How to brew Ceylon loose leaf tea?
Switching from quick-to-prepare instant tea to more aromatic and nuanced , but more labor-intensive , loose leaf tea can be discouraging. Even if you are aware of the quality differences between tea bags and loose leaf tea. Moreover, one of the most common questions that tea lovers ask is how much loose leaf tea should be used to prepare the infusion.
Preparing a cup of tea can be compared to an experiment - you need to carefully measure the amount of herb to create the perfect infusion . Too many tea leaves may result in an infusion that is too strong and bitter and will not be fully satisfying. In turn, too small an amount will result in the resulting tea being weak and not as rich in flavor as that prepared from the right amount of dried tea.
How much dried tea should you use?
This answer seems simple enough if you have one small cup to prepare. Then you only need one teaspoon of tea in the infuser . However, if you are making a pot of tea for a group of five people, it is worth using the golden rule : "one teaspoon for each cup, plus one for the pot." In this case, you should pour six teaspoons into the jug. The golden rule is very helpful and can produce truly delicious tea, but there are many other factors to consider when brewing that can change this rule.
What factors determine the method of brewing Ceylon tea?
- The first and most important factor is the type of tea used , which may change the amount of tea needed to prepare one cup. Teas with various additives usually have a lighter taste and may have a larger volume compared to pure black loose tea. This means that to get the same depth of flavor as one teaspoon of pure black tea , you will need to add more than one teaspoon of tea with additives .
- The second factor influencing the amount of tea used is the volume of water that will be poured over the herb. Our golden rule , which uses teaspoons, was created at a time when most people drank tea in cups . Nowadays, however, most of us drink tea in mugs , so you need to use a little more than a teaspoon to ensure that the taste is not too diluted . A 350 ml pot of black tea usually requires about 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of tea . For herbal and green teas, use 1-2 teaspoons depending on your taste preferences.
- The type of tea prepared is equally important. In the case of black tea, it is recommended to brew it once with water at a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius . We recommend brewing green tea at a temperature of 80 degrees Celsius to obtain optimal results, and the same tea leaves can be used up to three times .
Hot tea or cold brew?
The amount of loose tea you use will depend on whether you prepare the tea in the traditional way - hot or iced , i.e. cold brew . If you are making iced tea , you should double the amount of dried tea you put in the water, as tea usually does not infuse as well in cold water . It is worth choosing stronger -tasting teas that will give off more aroma and flavor , even in ice-cold water . To prepare homemade ice tea, we recommend the Leaf of Ceylon series or Basilur White Moon tea.
We hope that our mini guide will help you brew the best Ceylon loose leaf tea .
However, remember that drinking tea is a very personal process and flavor profiles vary from person to person, so feel free to experiment with different amounts of loose leaf tea and different flavor combinations until you find your ideal !
