The Tea Centre
BREWING GUIDE
GREEN TEA
One teaspoon or two grams of tea per 200ml.
Use water that is 70-80°C or combine one-quarter cold water with three-quarters boiling water.
Japanese sencha teas are best steeped for 1–3 minutes while Chinese green teas, rolled green teas, and flavoured green teas can be steeped for up to four minutes.
MATCHA
One teaspoon of matcha powder and add to your cup or matcha bowl.
Pour in approximately 50ml of water at 80°C. Boiling water will burn the tea, making it bitter.
Whisk your matcha with a bamboo whisk or with a fork in an ‘M’ shape motion. Ensure that all lumps are broken up so that your matcha becomes frothy and smooth.
Top up your mixture with more hot water, stirring as you do.
Serve and enjoy!
White Tea
One heaped teaspoon or two grams of tea per 200ml of water.
Use water that is 70-80°C or combine one-quarter cold water with three-quarters boiling water.
Steep for 3–5 minutes.
Leaves can be reused for a second brew.
ROOIBOS
One flattened teaspoon or two grams of rooibos per 200ml.
Use water at 95°C or just below the boil.
Steep for 3–5 minutes.
Try making your rooibos into an iced tea and garnish with fresh fruit for extra flavour.
FRUIT TISANES
One flattened teaspoon or two grams of your fruit infusion per 200ml.
Use water at 95°C or just below the boil.
Steep for 3–5 minutes or longer for a stronger flavour.
Fruit infusions are perfect for making into iced tea; the cold brew method will produce the best flavour.
MAKING ICED TEA
We recommend a cold brew method for making iced tea. This is a far more simple method and produces the freshest flavour.
To brew, simply add one tablespoon of your chosen tea to one litre of cold water in an iced tea jug and refrigerate for 4–7 hours.
You can use a regular jug too, but be sure to strain your tea as you serve.
PU-ERH TUO CHA
WESTERN METHOD:
Place one tuo cha inside your teapot’s basket infuser, or in a filter bag so that it’s easy to scoop out later. This step is important if you’re looking to steep your pu-erh multiple times.
Using boiled fresh spring water or purified water, fill your teapot and allow the first infusion to sit for about two minutes.
Pour and enjoy!
Increase the steeping time by one minute for each subsequent infusion. This pu-erh can be re-steeped up to ten times.
CHINESE METHOD:
Place your tuo cha into your brewing vessel and pour boiling fresh spring water or purified water on top. Allow the infusion to steep for just five seconds before discarding the water.
Fill the vessel with water and allow this infusion to sit for 15-20 seconds. Strain the infusion into your teacup and enjoy this first steep!
Repeat this process and simply increase steeping time by 5-10 seconds for each subsequent infusion to get the most out of your pu-erh. This pu-erh can be re-steeped up to ten times.