How To Brew Tea Using Loose Leaves

This page provides a simple introduction on how to brew tea using loose leaves. This method offers much better flavor as well as health benefits over ordinary tea bags. Even though it is pretty straight forward, there are some do's and don'ts which can help you avoid a spoiled cup.

Please enjoy this helpful insight to brewing tea.

The first thing you need, of course is your favorite tea in loose leaf form. Remember that tea does get old, and is best enjoyed within 6 months of the flush. Black tea will last a bit longer since it is more oxidized.

1. Use either natural spring water or well filtered water for your tea. Tap water can alter the taste of your tea since it contains impurities in it like lime and chlorine. Avoid distilled water as well, since it can make the tea taste "flat".

2. Add around a teaspoon of loose tea for every 8 ounces (mug size). For white tea add a little more since it has a lighter taste. Use a large enough infuser so that the leaves have room to open up; tea balls are ok if that's all you have, but they give the leaves less freedom. Mug Infusers work better for releasing most of the essential oils.

3. For steeping white and green tea, let the boiling water cool for half a minute before pouring. For brewing tea of the black and oolong varieties, you can add boiling water since the leaves are more oxidized and are tougher.

4. White tea and green tea steep anywhere between 2 to 3 minutes. Sencha green tea is usually no longer than 2 minutes. Oolong and black teas steep for 4 to 5 minutes. The actual variety of loose leaf tea should come with a specific steeping time, but if not, the above are the general times.

5. Last but not least is enjoy! But...refrain from adding sugar and milk, especially if having green or white tea. It is unheard of in China or Japan to add milk to green tea, and adding sugar will take away the subtle taste of these teas. Straight up is the way to go!

Oolong tea should be drunk straight as well. Adding honey or herbal extracts (or herbal leaves when steeping tea) would be the only exception. Black tea goes good with honey, lemon, and also milk. However, one study suggests adding milk reduces the benefits

Tea Facts

As I was searching the internet, I found some interesting facts about tea. I thought I would share. Thank you to a website called "Facts about Tea".

Facts About Tea

• Until the nineteenth century, solid blocks of tea were used as money in Siberia!
• The Irish drink more tea per head than nay nation in the world.
• Tea was accidentally invented in 2737 BC when Chinese Emperor Shen Nung spotted some tea leaves blew into a pot of boiling water and produced a pleasing aroma.
• By 1800 England alone was consuming 24 million pounds per annum of tea of every type from white and green to oolong and black, all of it organically grown and hand-made, much of it fit for Emperors and kings. Most tea consumed in England between 1650 and 1850 was green and oolong - not black!
• From 1608, when tea first appeared in Europe, in Holland, until around 1850, China, with rare and inconsequential exceptions, was the sole source of all the tea drunk in the Western World.
• The English East India company held a monopoly on all China tea exports to the British Isles and Americas for two hundred years.

New Teas

Well! The new teas are finally here and on the website. You can find them on page 2 under the "Shop Tea" button. We have spent fall and winter trying to come up with some new and fun blends. I think you will enjoy them. I know I love them. Here are the new flavors: Blueberry Tarts, Absurd Apple & Figg, Teatime Pistachio Biscotti, Peach Flamingo, Wonderland Coconut Truffle, and Melancholy Maple Sugar.

Blueberry Tarts is a light green tea with a blueberry finish. I absolutely love this tea. Absurd Apple & Figg reminds me of biting into a Fig Newton. And every time I drink this tea, I think of the goofy commercial I used to watch as a kid with the Fig dancing and singing about the cookie. Teatime Pistachio Biscotti tastes like a bear claw pastry, just like from the bakery. Peach Flamingo is an Oolong and black tea with the taste of Jasmine. It is reminiscent of a Japanese tea house. Wonderland Coconut Truffle has got to be my most favorite. It tastes like a Mounds bar, chocolate, coconut, black tea, and honeybush. Yumm! Finally Melancholy Maple Sugar is straight from the maple sugar farm. Just close your eyes and imagine biting into a piece of maple sugar shaped like  maple leaf! This one is pretty good too!

Hope you find the time to visit our site and try some of our teas. You won't be sorry! www.maddhatterteacompany.com

Review

     A few weeks ago, I was approached through an email from Terry. She was interested in our website. She told me that she loved tea and coffee and writing, so her natural progression was to have a blog that reviewed tea and coffee products. I was hesitant at first, because her blog had nothing on it. But after a little coaxing from her, I decided to send her some of our tea samples. I didn't think anything would come of it, but if it did, it would be a bonus for the business.
    Right around Christmas I was thinking about starting a blog for the company, which in turn made me think about Terry again. So......I logged on to her blog and low and behold she had reviewed two of our teas. Croquet Caramel & Corn and Looking Glass Chai were the two she chose to review. It is a nice write up and you should check it out. Terry Reviews
    I am hopeful that she will try more of our teas. She and her friends seemed to enjoy what we sent and I am glad that she has given us such a nice review.
    We have purchased six more teas to add to our store and soon I will let you know what they are and when they will be available. Happy Cupping!

Holidays`

Happy Holidays and a Prosperous New Year to everyone who is associated or is a customer of Madd Hatter Tea Company. Our staff is dedicated to giving you the best service and most unique American style teas in the country. Please check us out!  www.maddhatterteacompany.com

Welcome

Welcome to Madd Hatter Tea Company's blog. I hope to keep you updated on tea news, sales, and products from our web site. Enjoy following our blog.  Enjoy a cup of Tea!