Making a Perfect Pot for Your Tea Gatherings

Where to begin:
To make a perfect pot of tea, start with one of your favorite loose teas. Then add cold water to your kettle and heat to the desired temperature (see below). Fill your teapot with hot tap water to warm it. Before pouring in the hot water, empty the hot tap water from the pre-warmed teapot. Next, add approximately two teaspoons of tea leaf per six-ounce cup to your infuser. Pour the water directly onto the leaves and steep the tea according to the directions below.

Steeping
For Black Tea and Herbals:
• bring your water to a full boil and remove from heat immediately (don’t over boil).
• allow tea to steep approximately 3–5 minutes and strain.

For Green Teas:
• Bring your water to a pre boil (approximately 180 degrees. 160 degrees for Sencha)
• When little bubbles start to form on the bottom of the kettle, remove from heat.
• allow tea to steep 1.5–3 minutes and strain.

For Oolong Teas:
• Bring your water to a pre boil.
• When little bubbles are coming to the surface
 (a bit hotter than you would need for green tea) remove from heat.
• Allow to steep 2–4 minutes and strain.

For White Teas:
• bring your water to a pre boil.
• When little bubbles start to form on the bottom, remove from heat.
• allow to steep 2–4 minutes and strain.

When using a tea ball, fill only half way to allow the leaves room to expand.

All of our teas come with specific instructions tailored for that exact tea.

As always, experiment! Find the right amount for you in terms of quantity of leaves, temperature of water, and time of steep. Have fun!

And remember: The good news is if you make a mistake and, say, over steep—just pour out your tea and reuse the leaves.

ALL of our teas are good for a minimum of a second steep and many are good for several. Each steep brings out a different flavor profile. In fact, some claim that it is the second and third steep of a fine tea that is the best.