Simple ways to brew loose leaf tea - A Beginner’s Guide
The most frequent question asked at the end of a tea ceremony is “How can I brew this special tea at home?”.
The hidden assumption here is often that for special tea we need special tools and utensils. While it’s true that high quality tea asks for some more in-depth attention, it doesn’t mean we have to make things overly complicated. There are a number of very simple ways to brew loose leaf tea at home and some of them won’t even require you to buy anything apart from what you already have in your kitchen cupboards.
But first, let’s look at some basic requirements for loose leaf tea to unfold its full aroma:
Water
The quality of the water you use for your tea can have a surprisingly big impact on its flavor. This is a whole science in itself, so to keep it simple: Not every tea asks for the same water. Depending on where you live, if tap water is not chlorinated, you can safely start with that, but might want to run it through a filter before using it for tea.
Bottled water can work really well too, but you need to experiment and find one that you like.
If you are lucky to have a natural spring nearby, give that a try – it might be the best tea you ever had!
Space
Tea leaves need space to unfold. Many high quality teas have leaves that expand to many times their dried size when brewed. Ideally the brewing vessel you choose takes this into account.
Presence
Even if you choose the right brewing vessel, good water and a good quality tea, the real experience all comes down to how present you are when preparing your tea. Tea that is consumed in a rush will never reveal all its beauty. But presence doesn’t mean that you need to sit in lotus posture in a quiet place. We can be present on a crowded train, during an exhausting business meeting or any other activity. If you are lucky to have your tea with you, just savour every sip. Like all things related to tea, presence is a learning process and can teach us a lot about ourselves along the way. It can be practiced in quiet moments in a serene space, but only unfolds its real beauty once we notice that we carry it with us wherever we go.
Taking these basics into account, we can now turn to the more technical side of tea drinking. The most important thing to remember: High quality tea can usually be steeped many times (often ten times or more), and it’s almost a waste to brew it only once and then throw away the leaves. That’s why when choosing your brewing vessel, the rule is: Smaller is better.
Here are four simple methods to prepare loose leaf tea:
1. Infuser
Besides tea bags, this is probably the way of brewing tea most people have grown up with in Europe. You use a small metal or plastic mesh container to hold the tea leaves and remove this container from your cup when the tea has its desired intensity. While this might not be the most elegant way of brewing tea, it is simple and effective.
What’s important is that you make sure your infuser is large enough for the tea leaves to be able to fully unfold. Not recommended: Small tea balls.
2. Teapot
A small teapot is an excellent choice for beginners and can become a life-long friend. If you are drinking tea alone, a very small pot holding 100-150ml is more than enough.
Some teapots come with a metal infuser, others with a built in strainer mesh that holds back the leaves when pouring tea. The latter is a very elegant way and is widely used in teapots of Chinese and Japanese origin. It gives the leaves maximum space to unfold.
To start out, it’s best to choose a teapot made of either glass or porcelain, as these materials don’t absorb the tea’s flavour and can be used for all types of tea. Clay pots tend to absorb the tea’s aroma and influence flavours over time, which needs some extra consideration when choosing the type of tea to brew.
3. Gaiwan
If you’d like to try something a bit more exotic, a gaiwan is a great way to bring simple elegance into your tea ritual.
The word gaiwan is Chinese and literally means “lidded bowl”, which is exactly what it is. It usually comes in three parts: A bowl, a lid and a saucer. Gaiwans are most commonly made out of porcelain and hold about 100-150ml of liquid.
For beginners, a white gaiwan is a great way to start: It has a wide opening to see the tea leaves unfold and the white colour lets you admire the tea’s colour as well. The lid is used to hold back the tea leaves when pouring the tea into your cup. This requires some practice at first (not to burn your fingers), but it’s certainly fun and absolutely beautiful.
4. Grandpa Style
When we think of tea in its Asian countries of origin, we might picture meditating monks, Japanese Zen gardens, or elaborate tea ceremonies. But by far the most common way to drink tea in Asia is to do it “like a grandpa” – this lovingly named method refers to probably the simplest way to enjoy loose leaf tea in everyday life: The tea leaves go straight into the cup (or into a flask if you're on the go) – pour in hot water, wait a moment for the leaves to settle – then drink. You can refill with hot water as often as you like.
“Grandpa style” is practical, uncomplicated, and doable anywhere. No strainer, no timer, no tools. As a beginner, you’ll need to experiment with which teas work well for you this way. If the tea gets too strong too quickly, use fewer leaves, dilute it with a bit more water after steeping, or try a different brewing method.
Conclusion
The most important take away: There is no right or wrong way to brew tea. While loose leaf tea does require some more attention, don’t get overwhelmed with detailed instructions or complicated rituals, especially when you are just starting out. Keep your tea journey simple and fun, allow yourself to experiment and learn as you go. Every tea time, every session will be a space to learn and broaden your skill and knowledge. And after all, drinking tea is certainly not a performance, but an invitation to pause and be fully present. That in itself can be a small revolution.
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