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All teas deserve a little love when it comes to brewing. Depending on which teas you enjoy and how you like them served, there are a few golden rules to ensure the perfect cup, every time.
Tea - Need to Know
All black, green and white teas, with the exception of herbal and fruit teas, are produced from the Camellia sinensis plant. It is the time of harvest and the production process that determines whether the tea becomes white, black or green.
Each process creates different nuances in the teas and how they are brewed, plays a significant part in the enjoyment of each.
Black Teas
Black tea is an undisputed favourite brew in the western world. It comes in many varieties, with characteristics as diverse as their provenance. Black tea is made by a carefully processing the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves are dried and go through a process of oxidisation, which turns the leaves from a vibrant green to a golden or dark brown. The drying method ferments the tea in a way that increases the amount of caffeine per cup compared to other teas. The caffeine is important because it boosts energy levels and makes us feel good and alert. While all black teas tend to be stronger in taste, and higher in caffeine, than the less-fermented teas, their other characteristics are far from uniform. Black teas come in a kaleidoscope of flavours, aromas and colours. Popular varieties of black tea include Darjeeling tea, widely acknowledged to be the finest black tea in the world, Assam tea and Ceylon tea, including the classic English Breakfast.
Find out more about our Black Teas here!
Green Teas
Green tea is also made from the Camellia sinensis leaves, like oolong and black teas, but the leaves do not undergo the same withering and oxidation process that is used to make other teas. Rather than being withered, rolled, fermented and dried, it is steamed or fired, meaning the colour is much fairer, lighter and green-ish. There are several varieties of green tea which are based on growing conditions, production processes and time of harvest. Growing conditions can be broken down to two main types - those grown in the sun and those grown in the shade. Green tea plants are harvested around three times a year and are grown in rows and are pruned to harvest shoots in the standard way. The first flush being in early May, the second harvest in June/July and third picking in early August. Green tea gets its name from the emerald green colour created when brewing unprocessed, unfermented tea leaves. Green tea’s origin goes back as far as 5,000 years and is commonly drunk and widely grown in the Far East, where the health properties are well-regarded. Green tea originated in China, but its production and manufacture have spread too many other countries.
Green tea does contain caffeine but far less when compared to an equal amount of black tea. Because tea acts as a brain stimulant some people find that drinking green tea increases energy levels, concentration and mood.
Find out more about our Green Teas here!
Fruit & Herbal Tea
Fruit and herbal teas are wonderfully delicious and caffeine-free. Technically speaking, herbal and fruit infusions aren’t real teas at all, but warming, invigorating or stimulating drinks that are ever so popular. A good fruit tea will be made from real fruit pieces that are expertly dried to retain all the flavours of the fresh fruits. Perfect either hot or cold, fruit teas are the ideal thirst-quenching refreshment that is naturally good for you. Fruit teas are made using a wide range of fruits including popular ingredients such as pieces of apple, hibiscus, rosehip, strawberry, raspberry, cherry, blueberry and many, many more. Apple, rosehip and hibiscus are probably the most favoured components in fruit teas for flavour, aroma and colour. Our fruit teas contain no artificial additives, and even the flavouring comes from the highest quality ingredients, and fruit juice concentrates. What's more, our fruit infusions are blended by experts, so whatever your taste preference might be, we are sure to stock a fruit infusion to suit it.
Herbal teas are not just for the health-conscious and provide an attractive alternative to traditional teas. Herbal teas are naturally caffeine-free and contain many of the nutrients needed to support good health and promote wellbeing. Packed with flavour and aroma, we only use freshly picked whole herbs or flowers to produce high-quality herbal teas. There are many herbal blends on offer often created from ingredients such as peppermint, camomile, lemongrass, verbena, fennel, aniseed, liquorice root, cinnamon, black pepper, nettle and raspberry leaves. Herbal blends are often produced with a specific purpose in mind, such as calming, soothing or refreshing.
Find out more about Fruit & Herbal teas!
When it comes to brewing tea, there are few easy-to-follow rules to guarantee the ideal cup.Here's how to brew the best green, black and fruit or herbal teas with our guide to the perfect cup at home!
Black Tea - Ceylon Orange Pekoe
A classic black tea, our Ceylon Orange Pekoe is a full-bodied and aromatic tea, perfect any time of the day. A well-balanced leaf tea blend from the tea estates of the Dimbula district in the South-West of Ceylon, it is as well-rounded as it is aromatic.
How to Brew
- Boil fresh cold water
- Place 1 level teaspoon in a tea strainer or filter basket
- Pour freshly boiled (100c) water
- Brewing time 3-4 minutes
- Strain the tea leaves
- Sweeten the tea to taste, and/or add a dash of milk
- Enjoy the golden-red cup!
A superb organic green tea, our Gu Zhang Mao Jian has a unique character rounded off with a gentle sweetness. A rare Chinese tea made from the delicate buds and leaves that are picked only ten days a year to create a slightly sweet and unique character.
How to Brew
- Boil fresh or filtered cold water
- Place 1 heaped teaspoon in a tea strainer filter bag or basket
- Pour the slightly cooled boiled water (80c)
- Brewing time 2-3 minutes
- Strain the tea leaves
- Enjoy the yellow-green cup!
A delightful infusion, our Rooibos Cream Orange is a citrusy and creamy herbal tea. Using full-bodied South African Rooibos with delicate vanilla the tea offers a creamy and aromatic cup.
How to Brew
- Boil fresh or filtered cold water
- Place 1 slightly heaped teaspoon in a tea strainer filter bag or basket
- Pour freshly boiled (100c) water
- Brewing time 5-8 minutes
- Strain the tea leaves
- Enjoy the amber cup!
A creamy, sweet rhubarb infusion, our Rhubarb Cream fruit tea is a treat! Naturally caffeine-free, this real fruit tea is a blend of rhubarb and other fruits with rounded off with the delicate sweetness of genuine bourbon vanilla.
How to Brew
- Boil fresh or filtered cold water
- Place 1 heaped teaspoon in a tea strainer, filter bag or basket
- Pour freshly boiled (100c) water
- Brewing time 8-10 minutes
- Strain the tea
- Enjoy the pale pink cup!
Tea Accessories for the Perfect Cuppa
If you’re brewing the perfect cup, you also need the perfect accessories to make drinking loose-leaf tea effortless.
Our tea eggs have two netted halves that lock together with a twist mechanism. The hooked chain can be held in suspension to help the tea brew for fuss-free loose-leaf tea.
https://www.cupoftea.co.uk/stainless-steel-large-tea-egg-6cm/p1324
Our tea tongs can be used to brew loose-leaf teas and infusions in a cup or mug. The spring-loaded action enables easy cleaning after use and can be used again and again.
https://www.cupoftea.co.uk/stainless-steel-tea-tongs-5cm/p234
Stainless Steel Filter Basket Medium
Our stainless-steel filter baskets come with a very fine mesh suitable for all teas including particularly very fine leaf grades. They come in three different sizes and are easy to clean and reuse.
https://www.cupoftea.co.uk/stainless-steel-filter-basket-medium/p1256
Our Zero teapot range is exclusively hand-picked by our tea experts here at Cup of Tea. The contemporary and colourful designs suit every taste and feature built-in stainless-steel filters for your favourite loose-leaf teas.
https://www.cupoftea.co.uk/zero-forest-green-teapot-045l/p2069
Our extra longer paper filters are perfect for loose-tea and infusions. They are 100% compostable and simply removed once brewing is complete. Long enough for teapots but also great for mugs!
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Posted by cup of tea admin
24th April 2020
