Brewing a Cup of Tea

by Whittard of Chelsea

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Published . Reviewed

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.

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
A glass bottle pours water into a metal tea infuser filled with loose tea leaves and flower petals. Some tea leaves and petals are scattered on the white surface nearby.

Step 01

Use Fresh Water

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

A white electric kettle sits on a terrazzo countertop near a gold spoon with loose leaf tea, a box of English Breakfast black tea, and a yellow checked napkin.

Step 02

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 our favourite teas.

A metal spoon holding loose leaf tea with herbs and dried fruit, resting on a white surface scattered with more tea leaves and ingredients.

Step 03

Remember to Spoon

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

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