If you are new to the world of loose leaf tea or herbal/fruit tisanes, it may be a little overwhelming to know how to brew all of the different types out there.
Look no further! Hopefully, this will help guide you going forward, and you will feel confident choosing different types of tea/tisanes and know how best to make them.
General Guidelines
Use Fresh/Filtered Water if you can. Never use reboiled water.
Warm Your Tea Cup
Use China Cup/Mug, Glass or Porcelain to prevent tannin loss and heat loss
Follow the temperature & time guidelines
Allow the leaves to have room to move and unfurl - use a large infuser/ strainer or infuser teapot
As with any of my products – if you prefer it stronger then add an extra spoonful.
If you prefer it sweeter add some honey.
Known and enjoyed the world over! This is the most popular type of tea in the world and amazingly there are so many varieties of it!
Did you know that Black teas are made from the same plant as white, green, and oolong teas: Camellia Sinensis?
The difference between them all is that they are the processing steps: withering, heating, rolling, oxidization, and drying.
Black tea has a distinctive flavour profile. It has a deep, bold and rich character.
Black tea can take heat so use boiling water and don't over-steep to avoid releasing too many tannins making it bitter.
Brewing Guidelines
Enjoy with or without milk.
As with all Happy Leaf teas/tisanes, please see the specific brewing guidelines on the product, but as a guide brew at -
100 degrees | 1 tsp per person (according to taste) | 5-7 minutes
Green Tea is amazing. It is incredibly refreshing and is great as an iced tea as well as hot.
Many of my customers had been unsure of it before trying mine because of either brewing it incorrectly or having a lower grade (supermarket tea bag).
Drinking & brewing quality loose-leaf correctly makes the world of difference. Plus it has all of the health benefits!
Did you know that it is the most widely consumed in China and Japan?
Green teas from China and Japan have different flavour profiles based not only on where and how they are grown but most distinctively how they are processed—pan-fired in China and steamed in Japan.
Always remember to have the water at 80-85 degrees otherwise it will burn the leaves and ruin the taste.
If in doubt, add boiling water to an empty tea cup, then top up with cold water and then add your tea!
Brewing Guidelines
Enjoy without milk.
As with all Happy Leaf teas/tisanes, please see the specific brewing guidelines on the product, but as a guide brew at
80-85 degrees | 1-2 tsp per person (according to taste) | 2-4 minutes
These are so incredibly versatile. They are great as a hot tisane or a iced cold ‘iced tea’.
They are packed full of vitamins and antioxidants.
The longer you leave them for – the stronger the flavour!
Did you know that you can cold brew this overnight in the fridge?
If brewing as an iced tea, you can pop this in the fridge with cold water and leave overnight for a delicious healthy drink for the following day. Alternatively, if you cannot wait then add boiling water to brew then lots of ice!
My Fruit Tisanes come loose or in prepacked sachets for 1-litre pitchers of iced tea.
Brewing Guidelines
Enjoy without milk.
As with all Happy Leaf teas/tisanes, please see the specific brewing guidelines on the product, but as a guide brew at
100 degrees | 1-2 tsp per person (according to taste) | 3-10 minutes
Rooibos tea is a delicious smooth caffeine-free drink from the South African Aspalathus linearis plant
It works well with many flavour additions.
The longer Rooibos is steeped, the more antioxidants and other health benefits are released. Due to the small leaf size, we recommend using the Royal Tea Strainer or our Fine Mesh Infuser Teapots.
It is great for weight management encouraging quicker fat metabolism, it has anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidants, helps maintain a healthy heart & keep cholesterol in check, and muscle relaxant properties to calm down allergies & keep the body healthy. It has been proved useful in the treatment of eczema, bronchitis & also asthma.
Rooibos Classic is also safe to drink in pregnancy although always check with your G.P.
Brewing Guidelines
Enjoy with or without milk.
As with all Happy Leaf teas/tisanes, please see the specific brewing guidelines on the product, but as a guide brew at
100 degrees | 1 tsp per person | 4-7 minutes
The list of health benefits is endless from digestion to calming properties, immune-boosting, heart health - the list goes on. Enjoy our range of fantastic flavours & the finest quality leaves & blends. The question is which flavour shall I have this week?
The power of nature in a cup!
When it comes to brewing herbal tisanes it really is a taste test. You may like it stronger, if so add an extra teaspoon full.
Brewing Guidelines
Enjoy without milk.
As with all Happy Leaf teas/tisanes, please see the specific brewing guidelines on the product, but as a guide brew at
80 degrees | 1-2 tsp per person (according to taste) | at LEAST 5 minutes
Oolong is a type of tea that presents unique challenges to tea drinkers, particularly for higher-end varieties. The taste can range from light & floral to very dark & smokey. It can also be one of the most expensive due to the work & skill involved in the making & often only 40 per cent of the tea can be used, making it expensive & costly to produce.
Did you know that Oolong can be steeped numerous times?
Oolong tea may not be as well known as green or black tea, but it has similar health benefits. Recently it has become a favourite for weight loss. It has been claimed to have benefits for the heart, brain, bone & dental health, improves sleep, lowers blood pressure, boosts your metabolism, protects your brain, decreases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes & protects against certain types of cancer.
Brewing Guidelines
Enjoy without milk.
As with all Happy Leaf teas/tisanes, please see the specific brewing guidelines on the product, but as a guide brew at
95 degrees | 1-2 per person (according to taste) | 3-5 minutes
White Tea is the most delicate variety, due to its lack of age and is so minimally processed that much less oxidation occurs.
It is often rarer and as a result more expensive
It has a much softer, delicate flavour profile than its green or black tea cousins.
Did you know that the latest medical findings suggest that white tea may be a more effective cancer fighter than green tea?
It contains the same powerful combination of antioxidants, trace minerals & nutrients as green tea, however, white tea contains a higher number of antioxidants which gives it a slight edge of superiority when it comes to health benefits. It is claimed to aid weight loss, help the treatment of diabetes, improve skin & hair health, treat acne, reduce inflammation, improve the health of the liver & kidneys, maintain reproductive health, keep the heart healthy, enhance memory, energy, & alertness, supporting the treatment of hypothyroidism, and improving oral health.
Brewing Guidelines
Enjoy without milk.
As with all Happy Leaf teas/tisanes, please see the specific brewing guidelines on the product, but as a guide brew at
80 degrees | 1-2 tsp per person (according to taste) | 2-4 minutes
You can either have this as a black tea or add warm milk, some like to boil the tea and milk/condensed milk with sugar together and chopped cardamoms sprinkled on top.
The choice is yours!
The process of brewing a perfect cup of Chai is unique to every person. You can either do this in a pan or a speedy method using the kettle/boiling tap.
Quick Method
Step 1 – Use 2-3 teaspoons Happy Leaf Chai in your infuser/teapot per person
Step 2 - Add boiling water
Step 3 -Steep for 3-5 minutes.
Step 4 - Remove the infuser and add hot milk/sugar/spices
Pan Method
Step 1 – Boil 250ml per person of water in a saucepan
Step 2 - Add 2-3 heaped tsp per person of chai to boiling water and steep for and brew on a medium heat for 3-5 minutes
Step 3 - Add 1/3 cup of milk and bring the chai to boil
Step 4 - Strain the chai and add sweetener/extra spices if desired
I hope you have enjoyed your tea brewing guide. As always, please pop me a message at hellohappyleaf@gmail.com with any tea queries that you may have or any special orders you wish to place that may not be on my website.
Enjoy your tea adventure and take some time for yourself!
Emma
Founder
Happy Leaf
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