5 Tips For Making The Perfect Cup Of Tea
Photo by Hatice Noğman
Here at Wallflower Journal, we like to talk about tea. But what if you don’t see yourself as a tea person? Oh, there is more than hope for you yet (wink)—read on, dear friend! And if you already do see yourself as a tea person, cozy up and see if you might improve the beverage you already adore. Before getting to the secrets to brewing the perfect cup, let me first clear a few things up…
Firstly, herbal “tea” isn’t tea. Chamomile, rooibos, mint, etc.—these are all herbal infusions. They are not made from the tea plant and thus are not, strictly speaking, tea. By all means, enjoy herbal infusions! There are so many lovely ones to have. They are terrific for late afternoon and evening when it’s best to avoid caffeine, and the various kinds can offer an array of health benefits (just don’t call it tea!).
Secondly, tea comes in a large variety of styles and levels of quality. You’re likely familiar with black and green, but what about white, oolong, pu-erh, even yellow tea? All of these are made from the tea plant, but each undergoes different kinds of processes such as when they’re picked, whether they’re oxidized, aged, fermented (really!), and so forth.
What is most important to take from this fact is twofold: First, you may find that you like a particular variety more than another (or you may find your tastes changing along with the seasons). Second, there can be a drastic difference in quality between any two kinds of tea.
Just like coffee, your large metal can of pre-ground coffee is going to be quite different from the pourover of single-origin, batch-roasted coffee you get at the local shop. The point: know what you’re drinking and adjust your expectations accordingly.
Now that we’ve set these things straight, how does one brew the perfect cup of tea? It can be done in five simple steps:
01 | Select your tea.
It all begins here. Everything rides on this. Black or green? Loose leaf or pre-bagged? Full leaf or quick-steeping? Water temperature and steeping time will vary depending on what you select.
02 | Pay attention to water temperature.
Steeping delicate teas at too high a temperature can essentially burn the leaves, ruining their subtle flavors. Conversely, steeping more robust teas in water that isn’t hot enough can effectively leave flavors locked within the leaves. Without getting too persnickety, a good rule of thumb for temperature range is this: for black, (darker) oolongs, and pu-erh (and herbal infusions) aim for ~208° F / 98° C—just off the boil. For green and white (and lighter oolongs), ~175° F / 80° C is best—let boiling water cool for a few minutes.
03 | Pick your vessel (& its temperature)
What are you brewing your tea in? Sometimes all you’ll have to hand is paper or Styrofoam (the horror!). For example, on a plane, although I typically bring my own tea with me (Step 1), the rest of the steps go out the window. At that point, I’m just happy to have a cuppa. When you can have a say about what you brew and sip your tea from, however, I suggest choosing china, ceramic, or glass.
Once you’ve chosen your cup or mug (and perhaps a teapot for steeping), warm your brewing vessel and your drinking vessel beforehand with warm water (~140 degrees should be good—think, hot tap water). This does two things: it protects the vessel from cracking and makes for the best steeping of your tea—thus the best flavor.
If you don’t have a tap nearby, but just the boiling water, pour in a bit and swirl it around. (Be particularly gentle with bone china vessels—they are particularly delicate and susceptible to cracking if not warmed beforehand.) Simply pour out any warming water before pouring the water over your tea to steep.
04 | Measure your tea (& water)
As much as I love cooking “with my heart,” baking and steeping tea are things that require a bit more precision. This is primarily relevant when using loose-leaf tea, but when using pre-bagged tea, you still have to consider the amount of water you’re using.
Typically, unless otherwise specified, stick to one teaspoon of tea for 8 fluid ounces of water. This means, if you’re using a large mug, don’t fill it to the brim if you’re only using one tea bag or 1 teaspoon of tea. Likewise, if you’re making a four-cup / liter teapot, you’ll need 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (4 teaspoons).
05 | Let it steep.
I plead guilty. I, too, used to leave my tea bag in my mug well past the 3 – 5 minute mark (“Wait—you’re supposed to take it out?”). Once I finally started to pay attention to and heed the steeping time recommendations, I was blown away with how splendid my teas tasted! They were no longer bitter. They were smooth and sweet and complex.
Just like water temperature, every type of tea has its own general range of steeping time. Keep in mind, too, that loose, full-leaf tea steeps longer than the pre-bagged, teeny blitzed up leaves (e.g., think PG Tips, Yorkshire Gold, etc.). Tip: even if these finely ground, pre-bagged kinds recommend a 3 – 5 minute steep, which is typically the range for full leaf black tea, I recommend a shorter steep (1 – 2 minutes), as the teeny pieces of tea leaf steep much more quickly and can turn overly strong and quite bitter if left in too long.
Also, as a rule of thumb, don’t squeeze your tea bag or press down the leaves in an infuser. This releases more of the bitter tannins than is desirable in your brew and is probably often why milk and sugar seem necessary. (Fun fact: fat tames abrasive tannin; that’s why so many people put milk in tea.) However, if bitter is your thing, go for it! I just want you to know what happens and why in the steeping process.
A bonus note about add-ins:
Milk and/or sugar can make tea taste extra special, but it is not (and should not be) necessary. If you find that you don’t like tea without these, consider first whether you’re adhering to the above secrets for the perfect cup. There’s nothing wrong with a little special treat from time to time—e.g., if you like a delicious black currant tea with a bit of milk, go for it. I just want to help you to love and appreciate the beauty of tea in its purest form as well! Regardless, I always find it best to try a tea plain before deciding whether to add anything—let it “speak for itself.”
Now go put the kettle on. It’s time for tea.
