Loose leaf tea can sometimes seem like a challenge to brew correctly. It's actually quite simple if you follow a few basic concepts about the amount of tea: the temperature of the water and how long you allow the tea to stay in the water. A very general rule of thumb is 1 tsp of loose tea (1 tbsp if it is a white tea) per 8oz of water brewed anywhere from 3-5 minutes. Use this chart to reference exact time and temperature. Use an infuser of some kind so you can easily separate tea leaf from water. That's it!
Can tea preparation be more complicated? Sure, but only if you want to, and that's generally for one of two reasons; you want something other than a single cup of hot tea or you really want to get the most out of a tea. We've outlined some of the most common options beyond a simple cup of hot tea below.
