When you're simply throwing a teabag into hot water for a quick cuppa, it's hard to go wrong. However, if you've got your hands on some truly special tea – be it Darjeeling, chamomile or popcorn – getting the brew right is crucial to unlocking the full flavour. So how do the world's tea experts make their tea?
First of all, get the portion right. The ideal amount of loose-leaf tea is around 2.5g per person, says Max Eisenhammer of the London-based Rare Tea Company. If you don't have scales to hand, that's around a teaspoon of tea leaves.
As for how long to brew your tea, "the larger the leaf, the longer the brewing time", say Twinings, which has been supplying Brits with tea for more than 300 years. "Earl Grey and Lady Grey need five minutes, while a smaller leaf tea will only need about four minutes," it says.
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Most white or green teas will need only a minute or two, however, so be sure to check the packaging.
The temperature of the water also affects the taste of the final brew. Herbal and black teas should be infused at hotter temperatures than green or white teas, for instance. The School of Tea suggests 75 degree water for green tea and 90-95 for black teas, warning: "Poor preparation is the most common cause of tea that fails to please."
If you're serious about seriously good tea, consider investing in a kettle with an adjustable temperature to help you get it spot on every time. In the meantime, adding a teaspoon of cold water to your boiled water will bring the temperature down.
Once you've enjoyed your perfectly brewed cup of tea, you don't have to throw the used leaves out. "You can infuse quality leaves two or three times," which also goes some way towards offsetting the often steep cost of high quality teas, says Eisenhammer.
