The Perfect Cup

Brewing the perfect cup of tea, just to your liking, is a matter of experimentation and each tea has a specific way it needs to be brewed to get the best taste. We suggest you adjust the process until you get the exact taste you’re after. And remember, the best tea takes time, so embrace the ritual of making a cup.

The golden rule of brewing green tea in particular is: don’t pour boiling water on the tea leaves; you’ll burn the leaves and the tea will probably taste bitter.  Always let boiled water cool off a bit before you steep your tea (the word ‘steep’ is a fancy way of saying ‘infuse’).

Perfect South tea works best steeped at 70° – 80° however Shincha is best at around 60°.

It’s great to use filtered water if you can because it’s cleaner and tends to bring out subtle flavours, but tap water will also do just fine.

A good rule of thumb is to use two grams of tea per person or per cup of water, which is roughly one teaspoon (give or take). Adjust the quantity to suit your taste buds and the style of tea you’re brewing.

The optimal green tea brewing time is between one and three minutes, no longer. This does depend on the style of tea and your personal preference though. If you over brew the tea it may become bitter. We have found three minutes allows flavours to develop fully.

If you find that your tea isn’t strong enough, simply use more tea leaves and brew for the recommended time, instead of brewing it for longer.

You can enjoy about two to three cups or pots from the same tea leaves so feel free to give them another hit of hot water. Store your tea in an airtight container and keep it in a dry, cool, dark place. If stored like this it should last for around 12 months but it’s best to drink it in the first six months.