Tea 101 Chapter 2: The Art of Steeping

Start With Good Ingredients

Tea begins with the water — the element that brings tea to its full potential. Fresh water provides a blank canvas for tea, and yields a better cup. We recommend using filtered or spring water and replacing any water that has been sitting for too long; water is a sponge that absorbs flavors, even from the air around it.

Heat The Water

Fill your kettle with fresh, cold water and heat to a rolling boil — unless you're making green or white tea. In that case, stop just short of boiling to avoid "cooking" the delicate tea leaves.

Measure The Tea

This may seem obvious, but use premium tea. Use one teaspoon of full-leaf loose tea or herbs, or one tea bag per six-ounce cup of water. One six-ounce cup is the size of a traditional tea cup, or about half the size of most mugs.  If using full-leaf loose tea or herbs, place tea in an infuser or a teapot.

Time The Steeping

Different teas call for different infusing times. Experiment to find your ideal time, but take care — don't steep for too long or you'll find your tea has gone bitter. If you are after a stronger cup, the trick is more tea, not more steeping.

Tea	Water	Tea Bag	Full -Leaf
Black	boiling	3 — 5 min	3 — 5 min
Green	short of boiling	1 — 3 min	2 — 4 min
Oolong	boiling	3 — 5 min	5 — 7 min
White	short of boiling	30 — 60 sec	2 — 3 min
Red/Herb	boiling	5 — 7 min	5 — 7 min

Enjoy Your Tea

Remove the tea bag or infuser, or use a strainer for the leaves. Save oolong leaves for multiple infusions. Allow the steaming tea to cool for a moment. Sip by sip, enjoy the nuances, complexity and character of each flavor.