3 Simple Tips to Make a Cup of Tea

Tired of brewing tea that tastes horrible and bitter? There's nothing worse than going through the effort of brewing a whole pot of tea and having it turn out un-drinkable. Here's some simple tips and steps to follow to ensure that every cup of tea you brew tastes great.

Use Good Water
Your regular tap water could be fouling the taste of your tea. The minerals and chemicals found in tap water can play a part in altering the taste of your tea and in making it bitter. You should always try to use filtered water when brewing tea. This doesn't mean that you need to use expensive glacier filtered water! A simple water filter such as a Brita can do the trick.

Also make sure that the water you are boiling starts off cold. Warm water is no good. You also definitely don't want to re-boil any day old water that is sitting in your tea kettle. Always use fresh, cold water in your tea kettle. This alone can go a long way in brewing a great tasting pot of tea.

Temperature is Important
The temperature of the water you pour over your tea is also important. Freshly boiled water is often too hot and can burn the tea leaves. This is one of the major causes of bitter tea. There are two easy ways to prevent this. The first way is to let the boiled water sit a couple of minutes before pouring. The second way is to shut off your kettle just before the water reaches boiling. Either of these methods will do the trick and will prevent the tea leaves from being burned, resulting in a poor tasting cup.

Correct Steeping Time
The third important factor in brewing a great cup of tea is the steeping time. Letting the tea steep for two long can also lead to bitterness. 2-3 minutes is usually a good baseline to follow. Some teas such as rooibos do well with a longer steeping time. It can be a good idea to test out different steeping times and note the results. Different people have different tastes. Experimenting is the only way to brew tea that matches your unique tastes.

Follow these three simple tips and you'll notice the difference in the quality of tea you brew. No more dumping ruined pots down the drain! Enjoy.