tea doesn’t have a lot of room to infuse.

Another a good tip for loose tea is, don’t use so much. Many people pack their strainers full because they feel that the more tea they have, the more intense the flavour will be. As we said, that is not the case; tea needs movement and freedom and even a pinch of loose tea will give you that fantastic flavour you deserve.

How to Make the Perfect Cup of Tea.

Introduction: How to Make the Perfect Cup of Tea.

These steps will show you how to make the perfect cup of tea, every time.

Step 1: Choose Your Brewing Vessel

Pick the vessel you would like to brew your tea in. Consider the number of people who will be drinking tea. If it is just you, a cup is fine, if it is for a group of people, use a pot with a strainer.

Step 2: Warm Your Teaware

Warm the cup or pot with hot water. Heating up the teaware helps resist cracking of glass or ceramic, and helps to keep the tea hotter longer.

Step 3: Disgard the Hot Water

Pour out the hot water used to warm the teaware.

Step 4: Get Your Tea Ready

Put your loose tea into the strainer, and place it into the cup. You should use about a tea spoon of tea per 8 oz of water.

Step 5: Get Your Water to Your Desired Temperature

Get the water to the desired temperature. Different teas need different water temperature to produce the best flavor. Usually, lighter teas need cooler water. Water that is too hot can burn the leaves and this will make the tea bitter. Here are the temperatures, in degrees Fahrenheit, that I recommend for different kinds of teas.

White tea: 165
Green tea: 170-175
Oolong tea: 185
Black tea: 195
herbal tea: 212

Step 6: Wash Your Tea Leaves

This step is optional, and is meant for higher quality, imported teas that have no added spices, fruit pieces, or flavorings. Pour the water over the leaves and let it sit for 30-40 seconds, then discard the water. This makes the leaves start to open up from how they were withered and shipped, and gets them ready to release the tannins and all their flavor.

tip: after washing the leaves and discarding the hot water, don’t cover the leaves completely. Covering the leaves can trap steam into the cup, and this steam can burn the leaves and make the tea bitter.

Step 7: Steep Your Tea

Pour the hot water over the leaves to fill the cup or pot. Steep the tea for the desired amount of time. Much like how different teas need different water temperatures, different teas need to be steeped for different amounts of time. Here are my recommendations.

White tea: 2 min
Green tea: 2 min
Oolong tea: 3 min
Black tea: 3 min
Herbal tea: 5-6 minutes.

Step 8: Remove the Strainer

Remove the strainer from the cup and set it in a saucer. Your tea is now ready.
If desired, add sugar and or cream!

Step 9: Re-steep Your Tea

This step is also optional, and more apt to higher quality teas that don’t have any added spices or fruit pieces. You can pour more hot water onto the tea to make additional servings. The higher quality the tea is, the more times you can re-steep the leaves.

Step 10: Exceptions to the Rules

Tip: There will always be exceptions to these times and water temperatures. For example, Silver Needle is a famous white tea that should be steeped for 4 minutes. If your tea seems too light, let it steep for a little while longer. You will learn what teas you like to steep for shorter or longer, or at higher or lower temperatures.

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How To Make The Perfect Cup of Tea

Art is subjective. So is making the perfect cup of Tea. Everyone seems to have an opinion. Everyone seems to like different things. Black Tea or Green Tea? Tea Bags or Loose Tea? Add milk, lemon, honey, sugar, or nothing at all? Ultimately, it all depends on personal preference.

There is an optimum temperature for some Tea types that does not work for others. There are brewing times that create a great taste in one cuppa that utterly ruin another. Is there truly a definitive answer to the question: How To Make The Perfect Cup of Tea? Put simply, no.

So why, then, have we made a blog about it? The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company have over 30 years experience with everyone’s favourite brew. Before then, four generations of the Smith family, who run our company, worked on the Tea plantations of Assam, India. The bottom line is we know what we’re talking about. We have some ideas of our own.

Different Tea Types

Seldom are two Teas the same. For this reason, you’ll find different brewing instructions for almost each and every one of them. Four main types come from the Camellia sinensis (Tea) plant: Black, Green, White and Oolong Tea. 78% of Tea drinkers choose Black, 20% Green, and the remaining 2% either White or Oolong. But this, of course, is barely scratching the surface.

Although not “Tea” in the conventional sense, there is a vast multitude of Herbal and Fruit infusions available today. Popular choices include Peppermint, Camomile, Hibiscus, Ginger, Turmeric, Nettle and Milk Thistle. This is to name but a few. There are thousands!

We stock over 1,000 Types of Tea, as well as 80 types of Coffee. For the rest of this article, we’re going to look at several of our most-loved beverages and how to make the perfect cup of Tea out of them. Let’s start with the most popular of them all: Black Tea.

How To Make Black Tea

Black Tea is the most oxidised type of so-called “real” Tea. During oxidation, oxygen particles interact with the cell walls of the Tea leaves. This turns them darker and darker until they’re either brown or, indeed, black (hence the name!).

Oxidation also alters the flavour profile of the Tea. It often creates a distinct maltiness, sometimes with added smoky and fruity notes depending on the Black Tea variety. Lapsang Souchong, a smoked Tea, was the first Black Tea created hundreds of years ago. Now, there are many choices. This includes Assam, Darjeeling, Kenya and Ceylon Black Tea.

However, things can get complicated when brewing this type of Tea. Nowadays, after all, most choose to drink it with either milk, sugar, honey or lemon. In 1946, the English writer George Orwell wrote an article called “A Nice Cup of Tea”. In it, he argued the case for adding milk only (and adding it after the Tea, we hasten to add!). We shall follow his lead in these instructions:

Sit back, relax, enjoy.

How To Make Green Tea

Green Tea is the second least oxidised type to come from the Camellia sinensis plant. This lack of oxidation ensures that it maintains much of its natural chemical structure and taste. When brewed, Green Tea often has a grassy flavour but may also have floral, vegetal, herbaceous or seaweed notes.

According to legend, an ancient Chinese Emperor named Shennong discovered it in 2737 BCE. The story goes that he came to rest underneath an unknown tree with a cup of boiling water by his side. He eventually fell asleep in the midday sun, only to wake and find leaves from the tree above infusing in his drink. Shennong, an avid herbalist, decided to try it. It was Green Tea!

This beverage has become increasingly popular in recent years in part thanks to Green Tea Benefits. Scientific research suggests that it might help in the fight against several chronic conditions. It could also, according to some studies, promote weight loss and improve brain function. What more could you want from your morning cuppa? This is how to make Green Tea:

How To Make Ice Tea

Ice Tea, or Iced Tea, is almost exactly as it sounds: Tea served chilled. It has existed for hundreds of years, but first became famous at the 1904 World’s Fair held in St. Louis, USA. An American Tea plantation owner named Richard Blechynden decided to pour ice over his Tea samples to entice more customers. On what was one of the hottest days of the year, it of course worked.

Nowadays, countries and regions around the world have different Iced Tea traditions. In South America, for example, many people drink Iced Yerba Mate. In China, the most common choice is Iced Green Tea. For the following instructions on how to make the perfect cup of tea when making an iced tea, we’re going to use our Bora Bora Iced Fruit Tea. Some of its ingredients include Hibiscus flowers, Papaya Cubes, Apple Pieces and Strawberry Pieces:

Sit back, relax, enjoy.

How To Make Ginger Tea

We’ve already established that “how to make a cup of Tea” isn’t an easily answered question. It can get even more confusing, however, when it comes to Herbal Tea. Depending on which herb you choose, the instructions might either be very simple or very complicated!

Ginger Tea is one of the easier choices. This much-loved spice, known botanically as Zingiber officinale, is a member of the Zingiberaceae family. When brewed, it has bold peppery notes with zesty overtones. There is nothing quite like it in terms of taste and, indeed, Ginger Tea Health Benefits.

Confucius (551-479 BCE), the renowned Chinese philosopher and teacher, was one of the first people to recognise its medicinal potential. Most notably, he discovered its ability to improve digestion. Modern studies suggest that it can also boost the immune system and help with sore throats. But how do you make the perfect cup of Ginger Tea?

Sit back, relax, enjoy.

How To Make the Best Cup of Turmeric Tea

Turmeric Tea comes from the rhizomatous, herbaceous, perennial plant of the same name. This plant, botanically known as Curcuma longa, belongs to the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It originates from Southeast Asia, though has since spread as far as Queensland in Australia, Fiji and Hawaii. Its largest producer, however, is India.

India is where the history of Turmeric Tea began some 4,000 years ago. It later became an ingredient used in Indian Ayurvedic Medicine, which recommended the herb for a multitude of ailments. Milk boiled with turmeric, for example, became a common cold and flu remedy. This is to name but one of many Health Benefits of Turmeric Tea. This is how to make it:

Sit back, relax, enjoy.

How To Make a Cup of Mint Tea

“How to make Mint Tea” is one of the most common queries we receive. Our reply is “what kind?” We stock many including Peppermint Tea and Spearmint Tea. Although both have similar brewing instructions, the Tea tasting notes are significantly different depending on which one you choose.

Confused? Why not read our blogs, Peppermint Tea Benefits and Spearmint Tea Benefits, to find out more information? Alternatively, you could check out our Mint Tea Benefits article for a brief overview of each one.

Sit back, relax, enjoy.

How To Make Nettle Tea

When it comes to how to make Nettle Tea, things can sometimes get a little more complicated. The results, however, are well worth the occasional hassle. Indeed, Nettle Tea is a surprisingly delicious and health beneficial Herbal Tea. Though cursed by hikers, gardeners and children alike, the perennial, flowering Urtica dioica plant has earned its place in the world.

It belongs to the Urticeae family, of which there are three primary genera. Most famously, it can give a nasty sting (hence the name “stinging” nettle!) when brushed up against. According to Cree folklore, the plant developed its sting when the indigenous peoples of America refused to acknowledge Nettle Tea benefits.

Now, we know the science behind it. Nettles have hollow hairs, stiffened by silica, attached to a swollen base that contains three chemicals. These are histamine, which irritates the skin; acetylcholine, which causes a burning sensation; and serotonin, which enables the two other chemicals to react.

CAUTION: The chemicals in fresh nettles hurt! For this reason, The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company strongly advise you choose our safely prepared Nettle Herbal Tea for the how to make the perfect cup of tea.

Choose between harvesting nettles or buying our Nettle Tea. If you pick your own nettles, be sure to wear suitable clothes and gloves.

Sit back, relax, enjoy.

How To Make Matcha Tea

Let’s return to the world of ‘official’ Tea, specifically Matcha. This is Tea in powdered form. The type can vary, although most associate it with Green Tea. The Tea plant used in its making is for two weeks shade-grown before harvesting. This allows the leaves to produce larger quantities of amino acids and chlorophyll, two particularly beneficial antioxidants.

Because of the unique processing of Matcha, it reportedly contains 137 times more antioxidants than ‘standard’ Green Tea. This enables it to combat free radicals in the body, the product of natural, though harmful, human oxidation. Most, however, drink this beverage because, put simply, it tastes great. When brewed, it has a rich, astringent flavour with refined grassy notes.

It’s important to note, however, that Matcha requires a few utensils to make it perfectly. A Bamboo Matcha Tea Spoon measures out the exact amount of Tea needed, while a Matcha Tea Whisk helps to create the right consistency. Both of these items are available here at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company. This is how to make the perfect cup of tea:

NOTE: For more information, please check out our Matcha Blogs: “How To Make Matcha Tea”, “Matcha Tea Benefits” and “Green Tea vs Matcha Tea”.

Sit back, relax, enjoy.

How To Make a Great Chai Tea

Chai Tea is a Flavoured Black Tea from India. It contains a variety of herbs and spices, with its most common ingredients including Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Peppercorn and Star Anise. There is not, however, one answer when it comes to how to make Chai Tea. This is because recipes differ from region to region, village to village and even household to household.

Chai Tea benefits the mind, body and soul in a plethora of ways. Depending on the ingredients, it can treat several ailments. Cinnamon, for example, can support the immune system. Cloves and black pepper, on the other hand, can help with digestion. If the recipe contains Cardamom, it might even boost the metabolism of fat cells. This enables the body to burn fat quicker and more efficiently.

We stock many Chai Tea beverages online and in store. Popular choices include Bombay Chai Tea, Spicy Turmeric Chai Tea and Night of the Iguana Belgian Chocolate Chai. It’s worth noting, however, that homemade Chai is easier to make than many believe. Below is one of our favourite Authentic Masala Chai recipes. This is how to make the perfect cup of tea:

Sit back, relax, enjoy all of those lovely spices.

Conclusion

We now know that how to make Tea differs significantly depending on several factors. Before you start, it’s vital that you know what type you’d like. Choices include Loose Tea, Herbal Tea or Fruit Tisanes. Within these categories are many more options.

What Teaware you use also has an influence on your beverage. Be sure to use only the best, much of which you can buy with us. And then there is water. It’s vital that you have water at the correct temperature to ensure great taste.

Additions such as milk, sugar, honey and lemon should be of the best possible quality, too. At what stage you add them to the brew is also worth considering. There are, of course, other aspects to think about. Hopefully, though, you now know how to make the perfect cup of Tea.

If you would like to know more about recommended brewing instructions, we have a dedicated page on our website called Tea Brewing Guide, here you will see more information about the many different tea types.

How to Prepare a Proper Cup of Tea

Introduction: How to Prepare a Proper Cup of Tea

Tea is a beverage that many people drink casually everyday, but in many cultures tea making is considered an art form. In this instructions you will not only learn about the various types of tea, but the proper ways to prepare and serve them. Preparing tea is a fairly easy task and does not require any previous knowledge; all aspects of proper tea preparation will be demonstrated in the instructions. Depending on how many people you’re serving and the type of tea you choose, the preparation of the various teas should take about ten to twenty minutes.

Step 1: Materials Needed

Materials Needed
In order to properly prepare your cup of tea, you will need the following materials:
-One tea kettle, either one electric or stovetop. If need be, you can even use a normal stove cooking pot, although this will not produce optimal flavor for the tea.
-Loose leaf tea in your preferred flavor, choices include black, green, herbal, or white tea.
— A tea pot
— Tea cups
— Access to water
— Sweeteners such as honey and sugar
-Lemon (optional)
— Milk (optional)

Step 2: Safety Cautions

Warnings
— Tea will be very hot, so be careful not to spill the hot water and burn yourself.
— Do not microwave water for tea. The flavor of the tea will be ruined.
— Many of teas including green, black, and oolong all contain considerable amounts of caffeine.
— Be careful when using electric tea kettle or the stove top, as both can cause fire hazards.
-Tea can be very hot so it unadvised that children under the age of 13 make tea.
— If you you suffer burns from tea preparation, get medical attention immediately.

Step 3: Basics of Tea Making

Basics of Tea Making
Tea is ultimately a beverage made up of a plant called Camellia Sinesis. Various types of tea are produced from this plant using a different picking and processing methods, to produce white, green, or black tea. Herbal and oolong are the exception to this as herbal uses herbs and spices instead of Camellia Sinesis and oolong uses oolong tea leaves.

Step 4: Selecting Your Tea

Determining what kind of tea you want is a personal preference based on taste, caffeine amount and health benefits. Below are descriptions of the four main tea options you can choose from.
Green Tea
Green tea is the most commonly drunk tea in Eastern Asia and is renowned for its health benefits. There are countless varieties of green tea, including Gunpowder, Dragonwell, Sencha, Kukicha, and Snowy Mountain Jian, but the type you want is personal preference. Also note that green tea contains about 24-40 mg of caffeine per 8 ounces.

Black Tea
Black tea is a popular choice in Europe and South Asia. It is a rich, strong tea that is the most caffeinated, containing up to 60 mg of caffeine per eight ounces. Like the green tea, it comes in many varieties such as Ceylon, Earl Grey, Assam, and Keemun. Like the green tea, it is simply a personal preference of which variety you like best.

White Tea
White tea is a milder, sweeter type of tea produced from the Camellia Sinensis plant from the Fujian area in China, and is unique due to the fact that the leaves can only be picked three days of the year in spring. It is the least processed tea and is considered one of the healthiest. It has less caffeine than most teas but is also the most expensive.

Herbal Tea
Unlike the other teas, herbal tea does not use the leave of the Camellia plant but instead relies on flowers, herbs, and fruits for its flavor. It is non-caffeinated and often used as a calming drink.

Step 5: Warming the Tea Pot

Warming the tea pot is an important part of tea preparation that is often forgotten. However, warming it allows the tea to maintain its heat for longer and bring out more flavor. To warm the tea pot, fill it with hot water, swirl the hot water around the tea pot, and then pour out the water.

Step 6: Choosing the Right Cup

The two types of teapot typically used when serving tea are china and ceramic. It is purely a personal decision. Ceramic preserves the tea’s heat for longer while china maintains the flavor.

Step 7: Boiling Water

Add one cup of water to your tea pot per people you’re serving. Use clean, filtered water as added minerals can alter taste of tea. The water should be fully boiling before adding to teapot, as water that is not properly heated will not infuse tea leaves.

Step 8: Adding the Tea Leaves

The tea leaves should be fresh and loose leaf, as they provide the most amount of flavor. Add one teaspoon of tea leaves per person, plus one teaspoon for the pot.

Step 9: Brewing the Tea

Add your boiling water to your teapot and put on lid. The amount of time needed to brew tea varies depending on the type of tea you’re preparing. Black tea should be brewed for 2-3 minutes, white tea for 4-5 minutes, green tea for 1 minute, and herbal tea for 5-6 minutes. This can also be altered depending on your taste preference. If you want your tea strong, brew it for longer or if you want your tea weak brew it for a shorter amount of time.

Step 10: Sweetening the Tea (Optional)

Many people enjoy adding milk, sugar, or lemon to their tea. This is purely optional step, as whether you want to flavor your tea depends on your personal preferences. At this point the tea should be poured into the teacups so each person can customize what they want added in their tea. For black tea, milk, sugar and lemon are often desired. Green tea is traditionally prepared without milk, lemon or sugar, as they can ruin the flavor.

Step 11: Finished

Congratulations, you have just learned how to properly brew tea! The guide below illustrates a simple reference for preparing all the types of teas. Enjoy your cup of properly brewed tea!

How to make a perfect cup of Ceylon Tea?

The special thing about Ceylon tea is that it is grown at a high altitude of Sri Lanka’s central highlands. These highlands have the perfect conditions for growing good quality. They are characterised by high humidity, low temperatures and abundant rainfall. It’s because of these conditions that Ceylon black tea has a citrusy aroma. It also has a lively and refreshing texture. The taste of Ceylon tea has sweet juicy notes with a tinge of flavour similar to a grapefruit or citrus fruit.

To enjoy a good brew of Ceylon Tea, it is important that it is made well. Different qualities of Ceylon Tea are brewed differently, and every brew has its own special characteristics.

Storing your Ceylon tea perfectly

The first step to creating a perfect blend is to make sure that your Ceylon tea is always stored in the perfect environment. Just like wines are stored in climate controlled environments and cigars in humid places, tea is no different and requires its own way of special storage. Since tea is hygroscopic it absorbs moisture, odours as well as fragrance.

Hence, Ceylon tea must always be protected in an airtight container, and kept away from moisture, heat, light and odours. If stored in a cool and dry place, it should never be warmer than 30 degrees centigrade in that area.

Some people also tend to stock their tea in an airtight foil pouch or ceramic container in the refrigerator, for medium or long term storage.

Not many people are aware about how storing the tea well yeilds a good taste.

Using good quality of water

Since, a cup of tea is 99% water, good water is as important for a good brew as the tea itself. But how is it that a certain quality of water is better?

It is a fact that water that we get at our homes usually contains minerals like calcium or magnesium. This makes the water hard. In certain cases, water also contains high amount of chlorine. When water of such a quality is used to prepare Ceylon tea, the outcome is not so good.

Even water that has been boiled multiple times does not result in good quality of tea brew. Water that has been boiled multiple times contains loses the natural dissolved gases and increase the concentration of nitrates, fluoride and other undesirable elements, and for tea that is especially bad.

There is a reason why water quality affects tea so much. This is because tea is very delicate and any any flavour from other constituents used in tea brew affect its fragrance, brightness, strength, flavour, body and texture. Even a badly washed utensil can spoil the tea brew like bad water.

Filtered water is best in case natural water supplied to your home contains a lot of minerals and chemicals. Two brews made from two different qualities of water can look and taste very different.

Brewing the perfect cup of Ceylon Tea

Brewing is process through which we extract the goodness nature of the leaves of Ceylon black, oolong, green or white tea leaves.

It is very necessary to use the right amount of tea for the volume of tea that one wishes to brew. As this impacts the overall taste. While there are a lot of ways to brew Ceylon tea with varying sizes of teapot, the ratio of tea to water that is most widely and conventionally used is this. 2.5g of tea is used per 220ml of water. It’s important to use a clean and dry teaspoon so that the stored tea leaves don’t get spoiled. The teapot is preheated and cups are made ready by swirling around some hot water in them and pouring it out before brewing. The once the water is boiled, tea leaves are poured into it using the convention of 220ml per 2.5g of tea.

Sometimes, we might make a mistake in estimating the perfect quantity of tea. It might be probable that we could have poured too much water or too many tea leaves. To avoid this, it’s best to follow the conventions

Brewing Ceylon Tea at the right temperature

The water temperature depends on the type of Ceylon tea — green, black and white.

Since Ceylon green tea is softer and gentler than black tea, it should be brewed in water that is cooled to around 75 degrees. Ceylon Oolong tea should be brewed in water that is around 85 degrees and black tea in water with temperature of 90–95 degrees. Light and floral high grown black teas can also be brewed at lower temperatures such as 85 degrees.

Stirring to aid the preparation of the perfect brew

Tea leaves tend to settle down and this prevents them from being properly absorbed in the water. Stirring will agitate the tea leaves and allow proper extraction. For example, for Black tea, it’s a good idea to brew for about 3 minutes, stirring on adding water, again a minute later and finally before serving. Too avoid over-brewing, ensure that it’s not brewed for period longer than that.

Adding enhancements to Ceylon Tea

In some special preparations, you might be tempted to add enhancements. Milk is one of the most popular enhancements to Ceylon tea. Milk should only be added to a strong brewed black tea. And the milk added should always be warm as cold water will just bring down the temperature of the brew. Usually, white sugar is added to tea rather than brown sugar as it yields a better taste. Other enhancements that can be added to Ceylon tea are honey, mint leaves, cinnamon, wedge of lime, cardamom and ginger.

Conclusion

Ceylon tea are one of the best qualities of tea out there and brewing it is an art of its own. The bottomline is to respect the tea. Since each tea has its own flavour, strength, texture, fragrance linked to its terroir. With practice, it becomes possible to create that perfect Ceylon Tea brew every single time.

Where can I buy Ceylon Tea?

A wide range of Pure Ceylon teas are available at teakruthi. At teakruthi, you can find black, white as well as green tea from various famous districts of Sri Lanka.