The Perfect Brew
The Perfect Brew, making the perfect brew?
What is the most effective way to brew the perfect cup of tea? That is the main question we find bubbling over in our inbox on a regular basis. Whilst it is true that many cultures and religions have their own belief system when it comes to this question, here at The UK Loose Leaf Tea Company we recommend following the below steps for that perfectly executed brew.
First, it is vital to use a high-quality loose leaf or bagged tea. Click on the tabs at the top of our page for our list of incredible flavours.All tea must be stored at room temperature in an air tight container, out of direct sunlight. This preserves the flavour and prevents protect the tea from strong flavours which may be near by.To avoid possible taste contamination from kettles, we recommend you always use fresh tap water for boiling.When preparing black tea, always use fresh boiling water (100c). When boiled water is added to the tea it energises the leaf, efficiently extracting all the quality nutrients.For green, white and yellow tea it is best that the water is left to cool, we recommend to approximately 80c, by doing this you will avoid the bitter taste that can often occur when using freshly boiled water.To extract the flavour from the tea, the water must contain oxygen. If water is boiled more than once oxygen levels are reduced and this will be apparent in the taste.Be sure to measure tea carefully, we recommend using 1 rounded teaspoon of loose leaf tea, or 1 bag per cup.Always follow the brewing instructions allocated to each tea, this can range anywhere from the 2 minute mark to over 5 minutes depending on the type and flavour.For those of you who enjoy a white cup, we recommend milk in last for the best effect.
All our loose leaf teas can be infused 2 or even 3 times and still maintain their flavour. Just be sure to follow the above recommendations.
Chlorinated water is prolific throughout some parts of the United Kingdom, we suggest using a water filter when preparing tea to prevent taste contamination.