Brewing tea correctly will get you the perfect cup of tea!

Brewing tea is an art on its own. If you don't brew your tea somewhat correctly, you're going to end up with a mediocre or awful tea. And if you brew it right, your taste buds will be overjoyed and your mind will be able to sit back and relax for a few minutes!

Also, when brewing tea, you need to have the proper accessories.

First, let's clear up a possible confusion.

Tea decoction -- is when the tea is made from bark, roots, seeds, twigs, and berries. Let the seeds, roots, twigs, etc., sit in cool water for 5-10 minutes. Then, bring the water to a slow boil and then turn it down to a simmer for 10-30 minutes. (The time will depend on how strong you like your tea to be.) Strain and drink. This tea will keep for 72 hours if it is kept refrigerated.

How much tea should I use to make one cup of tea?

In general, one teaspoon of tea is recommended for each cup of water. But if you are brewing herbs or tisanes, you may want to use a heaping teaspoon of herb per cup.

With larger teapots, the English rule is: 1 teaspoon per 6 ounce cup of water and one teaspoon for the teapot.

Is it necessary for me to preheat my teapot before brewing tea?

It's not absolutely necessary.

Preheating your teapot by rinsing it out with boiling water before brewing tea reduces the loss of heat during steeping. You see, when you don't preheat your teapot, you are running the risk of having the heat of the water transfer to the teapot too quickly and your tea won't be able to infuse properly.

Let's not forget that if you pour boiling water in your teapot prior to use, it will also kill any unwanted bacteria.

Warning: This does not apply to porcelain or fine China teapot or tea cups, as if they become too hot, there is a chance that they could break because of the heat.

2nd Warning: Never, never, never wash your teapot with soap. Not only does it leave the possibility of soap residue left over, but it could affect the taste of your tea and soapy tea has never and will never taste good!

Preheating your teapot keeps the tea hot for a longer period of time. If you are running the risk of having late guests or you want your teapot to stay warm throughout the leisure conversation you are having with friends, preheating your teapot is a must!

All right now... onto how to brew your perfect cup of tea.

Instructions for properly brewing tea:

1. Start with cold water, which retains more oxygen for a fuller flavor. If your tap water is hard, use filtered or bottled water.

2. Preheat your teapot.

3. Measure into your teapot 1 teaspoon of loose tea for every cup you plan to pour. Some tea drinkers, especially those who take milk with their tea, add an extra tablespoon of tea leaves to the teapot. If you are using a mesh tea ball, don't fill it more than halfway. Otherwise, the tea leaves will not be able to fully expand.

4. Before steeping, pour a small amount of the hot water over the tea leaves. This will allow them to bloom, or open up and release some of their bitter tannins.

5. Fill the pot with the boiling water. Keep the spout of the kettle close to the teapot. That way, the water does not cool as you pour it into the teapot.

Tip: If you have a dripping problem with your teapot. Use a drip catcher!

6. When the tea is ready, pour and serve all the tea. Avoid keeping leaves in contact with the hot water. Overbrewed tea can taste bitter.

7. If you remove the tea leaves from the teapot and wish to keep the tea warm for several more cups, either switch the tea to an insulated pot or cover your regular teapot with a tea cozy.

Do not apply additional heat to keep the tea warm. Doing this will quickly degrade its flavor.

8. Don't forget to enjoy your tea!

Tips for when brewing tea:

For black teas, bring the water to a full boil. Remove the tea kettle from the heat as soon as the water begins to boil. Otherwise, you'll be boiling all of the oxygen out of the water. This will flatten the tea's flavor.

When brewing tea, it's important to remember that not all teas can be placed in the same hot water for the same infusion time. Here's a little help.

Black tea: 212 Fahrenheit, 3-5 minutes.
Oolong: 195 Fahrenheit, 4-7 minutes.
Green & White: 180 Fahrenheit, 2-3 minutes.
Herbal/Fruit/Tisanes: 212 Fahrenheit, 5-7 minutes.

Let's say that when you're brewing tea, you don't have a thermometer handy. Don't worry! Here's a simple way to estimate what these temperatures are like.
180 Fahrenheit = Bubbles beginning to form on the bottom of the pot.
195 Fahrenheit = The first bubbles begin to rise.
212 Fahrenheit = Full rolling boil.

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