Hot Tea Brewing Instructions:
Bring spring or filtered drinking water to 160°F in a kettle. Add 1/2 tsp of tea leafs to a cup. Always pour boiling water over tea leafs and let steep 2 minutes.
Any of these variables can be changed to suit your particular palate, so experiment! Many teas can be steeped multiple times (especially green, white, and oolong). When steeping a tea multiple times increase the length of steep time slightly with each successive infusion.
Iced Tea Brewing Instructions:
1) Hot water method: For 1 gallon of iced tea, bring half a gallon of filtered water to boil in a pot. Turn off heat, and add 3 tablespoons (1 oz of tea), let steep for 2 minutes. Strain the tea into the other half gallon of cool water and refrigerate. If you want to serve immediately, you can pour the concentrate over ice to cool and dilute, then pour over ice again.
2) Sun tea: use a glass container and add 1/2 tsp of loose tea of each cup of water directly into the jug. Then set in the sun for a few hours, tasting occasionally to get the desired strength.
3) Cold brew: The slow cold-water-steeping method extracts natural sweetness and flavor from the tea leaf. It lessens the bitterness and tangy-ness produced by tannic acid so your tea tastes smooth and mild. Add 1/2 tsp of tea per cup of cold water and put in the refrigerator. When the water is chilled, your tea will be ready!
Other Brewing Suggestions
Ceremonial Matcha: Please note that in order to brew Ceremonial Matcha you will need a set of Japanese tea ceremony tools. (Bowls, scoops, and a whisk).
1. Prepare tea bowls by warming them with boiled water.
2. Prepare your Matcha whisk by soaking the tip in the boiled water in one of the bowls for about 10 seconds.
3. Pour the water out and dry the bowl with a paper towel.
4. Using your teaspoon, add 2 scoops of Matcha to each bowl.
5. Pour 1/3 of a cup of your hot water into each bowl.
6. In a slow "m' motion, submerge any loose bits of Matcha that may be floating on the surface of the tea.
7. Whisk the tea more briskly in a back and forth motion until the surface of the Matcha becomes frothy.
8. Consume immediately. (In Japan, it is customary to drink the entire bowl in 3 quick slurps).
Matcha Iced Latte: The drink thatÕs taking the west coast by storm!
For this recipe you will need per serving: 1/2 tsp matcha, 2 oz hot water, 3 tsp sugar, 4 oz milk, 8 ice cubes, and 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1. Mix the matcha and hot water in a bowl. Stir with a whisk until completely dissolved.
2. Stir in the sugar.
3. Add milk and stir. If you like add vanilla at this step.
4. Add ice and put the mixture in a blender. Blend until smooth. If you donÕt have a blender simply drink over the ice.