How to Make Tea with Loose Leaf Tea
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I don’t know about you, but I sure have enjoyed having my husband, Randy, stop by for regular features. He’s here again today to share about his new insights on how to make tea (both hot and iced tea) using loose leaf tea. Take it away, Randy!
I feel a little silly saying I just discovered tea. Humans have been drinking it for thousands of years and it’s only the second most consumed drink in the world behind water. And I myself have enjoyed tea in some form every day of my life since I could hold a sippy cup. So I was already a fan of tea, however, what I just discovered was how to make tea much better.
I stumbled into a quiet coffee shop while on vacation recently. I had a hankering to try something different so I asked the barrista to hook me up with a cup of hot black tea. (I usually drink coffee every morning then black iced tea at lunch time). They had a big selection of loose teas. I sort of randomly pointed to Thunderbolt Darjeeling not knowing anything about it. The description said fine black tea. The dude put 2 scoops of tea from the tin into a French press then poured hot water over it. He suggested I press and pour the tea into my cup after about a 2 minute steep. I did and added about a teaspoon of honey. I took a sip and it was really good. It tasted like black tea that I’m used to, only much better.
I had 6 cups of that tea over the next 4 days. Every time I was surprised how good it tasted. It had a floral quality like a bunch of fresh rose petals and even a subtle citrus-like thing going on. I drink a lot of iced tea and it reminded me of really good iced tea that I’ve had in the past. Come to think of it it’s been a long time since I’ve had a great glass of iced tea.
On the way home I did a lot of reading on the internet. I learned several things. Among them, tea people believe loose tea is better than tea made from tea bags and water temperature and steep-time are critical and vary with different varieties. Also, according to my sources on the internet, tea blends contain a mixture of teas of varying quality. High quality, single-estate teas are preferable.
Another thing I learned on the internet is Darjeeling is not a type or a brand of tea, it’s a region in India in the foothills of the Himalayas renowned for growing some of the most flavorful teas in the world. Tea bushes grow slower in the high altitudes and that is said to produce fine delicate flavors, according to my internet sources.
I’ve been doing a lot if experimenting. I went into a funky hipster independent tea shop and ordered a black iced tea for $4. It tasted like dirt, literally like soil. A few days later I ordered a $2 hot black tea from a well known chain coffee store and it wasn’t much better.
My local grocer has a small selection of loose black tea blends. I tried an English Breakfast tea and an Irish Breakfast. I prepared hot and iced teas from both according to directions below. They were both good (a lot better than tea prepared from tea bags from the same brand). Finally Amy ordered me some Darjeeling from Amazon. It’s my favorite so far.
I know it takes a little more time and effort, but it’s well worth it. No joke, I look forward to waking up so I can have my tea.
If anyone is reading this from the UK or India or China they are probably chuckling at the thought of middle aged American just figuring this out. Better late than never.
Lose the bag and try making a cup or glass at home from quality loose tea. You’ll be glad you did.
How to Make Tea with Loose Leaf Tea Recipe
How to Make Tea with Loose Leaf Tea
An easy way to make a perfect cup of hot tea with loose leaf tea.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons loose tea leaves
- 8 ounces water
Instructions
- Place loose tea into French Press.
- Bring 8 ounces of water to just shy of boiling. Pour hot water into the press over the tea leaves.
- Put the plunger into the top to the water level.
- Steep for 3-4 minutes
- Press plunger down to filter tea being careful not to press tea leaves (it makes it bitter).
- Pour filtered tea into cup. Add honey or sugar to taste.
- If you think you will want a second cup within an hour just leave the wet tea leaves in the bottom of the press and re-use them with the same steep time. Many tea drinkers believe the 2nd and 3rd pours off the same leaves yield better flavors.
How to Make Iced Tea with Loose Leaf Tea
An easy way to make great iced tea using loose leaf tea.
Ingredients
- Makes 1/2 gallon.
- 4 tablespoons loose tea leaves
- 1/2 gallon water
- optional: sugar
Instructions
- Heat half gallon of water in a saucepan until almost boiling.
- Scoop 4 tablespoons loose tea into the hot water.
- Steep for 3-4 minutes.
- Optional: If sweet tea is desired, scoop 1/3 cup of sugar into a 1/2 gallon tea pitcher.
- Pour steeped tea through a strainer into tea jug.
- Stir, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve over ice and enjoy.
Thanks for the info, Randy. I relate to your experience of having to try different brands to find what you like. And, I am glad to hear you have discovered how to make your own loose leaf tea. I spent a summer in India during college and came to enjoy hot tea. One thing I picked up a few years ago at a local tea room, that I love to use, is the LUCI tea infuser by Tea Forte. It’s great if I don’t want to mess with my french press. 🙂
Great drink for summer!
This makes me want to try Darjeeling immediately! Thanks for the great suggestions, I’ll try this at home?
I love this post! I drink a lot of iced tea, but I have never made it with loose leaf tea. Gorgeous photos!
Iced tea rocks!!! I think you’ll be happy with it. Let me know what you think!
If you love loose leaf tea you absolutely MUST check out Steeped Tea. All of our tea is purchased from privately owned tea plantations to maintain the integrity of the leaf and avoid pesticides. There are no artificial flavours or colours in the teas either. Have a look mysteepedtea.com/leeannehamilton
Dude. Adagio Teas. You’re welcome.
try upton teas uptontea(dot)com amazing quality and samples galore! amazing catalogue as well
Amazing, thanks for sharing this.
A french press is the perfect tool for any house – tea for me and coffee for my husband!
I recently picked up a tool from http://www.grosche.ca/ for on the go steeping. It’s a glass travel bottle with a stainless steel infuser-I’m obsessed so i thought I’d share. It even has a string for travel purposes- I love it. You should check it out and let me know what you think!
Happy Steeping!
I will definitely be sharing this with my tea-obsessed husband. Or perhaps I’ve just found the perfect Father’s Day gift? 😉 Thank you, Elizabeth!
We’d love to have you check out our gourmet loose leaf tea! We’re Southerners, so we KNOW our tea! 😉
I am a tea producer in Hawaii. Most Hawaii tea is ultra premium hand-picked, hand rolled whole leaf tea. The proportions suggested in your recipes would not work for our tea, since whole leaf tea will be lower density. A good rule of thumb for those willing to go to the extra effort, is to use 3 grams of whole leaf tea for every 6 to 8 ounces of water. Whole leaf tea is best steeped loose in a pot, rather than put into an infuser. I know there are people who use French presses for whole leaf tea. I have never tried that. I find a simple teapot, and a tea strainer when I’m ready to pour the tea, works perfectly well. Also, with whole leaf tea, it would be a missed opportunity not to make multiple infusions. It is absolutely true that the infusions have different flavor notes, and it is great fun to compare one infusion with a next. With a quality whole leaf tea, you should be able to make at least four infusions. I routinely make 6. Aloha.
Thanks very much for this interesting information. I have been drinking tea since I was 5 (it was mostly milk with a splash of tea for tea parties with Gram & Great Aunt Del) and 50 years later (thanks to your Pin and writing), I feel like I’ve just had my first cup of real tea! Thanks so very much. I’m already plotting to quickly delete my bag stash and will only get loose from now on.
I love Darjeeling tea but the brands I use Lipton Darjeeling tea it need to be steeped to couple of minutes it taste amazing but if u have black tea chai ( black tea with milk & sugar ) then also add your share of darjeeling tea into it & let it steep u will like it here in USA if u hv Indian grocery store u will get the brand … I cannot live without this tea due to its flavor
Such an easy guide to follow! Just remember that each type of tea responds differently to various water temperatures. More robust teas such as black tea can handle higher temperatures while green and white tea must only be steeped in water that is well below the boiling point.
You might recognize some grounded tea leaves at The underside of the cup. These fibres are plant based and intended to become eaten. Swirl cup gently while consuming to capture every fiber-abundant, Prebiotic-stuffed sip.
I am so thrilled you shared this. I’m 60 and someone gave me the cutest silicone Mitten Infuser for tea. I could hardly believe the trip I took to go find loose leaf tea. It’s either pre packaged, or at a coffee shop, packaged. I finally Settled for some English tea and orange. The path due to a pair of silicone mittens infuser has been so fun. I got a tea kettle to. And fresh honey. What a wonderful time to sit in a comfy spot , and steep tea through mittens. (I also got a pee-king Duck butt tea infuser). Can find on the Internet. Fun just went to a whole new level. Thank you for sharing your enjoyment of tea… no matter how old we are.
Okay, uhm, THANK YOU!!!! I am 60 years old and guessed at how to make tea. You taught ME how!
It is SO, tasty!
Thank you!
P.S. I was going to add a picture, but couldn’t figure out how.
So happy to hear it, Sonja!
I HIGHLY recommend tea from Roots Tea shop in Florida. You can buy online. I’m obsessed with loose leaf tea and I’m probably their biggest fan!!! Lol. Be sure to check them out. Other than a customer I am not affiliated. I just love their teas.