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Tips for Tea Makers
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Temperature and Time Down for Steeping Tea
Speaking of temperature, this graphic provides recommended temperatures and brew times (as well as caffeine content), while this one (above) shows temperatures and steeping times in a much more immediate way. By the way, Steep.it is a web-based timer that also shows you brewing time—and tells you when to take the leaves out.
Control the Caffeine in Tea
Steeping time also matters when it comes to how much caffeine ends up in your cup. For more caffeine alertness, steep for a shorter amount of time. For less caffeine, you can do a brief steep, pour out the brew, and then re-steep to cut as much as 80% of the caffeine.
Buy Better Tea Leaves
Besides temperature and steeping time—and water quality—the other most critical element when it comes to a perfect cup of tea is, of course, the quality of the tea itself. There's a time and a place for experimentation, but before you run out and start spending money, get a feel for the types of tea that you'll enjoy.
Ditch the Tea Bags
Tea bags are undoubtedly more convenient than loose tea, but what you trade in convenience you probably are giving up in taste and quality. On the other hand, for those times you are in a tea rush, tea bags from quality tea merchants that are pyramid-shaped instead of flat are a good compromise, since they allow the leaves to expand.
Avoid Watery Iced Tea
One of the nicest things about tea is you can enjoy it all year round, warming up in winter with a hot cup of tea or chilling out in the summer with iced tea. When it comes to iced tea, make sure you use double the amount of tea normally used so the ice cubes don't dilute your drink or use iced tea you've frozen in ice cube trays to avoid this problem. You can also cold-brew your iced tea for a stronger, smoother cup.
Find the Tea Alternatives to Coffee
I know this sounds like blasphemy to coffee lovers, but you can love both coffee and tea. Both have benefits. If you're currently a coffee-only person, though, give tea a chance with these recommendations for coffee-like teas. (They're not as strong as coffee, but they are uniquely flavorful.)