ADDITIONAL TIPS:

START WITH GOOD WATER

Even the best tea will taste only as good as the water used to prepare it. Avoid distilled, mineral and soft tap water which will weaken tea's flavor. Bottled, spring or filtered water is best and will provide a much livelier and more aromatic infusion.

NEVER OVER STEEP

Over steeping can make tea taste bitter. If you prefer strong tea, do not over steep; simply use more leaves.

DON'T JUDGE BY COLOR

Different types of tea will yield their own unique hue. For example, White Tea naturally brews a pale, golden color while Black Tea will yield an intense, deep ruby-red or chocolate brown. Instead of using color to tell you when a tea's done steeping, simply use a timer.

WATER TEMPERATURE

Bringing water to a full boil is the easiest way to gage the waters temperature. Avoid guessing; otherwise the water may not be hot enough to extract your teas full flavor. Pour boiling water directly over Black and Herbal teas. Allow water to cool for a minute or two before brewing delicate teas such as Green tea and Yerba Mate.

ROOM TO EXPAND

Tea expands 2-5 times its size in water. Therefore, we recommend using strainers or bags that allow ample room for the tealeaves to expand. Large strainers provide plenty of room for the water to flow around the leaves, yielding a better, more aromatic flavor.

MULTIPLE INFUSIONS

High-quality tea can be steeped multiple times unlike their teabag cousins. Increase steeping time 1 minute with each subsequent infusion. Oolong loose leaf teas can be infused up to seven times, black, loose leaf green tea and white loose leaf teas can be infused at least three times as well. The richness of the brew will lighten after multiple infusions, watch for this and infuse to your preference.

SERVING SIZE

The traditional rule for brewing tea is 1 teaspoon per cup (8 oz) water. However, as White and Herbal teas (which are much lighter and more voluminous than the traditional teas) increase in popularity, this rule has become slightly outdated. In other words, these tea types require larger spoonfuls to equal the same weight. Don't worry! Serving size is more of an art than a science; Experiment until you find the amount perfect for your taste. In general, the larger and lighter the leaf, the more tea you will use.

STORAGE

Store tea tightly sealed in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and strong odors.