How To Make The Perfect Cup Of Tea
How To Make The Perfect Cup Of Tea
Brewing the perfect cup of tea is as delicate as it is controversial. Some swear by tea bags. Others favour a ceramic pot. And some believe the secret lies in how you brew the water.
While attitudes largely differ, there’s one thing we can all agree on: life’s too short to drink a lacklustre brew.
So here are our tips on how to make the perfect cup of tea, which you can tailor to your taste buds.
The Perfect Cup Of Tea
1. What’s your flavour?
It goes without saying you should choose a tea that aligns with your taste and mood. Before bed? Opt for something soothing like chamomile. First thing in the morning? Opt for something energising, like black tea or Guayusa.
Always check in with your body to decide your flavour, rather than drinking something out of habit.
2. Choose between a mug or pot
The age-old question: a mug or tea pot? Tea bag or loose leaf?
We’ll be honest, this stage is entirely personal preference. But whichever vessel you choose, make sure it’s something that adds delight to your day. Choose a mug you love to drink out of. Perhaps it’s the perfect size or it has a pattern that makes you smile.
3. Brewing the water
Always fill the kettle with fresh, filtered water before you boil. Boiling water more than once can lower the oxygen levels, and in turn, the flavour.
For high quality tea, the water should be below boiling point. We recommend between 70 – 90 degrees celsius to help release the beautiful flavours. If your kettle doesn’t have temperature options, try flicking it off just before it reaches full boil.
Before making the tea, swirl a little bit of hot water around in your mug or pot. This warms things up in preparation, keeping your tea warmer for longer.
4. Wait a minute (well, five)
Immerse your tea in hot water. The amount of tea leaves varies depending on how you like it. As a general rule, we use:
- One tea bag per person
- One teaspoon of loose leaf per person
Now we wait for the magic to happen. Twiddle your thumbs, call your Mum or make a quick snack – whatever you need to do to pass the time. We recommend waiting 2 – 3 minutes for tea bags, and 5 – 7 minutes for a loose leaf pot.
Don’t rush this process, this will make or break your cuppa.
5. Stir things up
Before you surrender to your first sip, give your pot a stir or the tea bag a squeeze. This gives it a final hit of flavour before you sit back and enjoy.
A word of warning: this step will add an extra kick, so don’t over stir or squeeze too hard if you like a gentler flavour.
6. Customise
Last but not least, customise your cuppa.
Add some sugar, honey, lemon or milk depending on your preference (side note: we’re not going to tell you how to add milk to your black tea, that’s a debatable and personalised process – you do you).
If you’re a Guayusa (why-you-sa) Tea drinker, we recommend adding a hint of honey for a sweet kick, or a slice of lemon for a citrus infusion.
At Ayusa tea, we are one of the first Australian suppliers of Guayusa tea.
Guayusa tea is an ancient herb from a type of Holly Tree (Ilex guayusa) in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Here, the Kichwa tribes pick, dry and brew the leaves each morning – an essential part of their culture, livelihood and connection.
At Ayusa, we have three incredible blends for you to try:
- Pure Guayusa for a subtle, smooth and full-bodied flavour
- Guayusa and Cinnamon Myrtle for an added cinnamon aroma
- Guayusa and Anise Myrtle for a subtle licorice flavour
With every purchase, we donate $1 to the Ecuadorian Foundation Conciencia Amazonica so they can continue sharing Guayusa with the world.
