Loose Leaf Tea 101

May 22, 2019

“The act of drinking tea must be appreciated for its own sake, without seeking any other justification, for only thus can the tea drinker taste the sunlight, the wind and the clouds” – John Blofeld

Hey friend!! I hope you are having a beautiful week so far 😊 If you’re reading this, I’m assuming you’re interested in tea. Maybe you’re already a tea drinker and want to know more about health benefits or maybe the art of tea has just recently peaked your interest. Whatever it is, you’ve come to the right place!

Let me give you a little background: Loose leaf tea sparked my interest over 6 years ago. And when I want to learn about something, I’m all in. So of course, I wanted to know everything there is to know about tea (how to brew it, how it’s made, etc.). For Christmas when I was 19, my parents got me my first tea set (a beautiful cast iron set with a warmer) and starter kit of loose leaf teas. I was so stoked! I’m pretty sure I spent the rest of the present opening process just smelling the different teas. I was quickly disappointed, however, when I began to actually brew the tea because they never tasted as good as they smelled. They usually were either too watery or way too bitter. I remember picking up some tea from Teavana (which btw I would never recommend buying tea from) and the same thing happened. I knew there was something I was missing, but there was a lack of online resources at the time and really I just didn’t know enough about tea or the tea brewing community to know where to go. Enter Vital Tea Leaf. My parents took me here on a vacation to San Fran. and it was a game changer. It’s a small tea shop run by a little Chinese man and even though I don’t know his name, he taught me the foundation of the art of tea. I don’t know if Vital Tea Leaf still does this, but 7 years ago, they offered free tea tastings. So my family sat at a little bar and this man showed us different types of tea, let us smell them, told us what they were good for and then brewed the tea and let us taste it. There were no sweeteners, creamers or milk. Different cultures enjoy tea differently and in China, tea is generally drank for health reasons more than anything else. The tea was lovely, I learned a different way of brewing tea and I acquired a new teapot (a very small glass one which is one of two that I own today).  Since then I’ve found lots of little tea shops and have shared tea and learned to brew and enjoy tea from people who travel all over the world in search of the best tea, where they learn from locals. Ok I know that was the longest background summary ever! Lets get into some whys and how’s.

Why Drink Tea? Well lots of reasons but some of the big ones are:

1. It tastes good! Or at least it can, if you know how to brew it (don’t worry, we’ll get to that in a bit). There is no lack of flavors either! If you’re looking for something sweet, refreshing or bitter and strong, there’s a tea out there for you.
2. Health benefits, so many health benefits!! Tea is soooo good for you. It contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Tea can reduce fatigue, help with detoxification of the body, strengthen the immune system…you guys I could go on forever! Each type of tea also has its own qualities. For example, oolong tea can help with weight loss, black tea might make you feel more awake than green tea and pu er tea is good for digestion.
3. It’s a great coffee substitute. I personally don’t use it as a coffee sub because I generally don’t drink a ton of coffee, but if you’re trying to back off or eliminate coffee altogether, tea can be a great replacement. A lot of tea contains caffeine (in fact some have almost as much as a cup of coffee) but, it’s the way the caffeine is absorbed that makes tea different than coffee. Caffeine in coffee is directly absorbed into the blood stream which accelerates the heart rate. Tea, on the other hand, contains tannins, a substance that prevents caffeine from being released rapidly, resulting in a slower and longer absorption process. So you’re still getting your caffeine, unless your drinking herbal tea, but you’ll feel more of a gradual stimulation rather than a jittery excitement.
4. Brewing tea is a zen process. I don’t know what it is or why, but there’s something about the whole process of brewing and drinking loose leaf tea that is so calming to me. It really is an art. My soul is soothed when I smell the fresh aroma of my dried tea, my mind excited as I hear my water heating up, my eyes stimulated as vibrant colors are released as the tea steeps. And, of course, my taste buds are happy when I finally get to enjoy the product of my work!

Where to start and how? Ok so this is hard to sum up in a blog post, but I’m going to share with you some of the teas that were my favorites when I first got started (and are honestly still my favorites), where to get them and how to brew them. Sound good? A few quick notes before we get started:

• I NEVER place my strainer in my teapot! Brewing your loose leaf tea in a strainer keeps the leaves from opening up all the way which means that your tea might not be as flavorful. It can also result in a slightly metallic taste. This applies to how I brew all my tea.
• If you want a stronger flavor, DON’T TURN UP THE HEAT and DON’T STEEP LEAVES LONGER. Just add more leaves. You can also give your leaves a stir, mid- steep to help release more flavor. The only one this sometimes doesn’t apply to is black tea. If I’m adding milk and honey to my black tea, I’ll usually steep it a couple minutes longer than normal.
• I may have mentioned this earlier, but I’ll say it again. Only brew what you’re about to drink. The flavor of tea changes when it just sits there. Also, don’t leave tea leaves sitting in water to drink later. Pretty much, I’m not an advocate of tea warmers.

1. English Breakfast & Earl Grey Tea: These are both black teas and are my morning go- to’s! Black tea tends to be higher in caffeine than say a green tea so it’s a great coffee replacement. Black teas are oxidized more than other types of teas, resulting in a darker color and a bolder flavor. English breakfast tea is a great beginner black tea because of its malty and slightly sweet flavor profile. Earl gray is just English breakfast tea that’s been infused with bergamot oil. These two are my favs and are also the only two that I’m not super particular about where I get them from. I would always recommend purchasing good quality tea, but I’ve found lots of shops to have good quality EB and EG tea. This EB tea is from Art of Tea and the EG is from Trailhead Tea Sedona. To brew either of these, bring your water to about 200° F. Place 1 tbsp tea in your teapot. Add about 8 oz water to the teapot and steep for 3 minutes. Use a strainer when pouring tea into your cup to catch the leaves. I like to enjoy these with a little milk and sugar or raw honey.

2. Kukicha & Genmaicha Matcha Tea: These are both Japanese green teas. I adore Japanese tea of all kinds, but these two are great for people new to tea. Japanese green teas tend to have a sweet, grassy flavor. These are great for a mid-day pick me up or even for a light and healthy morning drink that won’t leave you feeling heavy. Kukicha is actually made from twigs and stems and has a light, fresh flavor. It’s the very first green tea that I really enjoyed. Genmaicha matcha tea is a blend of green tea leaves and roasted rice, coated in matcha (you can also get it without the matcha). The flavor profile is vegetal and nutty. I also love the vibrant green color of this one! The kukicha is from Trailhead Tea Sedona and the Genmaicha is from Vital Tea Leaf. To brew, bring water to about 170° F. Add 1 scant tbsp leaves to pot along with 8 oz water. Steep for 1 minute and strain into cup. Reuse leaves 2- 3 times. Green tea is a bit more sensitive than black tea and will become bitter very quickly if water is too hot, if too many leaves are added or if it’s steeped for too long so you may need to play around with these to see what tastes best to you.

3. Ginseng Oolong Tea: This tea is from Vital Tea Leaf and it will blow your mind, I swear!! It’s so unique and it’s one of those teas that every tea drinker should try at least once. This oolong tea is grassy and slightly floral, but what I think makes this tea special is that its coated in ginseng powder! The ginseng has a sweet flavor that lingers in your mouth and its amazing! Additionally, ginseng can help lower blood sugar, increase energy, is a potent antioxidant and when combined with this oolong becomes a powerhouse tea. To brew, bring water to abut 175- 180° F. Add 1 tbsp leaves to pot. Add a small amount of heated water, steep for 10 seconds, strain and dump the water. This is called a rinse and it helps prepare the leaves to open for your first brew. (Some people do this with all tea, but I only rinse tea that is tightly coiled, like most oolongs). Add any leaves that were strained out back to your pot and add 8 oz heated water. Steep for 30 seconds, giving a stir halfway through. Strain and enjoy. This tea can be re-steeped about 5 more times adding on about 5 seconds each time.

Okay if you made it this far 1. I’m really proud of you and 2. you’re clearly really interested in tea! And if #2 is the case, I’m right there with you! I am fascinated by tea. I love how healthy it is, how it gives people a chance to experience other cultures right from their own home and I love how it brings people together. The best advice I can give you if you’re interested in learning more is to find a tea shop or two owned by people who travel in search of quality tea and learn from them! Of course, I’m also happy to answer any questions you have. Thanks so much for reading and happy steeping 😊

xoxo

Amber