7 Techniques for Making the Perfect Cup of Tea ...

Your first important step in making the perfect cuppa involves choosing the right tea. You might like it loose leafed, you might like it in bags. You might prefer it from Sri Lanka or India or China. Either way, based on your preferences, make sure you choose the best of the best.

The teapot you use is important in the perfect technique as well. Most “tea experts” are enthusiastic in their vouchers for a ceramic teapot, because it tends to hold the heat better, which leads to better brewing. Of course, fans of other teapots have their own endorsements, so you might just want to choose what feels right to you.

Okay, I'm not saying you have to use bottles of sparkling, magical spring water from the hidden Rainbow Mountains in Unicorn Land or anything like that, I'm just saying don't use water that tastes weird. If you do that, your tea is also going to taste weird, and that takes away from the experience. Regular bottled water will do if your water does taste strange; you don't have to find the kind from Rainbow Mountain.

When measuring out your tea, you also need to be careful. You can't use too much of it, because for one thing, you'll be wasting a lot of tea and thus a lot of money; for another thing, an overabundance of tea will make the end result very bitter. However, if you don't use enough tea, you'll have a weak cup. The typical rule is that for every 6 ounces of water, a teaspoon of tea leaves will do.

Temperature is also an important technique in tea making. Typically, this actually depends on the kind of tea you will be drinking. For instance, for black teas, herbal teas, dark Oolong teas, and so on, then a temperature of 212 F will suffice. For lighter, more delicate teas, like green and white teas, 180 F is better.

Timing is everything for the perfect cup of tea. Too much time, and again, you'll have a very bitter cuppa. Generally, black teas should sit for about 3-5 minutes, maybe a little longer if you like it strong. Light teas, however, should only steep for 2 minutes, or at the most 3 if you want it stronger.

Lastly, you have to have the right equipment, because your tea needs room to breathe – and to expand. Tea leaves expand quite a lot when you add hot water to them. Whether you use an infuser or what, you need to make sure that it's deep enough to let your leaves unfurl properly. That will also help with the overall taste and flavor of your cuppa.

The perfect cup of tea is out there; it does exist. However, it takes time to figure out just the right techniques for making the perfect cup of tea. Do you have any tips in that regard to offer to novice tea makers?

Top Photo Credit: kyliejohnston16