If your local water is especially hard (i. e. high in mineral content), consider using bottled water for a more pleasant taste.
If you prefer, you can boil the water and allow it to cool down to the correct temperature before adding it to the tea leaves. [2] X Research source In general, white and green teas can be brewed at a lower temperature with the water just starting to steam, while oolong tea is typically best prepared at a moderate simmering temperature. Black and Puerh teas can withstand a higher temperature when the water hits a rolling boil. [3] X Research source
A teacup holds about 6 fl oz (180 mL) of water, but since most coffee mugs hold about 10 to 12 fl oz (300 to 350 mL) of water, you may need to double the amount of loose leaf tea you use in a larger mug. The amount of tea you decide to use is completely a matter of taste. Steep more or less to see which flavor you prefer. [5] X Research source
Generally speaking, green and oolong teas can be steeped for about 3 minutes, white tea for 4 minutes, and black and Puerh teas for 5 minutes. [6] X Research source Avoid steeping tea longer than 5 minutes; it will only taste bitter. If you want a stronger cup, just add more tea leaves and keep the timing the same. Since herbal teas don’t contain any actual tea leaves, they can often be left to steep longer without taking on a bitter flavor. [7] X Research source
If you steeped the tea directly in the teapot, hold a strainer over your teacup to catch the damp leaves as you pour out the tea. Discard the used tea leaves while they’re damp, or wait until they’ve dried out to more easily tip them out of the strainer.
After a period of 3 to 5 minutes, simply remove the strainer and the damp tea leaves.
You can also use a filter bag if you just want to make 1 cup at a time with easy cleanup.
Try a travel tea mug with a built-in basket strainer if you’ll be on the go. Just remember to remove the tea after it’s steeped for 3 to 5 minutes. While a short or rounded basket strainer may work for a single cup, use a deeper basket to steep loose leaf tea in a deep mug or teapot.
If you’re steeping medium-sized tea leaves in small quantities of water, a tea ball or infuser might not pose any problems. Hinged tea balls are difficult to fill and the mechanisms can be tricky to open and close, especially when the metal is hot. [10] X Research source
A mesh basket-style strainer will allow the tea to expand, while a tea ball may compress the leaves. [12] X Research source A little extra space will allow the water to flow around the tea leaves so you’ll have a better result.
Since there will still be leaves sitting in the teapot, the tea will grow more bitter as it continues steeping.
