Enjoy The Perfect Cup of Tea

Have you ever had an incredible pot of tea at a cafe and wondered how you could make a better cup of tea at home? These tips will teach you how a few simple steps and preparations can lead to the best at-home tea you’ve ever had.

Use Loose Tea

If you’re just going to make a simple cup of tea with no milk, honey, or sugar, use loose tea whenever possible. Look for loose teas with whole tea leaves that are not broken or crushed as these are the best quality teas.

Know What Water Temperature To Use

Not every tea needs boiling water, in fact, many teas taste best when brewed with water that has been heated to a specific temperature. While you could stand over your stove and heat the water in a pot or kettle with a candy thermometer, you could also invest in an electric kettle with temperature control.

Don’t Use A Tea Ball

This may seem against the grain to suggest, but tea balls or any cute silicone tea steeper doesn’t actually give the tea leaves enough room to unroll and flavor your tea properly. Look for a bigger tea infuser – almost the size of a mug – so that your leaves have plenty of room to expand.

Warm The Teapot

If you’re making an entire pot or carafe of tea, pre-heat the vessel by boiling a little water and adding it to the teapot or carafe. Allow it to thoroughly warm the vessel, then pour out the extra water before steeping your tea. Preheating your teapot or carafe helps keep it warm while the tea brews.

Cover Up While You Steep

When you’re steeping your tea, be sure to cover your mug, teapot, or carafe with a lid or towel to help keep the water temperature stable while the tea is steeping.

A Longer Steep Does Not Stronger Tea Make

Contrary to popular belief, steeping your tea for a longer period of time does not actually make the tea stronger, instead, it leads to bitterness. If you want stronger tea, add more tea leaves and steep for the regular, recommended amount of time.

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Cold-Brewed Tea Makes The Best Iced Tea

Similar to how cold-brewed coffee makes the best iced coffee, the same can be said for tea. This tutorial from Oh, How Civilized teaches you how to make delicious cold-brewed iced tea.