With the rise of healthy living, more and more people are turning to tea as their drink of choice. Tea isn’t just a beverage — it brings relaxation, refreshment, and nourishment to the body and mind. Whether it's a warm cup of green tea in the morning or a fruity infusion in the afternoon, tea has become an essential part of daily life for many. However, with so many options on the market, it can be tricky to choose the right tea that’s both healthy and full of flavour. Here are 3 key things to look out for when selecting your tea:
1. Choose the Right Tea and Water
Each type of tea requires different water temperatures for the best flavour extraction. Here's a guide to get it just right:
- Black Tea: Use freshly boiled water (around 100°C).
- Green Tea: Water should be around 70-80°C to avoid bitterness.
- White Tea: Use water at 85°C to maintain its delicate flavour.
- Oolong Tea: Ideal water temperature is between 85-90°C.
- Herbal Tea: Boil the water to 100°C for most herbal teas.
2. Measure the Tea
Now that you’ve chosen the right tea and water temperature, it’s time to measure the tea. The right ratio ensures a well-balanced cup of tea. Here's how much tea to use per litre of water:
- Black Tea: 5 grams (about 1 heaping teaspoon) / 500ml of water.
- Green Tea: 3-4 grams (about 1 teaspoon) / 500ml of water.
- White Tea: 4-5 grams (about 1-1.5 teaspoons) /500ml of water.
- Oolong Tea: 4-5 grams (about 1 teaspoon) /500ml of water.
- Herbal Tea: 5-6 grams (about 1.5 teaspoons) /500ml of water.
By following the right tea-to-water ratio, you ensure your tea is neither too strong nor too weak, creating the perfect brew every time.
3. Steep and Enjoy
Now that you've measured the tea and added the right water, it’s time to steep your tea to bring out its full flavour. Here’s a guide to steeping times for each type of tea:
- Black Tea: Steep for 3-5 minutes. This allows the tea to develop its robust flavour without becoming too bitter.
- Green Tea: Steep for 2-3 minutes. Green tea is delicate, and over-brewing can result in bitterness.
- White Tea: Steep for 4-5 minutes. White tea is subtle, so it needs slightly more time to fully infuse.
- Oolong Tea: Steep for 3-4 minutes. Oolong teas are partially fermented, so they benefit from a longer steep than green tea but less than black tea.
- Herbal Tea: Steep for 5-7 minutes. Herbal teas tend to require a longer steeping time to extract the full flavour.
Once brewed, remove the tea leaves or tea bag, and enjoy your perfect cup of tea! Feel free to adjust the steeping time based on your personal taste — a longer steep will result in a stronger flavour, while a shorter one will give a more delicate taste.
Tea Tips and Advice from Toss & Brew
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Rinse Your Tea Leaves Before Brewing
We recommend rinsing your tea leaves with hot water before steeping. This quick wash helps release the full aroma of the tea and removes any dust or residue. In fact, this step is called "xicha" in Chinese tea culture, where people will enjoy the leaves after the rinse to check the fragrance. At Toss & Brew, we select 100% organic tea and conduct secondary pesticide residue testing. However, we still suggest you try this step to experience the tea's full aroma before brewing. -
Enjoy the Full Range of Flavours from Loose Leaf Tea
Toss & Brew’s loose leaf teas are sourced from premium tea gardens around the world. After the first steeping, our teas still produce a rich, flavourful brew, with a smoother, more mellow taste. If you want to experience the most natural flavours of the tea, we recommend enjoying it without adding any other flavours. Trust us, you won’t regret it.
