How to Make Loose Leaf Tea

Brewing loose leaf tea is easy once you know how, so let’s get this par-tea started. To make the perfect cup:

1. Choose your leaves  
2. Decide on the right tea-to-water ratio for the perfect strength
3. Boil the water and add leaves
4. Let it brew its thing  
5. Add milk or sugar (if you like your tea sweet)  
6. Empty the leaves and rinse out your pot or strainer

Once you’ve opened your packet of loose leaf, keep the leaves in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place, so you seal in all that freshness and flavour!

So now you’re an expert at how to brew tea, let’s take a look at how long to brew it.

How long you should brew loose leaf tea depends on the type of tea and how much you choose to use.

For example:

• 1 scoop of black tea requires around 3-5 minutes of brew time at around 95-98°C
• 1½ teaspoons of white tea will require the same amount of brew time, but at 70-75°C
• 1 teaspoon of green tea needs around 1-3 minutes of brew time at 80-85°C
• 1 teaspoon of oolong needs 2-4 minutes of brewing at 80-95°C

When figuring out how to prepare loose tea, try not to steep for too long as it might cause it to taste bitter. Not using enough leaves or pouring too soon can result in a weaker cup (which is fine, if that’s how you like it).

As a general rule of thumb, you'll want to use one teaspoon of loose leaf tea per cup, though this may vary according to tea type, the tea-to-water ratio and your own preferences.

Or, use a Tea Scoop to get the perfect portion of tea leaves every time!

So what is a tea infuser and how does it differ from a tea strainer?

Both are tea-rrific at preventing loose leaves from escaping into your tea. But while water is poured straight onto a tea strainer and designed to catch the tea leaves, a tea infuser fully immerses them in the water, releasing fragrance and flavour. Our infuser also comes with a mesh filter to keep your tea sediment-free. With it, you won’t need to learn how to use a tea strainer!