There are 3 Keys to making a good cup of tea. Quantity, Temperature and Time.
Quantity
There is no set rule for how much tea to be used. It all comes down to personal preference and the type of tea being brewed. For someone who is new to tea brewing, we recommend using 3 grams of tea per 8 ounce cup of water. How much is 3 grams of tea? For most teas, it is 1 tea spoon. However, for some open leaf teas such as White teas and some Oolong teas, it may take two or more teaspoons to equal 3 grams. And for some other teas that are tightly rolled and broken up use less than 1 teaspoon. Remember, 3 grams of tea per 8 ounce cup of water is not a rule of thumb. You can use more or less tea leaves according to your preference, and your brewing habit. It is always better to use less tea leaves if you are not sure how strong you would like the tea to be.
Water Temperature
Low temperature (160˚F - 175˚F) is ideal for delicate teas such as Chinese Green teas, Steamed Japanese Green teas, and White teas. When infusing young and delicate tea leaves, if the water is too hot the tea infusion will become bitter and astringent. Thus, we recommend using water between 160˚F and 175˚F (70˚c- 80˚c). Examples of teas that required low water temperature are Bi Luo Chun, high grade Dragon Well, Jasmine Pearls, Sencha, Gyokuro, Silver Needle and so on.
Medium temperature (175˚F - 195˚F) is recommended for Green teas with only leaves (no buds), White teas that are fully withered, and Oolong teas that have tender buds. Teas that required medium temperature are Flavored Green Teas, Kukicha, White Poeny, Shou Mei, and Jade Oolong.
High temperature (195˚ F- 212˚F) is best for fully fermented Black teas, Pu-erh teas, and most Oolong teas. Examples are Breakfast teas, Flavored Black teas, Ti Kuan Yin Oolong, Formosa Oolong and so on. We can use broiling water to bring out the full flavor from these teas.
Steeping Time
How long should we brew the tea for? There are many things to consider. Personal preference, tenderness of the tea leaves, fermentation level of the tea leaves, and amount of tea leaves, are all taken into consideration when we decide how long a steeping time is for a particular tea.
Below is a general guide line for different tea types.
Under 2 minutes for the most delicate teas. Teas that fall into this category are Gyokuro, high grade Matcha, high grade Dragon Well, and so on.
2-3 minutes for Green teas, light Oolong teas and green Pu-erh teas. Examples are Sencha, Jasmine Pearl, Gunpowder Green tea, green Ti Kuan Yin Oolong, Pouchong Oolong,Tung Ting Oolong.
3-5 minutes for Black teas, White teas Dark Oolong teas and dark Pu-erh teas. Examples are Breakfast teas, Chai Teas, Silver Needle White tea, Peony White tea, dark Ti Kuan Yin, and Formosa Oolong.
Our Black Dragon Pearls is a hand-rolled small batch production from Yunnan, China. The pearls are hand rolled using only the highest quality leaves and buds. It brews a rich cup with the signature sweetness and hints of jammy flavor. Right amount of astringency with a touch of earthiness.
For brewing, we recommend using 2-3 pearls per 8 oz. cup of water at212° and steeping for 3-5 minutes.
This rare tea from Yunnan China consists of mostly golden tips with fine aroma. It brews an exceptionally cup that is malty and full-bodied with a rich peppery finish. Golden Yunnan is one of the top qualities available from Yunnan Province. It is only made during the last two weeks of March and the first two weeks of April, when the new season growth flushes in a particular manner that gives a high percentage of golden tips. This well rounded tea will not disappoint. Brew up a cup of Golden Yunnan to relax yourself in the afternoon or after dinner!
Country of origin: China
Grade: Special Golden Tippy Orange Pekoe
Manufacture Type: Orthodox
World renowned for its strong full-bodied cup. Our Ceylon Kenilworth brews a malty flavored cup that is full of life and very smooth. A fine tea after dinner or in the afternoon.
Kenilworth tea is known around the world for its full bodied strong liquors (liquors is a tea tasting terms for taste of the tea in the cup) and is considered to be the hallmark of Ceylon medium grown teas. This estate receives an average rainfall of 190 inches per year. The location of the estate is unique in that both the South West and North East monsoons bring rain to this particular region. The Kenilworth Orange Pekoe grades are the most sought after by any medium grown tea garden.
Addtioinal Information
Country of Origin: Sri Lanka Grade: OP (Orange Pekoe)
Altitude: 3000 feet Manufacture Type: Orthodox
Infusion: Noire tending coppery
Our English Breakfast is a blend of Ceylon, Kenya and India black tea. It brews a full bodied breakfast tea with excellent body and full flavor. It also takes milk very well. A perfect morning tea to get the day started.
Country of Origin: Sri Lanka / Kenya / India Grade: Flowery Pekoe
Manufacture Type: Orthodox Infusion: Bright Coppery
This is an excellent summer harvest Darjeeling tea from Sungma Estate. The signature muscat grape aroma and taste is very prominent in this tea. The brewed tea is golden and aromatic. The taste is fruity and slightly spicy with hints of honey and squash. It is pleasantly astringent with a nice sweet finish. It is an excellent afternoon tea for both new and experienced tea drinkers.
Country of Origin: India Manufacture Type: Orthodox
Grade: TGFOP (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe)
Altitude: 6800 feet above sea level
Infusion: Bright and golden
A classic Ceylon tea. Light liquoring with hints of delicate floral notes. Dashes of astringency reminiscent of plum are sprinkled throughout the cup.
Country of Origin: Sri Lanka(Ceylon) Grade: Pekoe (Certified Organic)
Attitude: above 6000 ft Manufacture Type: Orthodox
Infusion: Bright tending yellow
Organic Credentials: Certified Organic by Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd.
This is a classic Indian Assam black tea from Behora Estate. It brews a full-bodied cup with bold malty flavor, strength and just the right amount of astringency. Classic example of a top Assam Tea.
Country of Origin: India
Grade: TGFOP (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe)
Manufacture Type: Orthodox
Infusion: Bright and tending coppery
From one of the best tea gardens in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Lover's Leapbrews a cup of middle to light bodied tea that is bright with excellent floral notes. Produced during peak season. Lover's Leap is characterized by a delightful flavor that is astringent and lively.
Country of Origin: Sri Lanka Grade: OP (Orange Pekoe)
Altitude: 6000-8500 feet Manufacture Type: Orthodox
Infusion: Bright and Coppery
Golden Spiral brews a rich and flavorful cup with hints of honey and spice. This beautiful Golden Spiral is a hand made black tea from the famous Chinese province of Yunnan. As the birth place of tea, Yunnan is a beautiful mountainous region. The geographic character, soil condition and climate make Yunnan an ideal tea producing region. Golden Spiral bears some similarities amount other premium Yunnan Teas. It is well balanced and complexity, sweet, astringent to a point where it does not get too bitter. A classic example of high quality Yunnan black tea.
Our Kenya Milima is a rich full bodied tea with floral-like flavor notes. The cup has thickness with a malty but lively character. A perfect all day tea. It is the best grade produced by Milima .
Country of origin: Kenya Altitude: 6000 ft
Grade: GFBOP (Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe)
Manufacture Type: Orthodox
Infusion: Bright and coppery orange.
If you are fan of Earl Grey and have not tried the Cream Earl Grey (Earl Grey de la Crème), you are in for a treat. Cream Earl Grey has a taste that is smooth with vanilla overtones which stand out above the premium bergamot flavor. It is An exquisite Earl Grey character mellowed with soft hints of cream. This is a tea that would complement a meal or any aristocratic occasion for that matter! Truly a taste extravaganza.
Country of Origin: Sri Lanka Grade: OP (Orange Pekoe)
Altitude: 4800-7600ft Infusion: Bright and Coppery.
Ingredients: Ceylon Black tea, Cornflower petals, Natural flavors.
Same great flavor as the regular Cream Earl Grey black tea. Decaffeinated using a natural CO2 process that allows tea leaves to retain their shape and flavor. Excellent both hot and iced.
If you are fan of Earl Grey and have not tried the Cream Earl Grey(Earl Grey de la Crème), you are in for a treat. Cream Earl Grey has a taste that is smooth with vanilla overtones which stand out above the premium bergamot flavor. It is An exquisite Earl Grey character mellowed with soft hints of cream. This is a tea that would complement a meal or any aristocratic occasion for that matter! Truly a taste extravaganza.
Country of Origin: Sri Lanka Grade: OP (Orange Pekoe)
Altitude: 4800-7600ft Infusion: Bright and Coppery.
Ingredients: Ceylon Black tea, Cornflower petals, Natural flavors.
This lychee black tea is a delightful tea infused with the natural flavor of sweet lychee. It is excellent both hot and iced.
Scented teas have been around for a long time and are produced according to ancestral recipes. Before the advent of essential oil extracts one of the easiest scents to duplicate was Lychee a fruit that plays an important part in Chinese life. The plantations would squeeze Lychee fruits plucked from the trees, which grew in the area. The result was a delicate and finely flavored tea. Today the practice remains virtually the same, but essential oils are used to scent the tea to meet the demands. Lychee tea has a long historty. It is one of the first flavored teas that were introduced to the Western world. Give it a try. You won't be disappointed.
This warm and welcoming Pumpkin Spice is the perfect fall and winter tea. Premium Ceylon black tea is blended with pumpkin spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, marigold flowers and natural pumpkin flavor. Get your fall and winter day started with a nice pumpkin spice tea latte in the morning!
Ingredients: Ingredients: black tea, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, marigold flowers and natural pumpkin flavor.
Our Monk’s blend is medium bodied and flavorful with piquant Ceylon character. Blended with natural flavor oils of vanilla and grenadine, which impart a smooth and unique heavenly flavor.
Ingredients: Black tea, calendula petals, daisy white, marigold petals, and natural flavors.
Country of Origin: Sri Lanka Grade: OP (Orange Pekoe)
Altitude: 4800-7600 ft Manufacture Type: Orthodox
This exceptional 2nd Flush tea is from Castleton Estate, which is situated in the Himalayan region of Darjeeling (India). It brews a delicate cup of tea with wonderful muscatel highlights. Our batch of Castleton tea is graded F.T.G.F.O.P. (finest tippy golden flowery orange pekoe) and is in the upper 10 percentile of Castleton‟s quality.
Country of Origin: India Manufacture Type: Orthodox
Grade: FTGFOP (Finese Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe)
Altitude: 3500-7000 feet above sea level
Infusion: Light with subtle astringency and classic muscatel character.
Our Earl Grey has an unbelievable aroma that portends an unbelievable taste. A correct balance of flavoring results in a piquant and refreshing true Earl Grey taste that goes well with pastries and cakes. The true taste from the bergamot oil creates an Earl Grey that calls you back for more. No wonder it is the most consumed afternoon tea.
Country of Origin: Sri Lanka Grade: BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe)
Altitude: 4800 - 7600 feet Manufacture Type: Orthodox
Infusion: Bright and Coppery.
Ingredients: Premium black tea, Bergamot oil, Blue flowers (Cornflower petals), Citrus peels.
The famous spring Golden Monkey is grown and produced in Fujian, China. Golden Monkey is noted for its rich aroma, sweet taste, golden color and well-twisted tippy leaf. Leaves are harvested in Spring. After a labor intensive production process, this tea is hand sorted to ensure a beautiful leaf appearance. The leaves are curly, wiry and well twisted with a high percentage of tips evident. This exceptional tea can be infused multiple times.
Country of Origin: China Manufacture Type: Hand sorted Orthodox
Region: Fujian Province Altitude: 4800 ft
Grade: S.T.O.P (Special Tippy Orange Pekoe)
Cup Characteristics: A full bodied tea with an exotic origin character which tea tasters describe as ‘mouth-feel’.
Infusion: Very bright and golden coppery color
This Keemun Black tea from China is a fine example of a winey Keemun -very often referred to as the “Bordeaux or Burgundy of Tea”. The tea infusion is rich with orchid like fragrance -a fragrance that some say can be enhanced with milk. This grade has tightly rolled leaves that promote a deep rich concentrated flavor - in fact when properly stored takes on a deeper winey and mellow character. This is the third highest grade of Keemun that is available, (the two top grades are Hoa Ya A and Hoa Ya B), and is only made during March and April growing months.
Country of Origin: China Grade: Keemun Mao Feng
Altitude: up to 5000 ft Manufacture Type: Orthodox
Infusion: A reasonably thick reddish liquor.
Cup Characteristics: Winey and juicy with a very clean cup that has depth and character.
Brews a delicate tending astringent cup with the distinctive ‘Muscatel’ grape character. Hints of currant create an almost wine-like taste. We like it as an afternoon or a after-dinner tea.
Information: The bushes at Margaret’s Hope are almost entirely the Chinese Jat (genus) accounting for the green leafed tippy appearance of the manufactured leaf and the superb fragrance. Because the tea is grown at such high altitudes and in relatively cool weather the bushes do not grow quickly, and as such the production is limited. The best time of the year for quality is during ‘second-flush’ (end May - end June). During this time Darjeelings are incomparable to any other tea in the world. The fragrance and taste is a complex bouquet that reaches right out of the cup. Some would describe the taste as nutty; others find it reminds them of black currants, but most often it is described as similar to the taste and fragrance of muscat grapes.
Country of Origin: India Manufacture Type: Orthodox
Grade: TGFOP (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe)
Altitude: 6800 feet above sea level
Infusion: Bright tending light