How to Brew the Perfect Cup of Tea

A great cup of tea starts long before the kettle boils. From choosing the right leaf to knowing exactly when to pull your bag, every step matters. This guide walks you through everything you need to know.

1. Start With Good Water

Tea is over 99% water, so quality matters. Use filtered or fresh tap water whenever possible — avoid re-boiled water, which loses dissolved oxygen and makes tea taste flat.

Soft water (low mineral content) tends to produce a brighter, more delicate cup. Hard water can dull the flavour and leave residue in your cup. If your tap water tastes good on its own, it'll make good tea.

2. Get the Temperature Right

One of the most common mistakes is using boiling water for every type of tea. Different teas have different ideal temperatures:

• Black tea (CTC or loose leaf) — 95–100°C. Full boil is fine.
• Green tea — 70–80°C. Boiling water will make it bitter.
• White tea — 75–85°C. Gentle heat preserves delicate flavour.
• Herbal infusions — 95–100°C. Most herbs need full heat to release.

If you don't have a thermometer, boil the water and let it sit for 2–3 minutes before pouring over green or white teas.

3. Measure Your Tea

Too much or too little tea changes everything.

• Loose leaf tea — 2–3 grams per 200 ml (roughly 1 heaped teaspoon)
• Tea bags — 1 bag per cup is standard
• CTC granule tea — 1 teaspoon per cup, or slightly more for a strong chai

When in doubt, start lighter and adjust to taste. You can always steep longer or add more leaves next time.

4. Steeping Time

Steeping time is where most people go wrong. Too short and the tea is thin; too long and it turns bitter.

• Black CTC tea — 3–5 minutes
• Loose leaf black tea — 3–4 minutes
• Green tea — 1–3 minutes
• White tea — 2–4 minutes
• Herbal tea — 5–7 minutes

Taste as you go. The perfect steep time is the one that works for your palate.

5. Brewing Methods

Teapot or Cup Infuser

The classic approach. Add loose leaves to a strainer or infuser basket, pour hot water over them, steep, and remove. A teapot is ideal for multiple cups since the ratio stays consistent.

Chai-Style (Milk Tea)

Popular across India, this method involves simmering tea leaves or granules directly in water and milk together. Add your CTC tea to cold water, bring to a boil, then add milk and simmer for 2–3 minutes. Strain and serve.

This method extracts more from the leaf and produces a richer, thicker cup — perfect for strong morning tea.

Cold Brew

Cold brewing produces a smoother, naturally sweeter tea with less bitterness. Add 1 tablespoon of loose leaf tea per 500 ml of cold water, refrigerate for 8–12 hours, strain, and serve over ice.

6. Small Details That Make a Big Difference

• Warm your cup first by rinsing it with hot water before pouring. This keeps the tea from cooling too fast.
• Don't squeeze the bag — it releases bitter tannins into the cup.
• Use a lid while steeping loose leaf tea to retain heat and aromatics.
• Fresh leaves matter — older teas lose volatile aromatics quickly. Store in an airtight container away from light.

The best cup of tea is the one you enjoy. Use this as a starting point and adjust every variable — temperature, time, leaf quantity — until it's exactly right for you.