1. Never steep black teas for longer than five minutes otherwise the flavour can become harsh and astringent
2. Never steep white or green teas for longer than three minutes and ensure that the water temperature for these teas are never higher than 80 degrees; this can be achieved by adding a quarter of cold water to the tea before topping up with three-quarters of hot water
3. Fruit/herbal tisanes that contain no ‘proper’ tea at all don’t really have steeping time limits – a longer steep time simply results in a stronger flavoured liquor
4. While we avoid the addition of milk to every cup so we can appreciate its full flavour (with the exception of Builders' Brew and Masala Chai), never add milk to green or white teas
What is cold-brew tea?
Cold-brew tea is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Different from iced tea, (which is made by pouring hot tea over ice) it is made by adding tea leaves to cold water and refrigerating for a number of hours – usually overnight. This process serves to develop the delicate flavour of the tea more gently than the quick hot water method we know and love.
Cold brewing works brilliantly with all teas in our range but is particularly effective when used to steep delicate green and white teas.