Loose leaf tea is known for being higher quality tea that's
fresh and flavourful. Did you know that the 4 main types
of tea, white, green, black and oolong, all come from the same plant called
Camellia sinensis, which is a warm- weather evergreen? These teas are different
in taste based on the parts of the plant being used and the way the leaves have been processed.
Each type of tea has unique instructions for preparation. When
buying loose leaf tea there will be a label on the product that
states the optimal temperature of the water, amount of tea used per cup and the
steeping time to ensure your tea turns out great.
 |
| An example of a tea label and an amazing Teavana tea |
I suggest you follow these guidelines if you are just
starting to use loose leaf tea. Tea can turn out bitter, too weak or too strong
if the instructions aren’t followed and can ruin your opinion of a wonderful tea.
I can’t count how many times I have forgotten to take my tea infuser
out in time and ruined my tea. Once you start to make it more often and know
how strong you like certain teas, it gets easier. The Tea Association of Canada has come out with a general steeping
chart for you to refer to if you are ever unsure of how to steep a type of tea.
Steeping
Instructions
Tea
Type
|
Preparation
|
|
White
|
80°C
/ 185°F
|
(Steep
2-5 min)
|
Green
|
80°C
/ 185°F
|
(Steep
1-3 min)
|
Oolong
|
80°C
/ 185°F
|
(Steep
2-3 min)
|
Black
|
100°C
/ 212°F
|
(Steep
4 min)
|
Herbal
|
100°C
/ 212°F
|
(Steep
3-6 min)
|
For those of you without a programmable kettle, there are other ways of determining the temperature of the water. The Traditional Chinese method being the most extensive and comprehensive method. There are 5 different stages of boiled water which are: Shrimp Eyes, Crab Eyes, Fish Eyes, Rope of Pearls and Raging Torrent. Golden Moon Tea has an article with helpful pictures of each of the stages.
