Whittard of Chelsea English Rose Loose Tea

Brewing a Cup of Tea

How To Brew Loose Tea

Everyone's got a different way of making a cup of tea. We've spent over 140 years honing our technique for the perfect brew. Here's a few of our not-so-secret tips, from water temperature to infusion time, read through the steps or watch a demonstration.

1. Use Fresh Water

Always use water freshly drawn from the top or a filter jug: the higher levels of oxygen in fresh water give your cup of tea a cleaner, brighter taste.

2. Watch the Temperature

Did you know that using water that's too hot can scorch the tea leaves or water that's too cool won't allow the full flavour to be released? Black teas are commonly brewed at 90°C, while Matcha Green Tea should be made with a cooler 70°C. Use a kettle with different temperature settings, such as the Bosch Sky Kettle, which has 7 settings to ensure you're getting the most out of your favourite teas.

3. Remember to Spoon

Loose leaf can seem fiddly, but the truth is it's as easy teabags. Just remember: use one teaspoon (around 2g) per cup of tea, or two per cup if you're brewing white tea, yellow tea or a fruit and herbal infusion.

How Long Should I Brew?

Each of our teas tells you how many minutes to brew, but it all depends on your taste. As a general rule, more robust teas reach the best strength between 3-5 minutes' infusing, while delicate teas like Darjeelings, white and green teas should only be infused for around 2-3 minutes.

Tea Type Boiling Temperature Steeping Time
Black 95-98°C 3-5 Minutes
Green 65-80°C 2-3 Minutes
Oolong 85-95°C 2-3 Minutes
Yellow 70-80°C 2-3 Minutes
White 75-85°C 2-3 Minutes
Fruit & Herbal 100°C 3-5 Minutes

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