How to brew loose leaf tea at home (a real beginner’s guide)

If you’ve picked up a packet of loose leaf tea and you’re not quite sure what to do with it — good. That means you’re about to drink something much better than a teabag. Loose leaf is just tea without the bag: whole leaves that unfurl as they brew, releasing flavour more slowly and more completely. It tastes better. It smells better. And it takes all of about four extra seconds.

Here’s how to brew it, whether you have a teapot or not.

You don’t need a teapot

Forget the fuss. Here’s what you actually need:

• A mug
• A kettle
• Some way to keep the leaves out of your mouth at the end

That “some way” can be a strainer, a stainless steel infuser, a crystal infuser bottle, or — at a pinch — a clean tea towel over a second mug. The tea doesn’t care. It just wants hot water.

How much leaf per cup

One teaspoon per 200–250ml cup is the rule most people use. For larger leaves (like whole-leaf white tea or a blooming tea), go closer to two teaspoons because they take up more space and weigh less. For dense chai blends or smaller leaves, one is plenty.

If your cup ends up too strong, use less leaf. If it’s too weak, use more. That’s it. Don’t overthink it.

Water temperature matters (a bit)

Boiling water scorches delicate leaves. That’s why a green tea brewed with fresh-boiled water tastes bitter and flat — it’s been burnt. Here are the rough guidelines:

• Black tea, chai, rooibos, herbal: 95–100°C (straight off the boil)
• Green tea and white tea: 70–80°C (let the kettle cool for a minute after boiling)
• Matcha: 70–80°C (same — whisked, not steeped)

If you don’t have a temperature-control kettle (most of us don’t), just boil it and wait. 30 seconds of cooling is fine for black teas. For greens, pour the water into the cup first, wait another minute, then add the leaves.

Steep time

This is where most people go wrong. A minute too long and you’ve got something bitter. A minute too short and it tastes like hot leaf-scented water.

• Black tea: 3–5 minutes
• Green tea: 2–3 minutes (longer and it turns bitter fast)
• White tea: 3–5 minutes
• Rooibos and herbal: 5–7 minutes (they can handle it and actually benefit)
• Chai: 4–5 minutes, or longer if you want it stronger

Set a timer if you’re new to it. You’ll start to feel it after a few brews.

Can I re-steep the same leaves?

Yes, and you should. Most good loose leaf teas give you two or three proper cups from the same leaves. The second brew often tastes smoother and more rounded than the first. Just add fresh hot water and maybe steep for a minute longer than last time. Save money, get more tea.

Storage

Keep loose leaf tea in an airtight container, somewhere cool and dark. Not on the windowsill. Not next to the hob. Light, heat, moisture, and strong smells all wreck tea — and the packet your leaves came in should keep them fresh for 12–18 months if treated properly.

That’s genuinely it

Boiling water. Right temperature. Right amount of leaf. Right amount of time. Strain. Drink. No ceremony needed, unless you want one.

If you’re ready to start, browse our loose leaf tea collection — 23 blends chosen for flavour and effect. Or if you’d like a proper vessel to brew in, our teapots and infuser bottles are made for exactly this.