Steeping Times

A customer asked me yesterday why her green tea always turned out bitter. It turns out she was using the right temperature of water and the right amount of leaf but steeping it too long. She was a recent convert to green tea, a master at Irish Breakfast and Keemuns, but not aware that steeping times differed.

There are 3 tips for a perfect cup - she had 2 out of 3!
1. The right temperature of water - boiling for black teas, slightly cooler for green, oolong and white.
2. The right amount of leaf - a generous teaspoon per cup for robust blacks and a scant teaspoon for others. 2 gms. is the typical measuement used, not very practical in the real world! A teaspoon for regular sized leaf and a Tablespoon or more for larger sized leaf.
3. Finally, the length of the steep: 3 minutes for a Darjeeling, 4 minutes for most black teas and rooibos, 2 minutes for most greens and 4 - 5 minutes for herbals. We use a timer to time the steep to take the guesswork out of the equation. We also sell small timers if that makes it easier for you.

Follow these simple guidelines and you will make the perfect cup each time. Every Silver Tips package label provides exact steeping directions so you never have to worry. At our Tea Room, the servers steep a perfect teapot each time and bring it to you at your table already perfectly steeped - again, no worries!
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