Traditional
- Teabag or infuser in the cup.
- Water at the right heat for the blend.
- Time it. Two to five minutes.
- Milk if the blend takes it.
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How to brew
Fresh water, the right heat and a little patience. That’s all a great cup needs.
The perfect brew
Four steps, every time.
- 1
Fresh water
Freshly drawn, and filtered if you can. Water that has been boiled before has lost its oxygen, and oxygen is what pulls the flavour out of the leaf.
- 2
The right heat
Black, rooibos, fruit and herbal teas like water just off the boil. Green and white teas want it around 80°C, so let the kettle stand for a few minutes first, or the leaf scorches and turns bitter.
- 3
Give it time
Two to five minutes for whole leaf blends, and the longer it brews, the stronger it gets. TwentyFourSeven is ready in two. Rooibos, fruit and herbal blends have no tannins, so they can sit as long as you like without turning bitter.
- 4
Milk, or not
Black tea and rooibos take milk well. Green, white and fruit teas are best without, or with a slice of lemon.
By tea type
Water, time and milk.
| Tea | Water | Time | Milk? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Just off the boil | 2 to 5 minutes | Yes |
| Oolong | Just off the boil | 2 to 5 minutes | Yes |
| Green | About 80°C | 2 to 3 minutes | No |
| White | About 80°C | 2 to 4 minutes | No |
| Rooibos | Just off the boil | 3 to 5 minutes, or longer | Yes |
| Fruit | Just off the boil | 3 to 5 minutes, or longer | No |
| Herbal | Just off the boil | 3 to 5 minutes, or longer | Yes |
No thermometer? A kettle left to stand for three or four minutes after boiling is at about 80°C.
Teabag or loose leaf?
Same leaf, two ways.
Pyramid teabags
Our pyramids hold the same whole leaf as the caddy, with room to unfurl. They’re made from cornsilk and wood pulp, with no glue, and they go in the compost.
Loose leaf
Loose leaf gives the leaves the most room, so the most flavour. Use an infuser or a strainer. If a cup comes out too strong, use fewer leaves or a shorter brew next time, rather than topping up with hot water.
Three ways
Traditional, latte or cold.
Tea latte
- Teabag in your cup or mug.
- Cover with boiling water, about a quarter of the cup.
- Brew for 3 to 5 minutes. The longer the brew, the stronger the flavour.
- While it brews, froth some hot milk.
- Pour the hot milk into the tea and stir gently.
- Serve with the teabag in.
Cold brew
- Teabag in a tall glass.
- Cover with boiling water, about 4cm.
- Brew for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Pour gently over ice.
- Top up with sparkling water and stir.
- Add a garnish.
Milk and sugar
A note on milk.
Dairy and oat suit most black teas. Coconut and almond milks taste sweeter, so they suit anyone who takes sugar. Cashew and light soya are the least sweet. Or leave the milk out and add a slice of lemon.
Keep it fresh
Stored well, tea keeps for 18 months.
- Light. An opaque caddy.
- Smells. Tea absorbs them, so keep it away from anything strong.
- Moisture. Lid on, somewhere dry.
- Heat. Away from the hob and the kettle.
- Air. Airtight. A Twist caddy does all five.
Not sure where to start?
Pick any three blends for £2.50.
Delivered free, with £5 off your next order.