Loose Leaf Tea

Where to start with loose leaf

Loose leaf is not an upgrade in ceremony so much as an upgrade in leaf. Teabags mostly contain fannings and dust — the small broken grades left after the whole leaf is graded out. They brew fast and taste flat. Whole leaf brews slower and holds far more of the aromatic oil that makes tea taste of anything.

Pick by time of day, not by type

Tea type is a poor guide when you are starting out, because “green tea” covers everything from grassy to toasted. Caffeine is the more useful axis:

• Morning — black tea and chai. Enough caffeine to be the reason you got up.
• Focus — green tea and matcha. Caffeine alongside L-theanine, which is why a matcha reads as steadier than a coffee.
• After eating — mint, ginger, fennel and rooibos blends.
• Evening — caffeine-free herbals. Chamomile, lavender and rooibos.

How much, how hot, how long

Roughly one heaped teaspoon per cup. Then temperature does most of the work:

• Black and chai — boiling, 3–5 minutes.
• Green — around 80°C, 2–3 minutes. Boiling water scalds green tea and makes it bitter; this is the single most common mistake.
• Herbal and rooibos — boiling, 5–7 minutes. Hard to over-brew.

Our brewing guide goes into this properly.

Tins and pouches

Most blends come both ways. The tin is airtight and opaque, which is what tea actually needs — light and air are what stale it. The pouch is the cheaper refill once you have the tin. Buy the tin first.

Not sure what you like?

Use the quiz at the top of this page if you would rather answer three questions than read labels. If you have the tea but not the kit, start with an infuser teapot.