Tips for a great cuppa!

  • Use approximately 1 teaspoon per mug. A generous rule of thumb is about 1 gram per 100 ml. A standard cup is 250ml, but most mugs are about 300-400ml. Most teaspoons are about 3g, but these & teapot sizes vary a lot. The teaspoon will also need be heaped for bulkier leaves & flat for smaller leaves.
  • For Black Tea use fresh, boiled water. Brew 2-3 min if plain or up to 5 min if adding milk.
  • Use approximately 1 teaspoon per mug. A generous rule of thumb is about 1 gram per 100 ml. A standard cup is 250ml, but most mugs are about 300-400ml. Most teaspoons are about 3g, but these & teapot sizes vary a lot. The teaspoon will also need be heaped for bulkier leaves & flat for smaller leaves.
  • For Black Tea use fresh, boiled water. Brew 2-3 min if plain or up to 5 min if adding milk.
  • Green Tea is more delicate and needs cooler “off the boil” water (about 80 degrees) or it will become bitter. Brew 1-3 minutes only.
  • Rolled Oolong leaves are tougher than green & white tea, so use fresh boiled water cooled a little & reinfuse leaves several times.
  • Rooibos, Fruit & Herbal Infusions like freshly boiled water. Brew 3-10 minutes. These “teas” are all naturally caffeine free.
  • Cold Brew Iced Tea - add cold water only & let sit for at 2-3 hours for green tea or overnight in the fridge for black tea, fruit or herbal infusions. If you are going to add ice later, make double strength to allow for melt.
  • Fast Hot Brew Iced Tea - pour enough hot water to cover leaves & brew 4 min for black, or up to 10 min for herbal or fruity teas, then top up with cold plain or soda water and lots of ice, garnish with fresh fruit & mint leaves.
  • Make your own Sugar Syrup by dissolving 1 cup sugar in 1/2 cup boiling water & store in glass bottle in fridge. Use of few drops to sweeten to taste any cold drink if required.
  • Large loose-leaf teas have a larger surface area & require a longer brewing time than a broken leaf tea or a teabag. Most teabags are filled with “fannings”, i.e. “dust", designed for a quick infusion, like instant coffee.
  • Store your tea in a cool, dry, dark place & use within a few months of opening the packet to retain the best flavour. If you have a large bag it is best to decant a small amount into a tin, so the larger bag is not constantly opened.