Making the perfect cup of tea depends a bit on the type of tea you’re brewing (black, green, herbal, etc.), but here’s a general guide to help you get it just right — plus specific tweaks for each kind.
☕ General Steps for the Perfect Cup
- Start with fresh, cold water.
- Water that’s been boiled before can taste flat because it’s lost oxygen. Fresh water helps bring out the tea’s flavour.
- Measure your tea.
- Loose leaf: About 1 teaspoon per cup (250 ml).
- Tea bag: One bag per cup.
- Heat the water to the right temperature.
- Black tea: 95–100°C (just off boiling)
- Green tea: 75–85°C (cooler to prevent bitterness)
- White tea: 80–85°C
- Oolong: 85–90°C
- Herbal: 100°C (boiling)
- Pour and steep.
- Cover your cup or teapot while it steeps to retain heat and aroma.
- Steeping times:
- Black tea: 3–5 minutes
- Green tea: 2–3 minutes
- White tea: 4–5 minutes
- Oolong: 3–5 minutes
- Herbal: 5–7 minutes
- Remove the tea leaves or bag.
- Don’t squeeze the tea bag — it can release bitterness.
- Taste and adjust.
- Add milk, sugar, honey, lemon, or nothing at all — your choice.
- If it’s too strong, dilute with a little hot water.
🌿 Extra Tips for Perfection
- Warm your teapot or cup with hot water before brewing to keep your tea at the ideal temperature.
- Use good quality tea leaves — freshness makes a huge difference.
- Mind your steeping time — oversteeping = bitterness.
- For milk tea (British-style black tea): Add milk after the tea if you’re using porcelain (prevents cracking) or before if you prefer to mellow the flavour slightly.
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