Brewing Tea

Tea brewing is an art. There must be an understanding of the manner in which each type of tea grades have to be brewed to draw out the fragrance, aroma and quality to give the ideal brew. Therefore selecting the correct tea leaf and the unique region from which the tea was picked is paramount in getting the brew that you desire. Connoisseurs select tea from a single origin, single estate and definitive agro-climatic areas. They prefer the whole leaf grades processed in the orthodox method as it encaptures all the goodness of the natural leaf giving maximum goodness to the brew.

 Another crucial factor is the quality of water. Spring water is best. If this is hard to come by, filtered tap water can be used instead of the normal water on tap due to the purifying chemicals in it which can prevent the inherent characteristics of a good tea being brewed. Refrain from using hot water from the tap.

Steeping time is of utmost importance. If brewed for too long the liquid can become bitter.The recommended steeping time for the variety of tea types differ.  We are very specific in our instructions on the brewing times of the different teas created by us to get the most satisfying cup.

Green tea 2-3 mts, Black tea – 3-5 mts, White tea 1-3 mts, Herbal (Tisanes) 5-8 mts.

However, it is an individual preference to brew the tea based on the preference whether a light, strong, dark or bitter cup is required by the consumer. 

Be guided by the following rules to get the best brew from your tea to satisfy the taste buds.
Use fresh spring water or filtered tap water.

Select a good tea, preferably a leaf variety of your choice.

Allow the correct time for the tea to steep

Use a strainer or tea basket or tea ball making it easier for the spent tea leaves to be removed from the infusion

Milk and Tea: Many, particularly in Asia, prefer to drink by adding milk. There had been a dispute since George Orwell  in an essay under the title "A Nice Cup of Tea" published in 1946 advocated that milk should to the brewed tea. This raised a healthy difference of opinion between chemists who concluded that milk should be added first before pouring the tea on to the cup.Their point of view was that "colder milk added first to the cup will not degrade as much as when added to the hot tea. It still remains an interesting topic for each consumer to figure out which tastes better according to their individual taste.