Making Tea

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Hello folks. Let’s talk about making tea. Speaking of, grab a mug of something tasty! I’m drinking Winter Sunrise by the Bohemian Tea Peddler at the moment.

There are deep traditions in many cultures about how to make and enjoy tea. I thought I would take a moment to share some of my tips about making tea for those that are wading into these hot, comforting waters. Remember, people have strong opinions about their tea, and this is just one way to do it. Share how you make tea or any rituals that you have around drinking it in the comments!

So, where to start with making a delicious, magical, medicinal cup of tea? 

Gather your supplies

You’re going to need at least water, a heating implement, a teaspoon, your tea of choice, infuser if you’re using loose leaf tea, a mug, and a timer (trust me). From there you can embellish with milk or sweeteners, but you shouldn’t need it as much if you don’t oversteep your brew.

Heat up your water to the appropriate temperature.

I’m a bit of a practical witch, so I don’t really think it matters that much what type of water or heating implement you use. Just know that there are some folks that will wax poetical on these things and shun me because I drink tap water. I use an electric kettle to heat my water because I want to have more control than a microwave or boiling on the stove gives me, but tea witchery is a huge part of my life. Too much heat can overbrew more delicate teas (for instance white or yellow) and make them quickly turn bitter. There are work arounds if you don’t have the money to invest on an electric kettle, however so pay attention to those tips below.

The appropriate temperature depends on the type of tea that serves as the base for the blend that you’re using. Most teas can be broken down into black, puer, oolong, rooibos, green, white, yellow, or herbal tea (technically called a tisane). Yes. Those are all types of tea. If you haven’t heard of one, don’t worry about it! Also, if you have a blend of bases, start with steeping for the shortest time and least heat.

Herbal teas and Tisanes – brew for 5-10+ minutes at 212 deg F (boil tea and steep immediately)

Black or Puer/Dark teas – brew for 3 minutes at 212 deg F (boil tea and steep immediately)

Rooibos tea – brew for 4-5 minutes at 200 deg F (boil water, then let it sit a minute before steeping)

Oolong tea – brew for 2-3 minutes at 195 deg F (boil water, then let it sit ~2 minutes before steeping)

Green tea – brew for 2-3 minutes at 175 deg F (boil water, then let it sit for ~4 minutes before steeping)

White or Yellow tea – brew for 1-2 minutes at 155-165 deg F (boil water, then let it sit for ~7 minutes before steeping)

Get your tea

You can use tea bags or loose leaf tea in a ball, infuser, or other containment device. You can even use a french press! Not just for coffee lovers! Make sure that you use the correct amount of tea to water. In general, you’re aiming for one teaspoon of tea to 8 ounces of water. So, if you have a big honking mug, go ahead and treat yourself with two teabags. 

Don’t oversteep your tea!

Don’t… please don’t… just leave a teabag or worse loose leaf infuser sitting in the water for an hour. It’s not pleasant. Trust me. Follow the time guides above and then adjust to taste depending on the blend.

Enjoy!

Some people taste tea like wine, and I think that it deserves just as much mindfulness! Smell your brew then really tune into what you taste with the first sip. Take pauses, take deep breaths, and take some more sips. You earned it!

Let me know if this was helpful, and don’t forget to share any tea rituals or tweaks in your tea preparation process below! We’ll be talking a LOT about tea in this blog because it’s a huge part of my practice. Not to mention it’s fairly accessible and rather versatile. 

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