If you are reading this, you are a beginner to teamaking or you’re trouble shooting. I offer some basic guidelines, a recipe so to speak. And with all recipes, they are good to follow in the beginning to understand measurements and ratios. Be sure to break away and experiment when you are ready.

Tea Making 101:

Teapot. If you don’t already have a teapot, find one that you will love to use everyday. Look for how well it pours (test it). What size works best for you? How easy is the lid to remove? Does it have a strainer? Is the strainer large enough for the leaves to open?

I recommend using a smaller teapot, rather than bigger, for better tasting tea. Often, tea brewed in a large teapot can taste “stewed” and you’ll have to use a lot more leaf.

Water. Spring or filter water is best. Tap water has chemicals that can add a tinny, chemical taste that the tea cannot overpower. Don’t use water that has been sitting in kettle on your stove for a month either. Fresh, unboiled water has the oxygen tea needs to release its best flavor.

Tealeaves. The magic ratio: 3 grams of tea to 6 ounces of water. Tealeaves vary in shape and size. The bigger the leaf, the more you will need to use. For example, brewing a black tea (leaves are smaller), use 1 teaspoon to 6 ounces of water. For a white tea (leaves are larger) use 2 tablespoons to 6 ounces of water.

Brewing. Following the 3 grams of tea to 6 ounces of water ratio, it will take 3 to 5 minutes to brew a loose tea. Black and oolong teas like very hot water (205 F), while green and white teas like it a bit cooler (160-185 F). Taste your tea as it brews and remove the leaves when you like the taste. Re-steep!