Never allow your tea to over infuse.
Use loose leaf tea whenever possible.
It's best to use fresh tap or bottled water (not distilled water).
Use a tea strainer or an infuser basket.
Purchase a beverage thermometer to be sure that you are infusing your teas at the appropriate temperature.
For the more advanced tea enthusiast, you may wish to buy a small gram scale to weigh your loose tea.
To make amazing iced tea, brew your tea at double strength then pour over ice. Any tea will work.
Tea's the wine of the soul. So why not brew a cup today? Then sit down with a good book. Relax and enjoy!

Tea Tips & Brewing Recommendations

The best tea is as good as the water in which it is prepared. We do not recommend the use of distilled water, which would cause a flat tasting infusion. It is best to use fresh water; it contains more oxygen which tends to enhance the taste of the tea.

Water Quality

The best tea is as good as the water in which it is prepared Soft water or purified water is best. Hard water may leave a film of oil floating in the pot or cup due to the interaction between the flavanoids in tea and calcium hydroxide in the water. Do not use hard water; it is unsuitable for tea. Ice tea made with hard water tends to cloud upon cooling. Be sure not to use hot tap water or water that has already boiled for a long period of time that will give the tea a flat and dull taste with no aroma.
Be Sure to Select the Right Water Temperature: The cardinal rule in making black tea is to use boiling water (212 F), not just hot water. For Green tea, after boiling the water let the kettle cool for 2 minutes.
Black, Dark Oolong & Herbals: These types of teas are best prepared with water that just comes near the boiling point. Be careful not to let the water boil too long for this will reduce the oxygen content in the water and the tea will taste flat.
Green, White & Green Oolong: These types should not be prepared with boiling water (212F) it will cook the leaves and destroy the flavor of the tea. Green teas tend to taste best with water at 170-185F. So, the finer the green tea, the lower the temperature of the water should be. To brew green tea, bring the water to a boil, let it cool for two to three minutes and pour over the tea leaves.

Brewing The Tea

brewring the tea Fill the pot with boiling water and replace lid. Set timer as recommended for that particular tea. Allow the tea leaves to unfurl by stirring the contents permitting free movement of the leaves. Leaves will absorb water and swell, sometimes as much as 10 times its original volume. After the brewing period is over, stir the pot one last time and pour into cups through a fine tea strainer. If tea leaves remain in the pot, the tea would get stronger than desirable and may even get bitter. Therefore, the leaves should be strained out immediately after the brewing time ends. Other options are infuser baskets, tea presses and tea filters. Whatever method is used, remember the tea leaves must have enough space to expand. If brewing in a cup or mug, use an infuser basket or a filter.
The amount of tea to be used varies from tea to tea because they have varying densities. Ideally, 1-3 grams of dry leaves are used for every 6 ounces of water. Since weighing in gram is not feasible - you may not have a gram weigh scale, we would recommend starting with one rounded teaspoon of dry leaves for each 6 oz cup. Tea varies widely in weights therefore it is important to adjust the amount of dry leaves you use accordingly. With light tea, such as wiry oolongs and whites, use 2 teaspoons per 6 oz cup. Green teas, with a few exceptions, tend to taste bitter when made strong.
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