The Perfect Cup of Tea
The perfect cup of tea
Start with clean cold water and quality loose leaf tea (available at Ellen's Tea House). Bring the water to a rolling boil for about 15 seconds. Do not allow it to boil too long, as it will boil away some of the flavor-releasing oxygen and result in a flat cup. Green, yellow and white tea should be made with water that has boiled and allowed to cool for just under a minute.
Follow the directions provided for the type of tea. Pour the water onto the leaves or tea bags. This saturates the tea allowing the flavor to release naturally. Do not pour the water and then add the tea, this will only result in a poor cup of tea. Always cover your tea when steeping. The tea leaves will unfurl properly when covered. The differing types of tea should be allowed to infuse for the required number of minutes at the appropriate water temperatures listed below. Make sure not to venture too far from your tea when it is brewing. Teas take from as little as 1½ minutes to 5 minutes to achieve their ideal brewing time.
Tea, TypeBrewingTime WaterTemperature
Pu-erh Tea, 2-4 minutes, 190-205° F water (just short of boiling)
Black Tea & Flavored Tea, 4-5 minutes, 200-212° F water (boiling)
Darjeeling Tea, 3 minutes, 200-212° F water (boiling)
Oolong Tea, 3-4 minutes , 190-205° F water (just short of boiling)
Jasmine Tea, 3-4 minutes 190-200° F water (just short of boiling)
Chinese Green Tea, 2-3 minutes, 170-180° F water (boil, allow to cool for 1 min)
Yellow Tea, 1-2 minutes, 170-180° F water (boil, allow to cool for 1 min)
Japanese Green Tea, 1-2 minutes, 160-170° F water (boil, allow to cool for 2 min)
White Tea, 2-3 minutes, 175° F water (boil, allow to cool for 1.5-2 min)
Herbal Tisanes, 5 minutes, 200-212° F water (boiling)
Fruit Tisane Blends, 5 minutes, 200-212° F water (boiling)
If you prefer your tea stronger or weaker, never vary the brewing time; simply increase or decrease the amount of tea. If allowed to sit in the teapot, the tea can over-brew and turn bitter. Some green, oolong and white teas are good for multiple infusions - just add new hot water to the pot and increase the steeping time a bit. Repeat until the flavor fades.
General Rules
Use 1 teaspoon of tea per 6-8 ounces of water. Use 1 tablespoon for most herbals.
For most white teas, allow water to cool to 175°, then infuse for 3-5 minutes. Most green teas infuse for 2-3 minutes. For black teas and most herbal infusions, use water just "off the boil" and infuse for 4-5 minutes.
Quick Hints
*Warm the teapot with boiling water before placing in tea.
*Avoid microwaving water to heat.
*When in doubt, use cooler water.
*Select an infuser that gives the leaves plenty of room to expand.
- Contact us for tea recommendations that work well if you have high volume, or access to only one temperature of water.