The Best Way to Brew Tea

Brewing a Perfect Cup of Tea

Time:

The finer the grain, the quicker the brew time as the surface area of the tea exposed to the hot water is greater. Nearly powdered teas are ready to go in about two minutes or less, while large leaf varieties may need more than five minutes. The general rule is three to five minutes, blacks longer than greens. The longer a tea steeps, the more likely it is to become slightly astringent or "bitter" to your taste. Some tea lovers prefer a bit of astringency, while others recommend putting the tea into infusers or paper filters (rather than directly in the pot) as the leaves can more easily be removed from the pot after the prescribed steeping time, which also preserves a bit more "virtue" for you in the leaves if the intent is to reuse them to brew yourself a second pot.

Temperature:

With black teas, the hotter the water the better. Bring it just to a boil and let it back off a couple of degrees. Green teas are usually a bit more delicate and do better in water that is in the 160 to 185 degree range, so it may make sense to let your water cool a bit before brewing the tea in this case.

Quality of Water

Never use tap water to brew your tea because sediments and contaminants in the water will ruin the taste of your tea. It is best to use purified water processed through a distillation, oxidation process for best flavor

Brewing a Perfect Second Cup

Get More From Your Tea!

Remember that you can get a second pot out of just about any tea type. If the tea is loose in the pot, first pour off the cold excess liquid through a filter and return the leaves to the pot. Fill the pot about three quarter full of fresh hot water. If desired, add a bit more fresh tea. Let this pot steep a few minutes longer than the first. If the tea is in an infuser or paper filter, simply put it back into fresh hot water as above. It is a lot easier to add a bit more fresh tea if you are using a filter rather than an infuser.

Decaffeinating Your Own Tea

Caffeine is highly water soluble, so it is one of the first constituents of the leaf to be extracted in the steeping process. Usually 80 percent or more of the tea's caffeine content is released within the first 20 to 30 seconds of steeping. You can enjoy any tea virtually caffeine-free (with little sacrifice of flavor) by discarding the water after the first 30 to 60 seconds of steeping and adding fresh hot water to the now largely decaffeinated leaf. Obviously, using a T-sac tea filter or an infuser when decaffeinating in this manner is far more practical for you than adding tea directly to the pot.

Earl Grey Was a Real Person and is a Great Tea

Earl Grey tea is a popular flavored black tea named after an historic figure in 19th century England. Earl Grey's existence and historic accomplishments are well documented but his influence on the tea that bears his name is less clear.

Charles Grey was the 2nd Earl Grey, (13 March 1764 - 17 July 1845), and was a British Whig statesman and Prime Minister. His father, Charles Grey, the 1st Earl Grey, was a notable British general in the American Revolution who commanded victories in several battles, notably against the American forces under General Anthony Wayne and at the Battle of Germantown (1777-78).

Descended from a long-established Northumbrian family, Grey was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, and was elected to Parliament at the age of 22 in 1786. He became a part of the Whig movement, and soon became one of the major leaders of the Whig party which befitted his high standing in British society. Grey was noted for advocating strong Parliamentary reform and Catholic emancipation.

The Whig party slowly evolved during the 18th century. In general terms, the Whig tendency supported the great aristocratic families and non-Anglicans, while the opposing Tories supported the Anglican Church and the gentry. Later on, the Whigs drew support from the emerging industrial interests and wealthy merchants, while the Tories drew support from the landed interests and the British Crown.

By the first half of the 19th century, however, the Whig political program came to encompass not only the supremacy of parliament over the monarch and support for free trade, but the abolition of slavery, and, significantly, expansion of the franchise. Eventually the Whigs would evolve into the Liberal Party while the Tories became the Conservative Party.

In 1830, the Whigs finally returned to power, with Grey as Prime Minister. His Ministry was a notable one, seeing passage of the Reform Act 1832, which finally saw the reform of the House of Commons, and the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire in 1833.

Grey eventually became more conservative however, and he avoided more far-reaching reforms. In 1834 Grey retired from public life.

Earl Grey tea is named after Grey who reputedly received a gift, probably a diplomatic present, of tea flavored with bergamot oil. The legend reportedly involved a grateful Chinese mandarin whose son was rescued from drowning by one of Lord Grey's men, although this blend of tea was first made from fermented black Indian and "Ceylonese" (Sri Lankan) teas not found in China.

Since green tea is much more popular in China than black tea, it is improbable that they would have had a recipe for what we now call Earl Grey to bestow on visitors, though over the years many other varieties of tea have been used. In addition, Lord Grey never visited China.

A second version of the legend has the son of an Indian raja being rescued from a tiger by one of Grey's servants and expressed his gratitude through the gift of the newly flavored black tea.

The tea became a commercial favorite as many merchants realized the value and popularity of the flavored tea and began to market Earl Grey intensively. This marketing effort was aided by the tax reductions implemented by the British Government at the end of the prior century.

Irish Breakfast Tea - Special Reserve- A Great Way to Start a Cold Day

As Fall approaches, the days are getting shorter and the nights and mornings are getting colder.

Sometimes it is hard to get started on a cold, dark morning so a steaming hot mug of high quality tea adds that little extra incentive to start the day.

Black tea is a great way to start the day whether it is taken straight or with a little milk and sugar. Black tea is strong, flavorable and robust and has become the mainstay of morning tea drinkers.

An excellent morning tea is Irish Breakfast Tea - Special Reserve.

This robust yet balanced tea is great to start the day with combining the best black tea with a special reserve blend of the best flavoring

The robust flavor is equally elegant and complex. Rich and malty character, with subtle notes of ripe cherries, dark prunes, and hints of hazelnuts and honey create an unforgettable tea drinking experience.

One of the secrets to our Irish Breakfast - Special Reserve tea is the quality of the leaf. The leaves of this Irish Breakfast - Special Reserve tea are a large, well crafted fom the finest tea gardens and are robust and firm.

Start the Fall right!