Loose Leaf Tea

Types of Loose Leaf Teas and Choosing What to Drink

There’s something for every tea drinker with loose leaf. Learning about the different types of loose leaf teas could help you find your new favourite brew.

Below are some of the most popular types of loose leaf tea:

• Black Teas: Bold and rich. From the classic English Breakfast to the malty goodness of Assam tea, black teas give you a strong, energising cup to have with milk and sugar.
• Green Teas: A lighter, more refreshing option. Sencha and Dragon Well are examples of green teas with a balance of grassiness and sweetness, perfect for a low-caffeine boost.
• Oolong Teas: Floral or fruity. Oolong teas are partially fermented, with a complex and refreshing flavour profile. 
• Herbal Teas: Often caffeine-free, with plenty of health benefits. Choose from fruity and floral blends for a burst of flavour, or spicy and soothing infusions.
• White Teas: Minimally processed. White teas are famous for their flavour and antioxidants. Sweet and subtle, Silver Needle is a gentle tea.

 Why Choose Loose Leaf Tea?

Loose leaf tea offers many benefits when it comes to flavour and experience – all of which can make it a completely different drinking experience compared with tea bags. These include:

• • Quality: Generally made of higher quality leaves than tea bags, the taste and essence of a loose leaf cup is stronger and better. 
  • Variety: Choose from black tea, herbal tea and even blended mixes. This variety allows you to discover new favourites and make your tea time interesting and rich.
  • Control: Decide how many leaves to use, how long to steep and at what temperature to get the perfect cup.
  • Sustainability: Switching to leaf tea is not only better for the environment but also helps cut down on packaging waste.
  • Experience: From steeping your tea leaves into the teapot to the last sip, loose leaf tea is savoured with its aromas and layers of flavour.
  • Leaf size: Whole leaves maintain more essential oils and nuanced flavours.
• Reusability: Good quality leaves maintain their flavour for more than one brew, for better value and less waste.
• Health benefits: Whole leaves are full of natural antioxidants and, unlike tea bags, contain no other materials.

How to Make and Serve Loose Leaf Tea

Steeping loose leaf tea is an experience to be savoured. It combines artistic finesse with scientific precision. 

Heat the water until a rolling boil is achieved, reaching 100°C. Put your loose leaf black tea into the pot and let it steep for 3-5 minutes, depending on how strong you like it.

Different teas flourish under specific conditions. When brewed correctly, they unleash their full potential in flavour and aroma. Here’s how to master the art of tea-making with different varieties:

• Oolong: This tea prefers a gently heated environment of 85°C to 95°C. Steep your Oolong for 3-5 minutes. Watch closely to capture the desired taste profile.
• Avoiding bitterness is key with Green Tea: Heat the water to a moderate 80°C to 85°C, and steep for a short duration of 2-3 minutes. This will help preserve the delicate nuances of its flavour.
• Treat White Tea with care: Heat water to a mild 75°C to 80°C. Steep for 1-3 minutes. Ensure a gentle infusion that respects its subtle taste.

Remember, these recommendations serve as a starting point. We encourage you to adjust the brewing time and temperature to align with your individual palate. 

Next, you should consider how you’ll enjoy your tea. How you serve and consume loose leaf tea can make the experience better. 

Here’s how to serve loose leaf tea to get the most out of every cup:

• Choose Your Tea: Choose a loose leaf tea that suits your taste. Whether you like the strong flavours of black tea or the subtle notes of green tea, there’s something for everyone.
• Use the Right Amount: Generally use one teaspoon of loose leaf tea per cup. This can vary depending on the tea and your personal preference. Adjust to your taste.
• Watch Your Temperature: Use fresh filtered water and heat it to the right temperature for the tea you’re brewing. Black teas need boiling water, green teas need slightly cooler water to avoid bitterness.
• Steep the Tea: Steep the tea leaves for the recommended time, which varies by tea. Black teas steep for 3-5 minutes, green teas for 2-3 minutes. Adjust to your taste.
• Enjoy: Pour the tea into your cup and take a moment to smell and savour. Drinking loose leaf tea is not just about the taste, but the whole sensory experience.

 How to store loose leaf tea

How you store your loose leaf tea is key to enjoying each cup. It preserves the freshness, flavour and aroma of the leaves for up to two years.

Firstly, leaves should be stored in an airtight container. Air can get in after packaging and degrade the quality. Transferring the tea to an opaque airtight container is essential. Choose storage solutions made of tin, ceramic or dark glass. These options block out light.

Loose tea must also be stored in a cool, dark place. Avoid direct sunlight, heat and moisture. These conditions accelerate oxidation. This can change the tea’s natural flavours and moisture can cause mould and alter the tea’s characteristics.

What is Loose Leaf Tea?

Loose leaf tea is made using the full leaves and buds of the Camellia Sinensis tea plant – not cut and not crushed. It’s an alternative to tea bags, which are heavily processed and portioned into pouches.

Loose tea is popular for its flavour and aroma, compared with tea bags, which use finely cut leaves that lose some of their taste and fragrance.

The use of loose leaf tea can be traced back over 5,000 years to ancient China.

How is Loose Leaf Tea Made?

Loose leaf tea is made from the finest leaves, hand-picked and treated to preserve the natural flavour and aroma. Here’s the journey:

1. Plucking: Carefully hand-picking tea leaves, usually the top two leaves and a bud, from the tea plant. This ensures only the tender and flavourful parts of the plant are used.
2. Withering: Leaves are spread out in a controlled environment to wither, allowing excess moisture to evaporate so they become pliable for the next stage.
3. Rolling: The withered leaves are then rolled to break down the cell structure and release the enzymes for oxidation. This is crucial for the tea’s flavour profile.
4. Oxidation: The rolled leaves are left to oxidise for a certain period, depending on the type of tea being produced. This step changes the colour and complexity of the leaves.
5. Firing: To stop the oxidation and dry out the leaves, they are heat-treated. This step locks in the tea’s unique flavours and aromas.
6. Sorting and Grading: Finally, the processed leaves are sorted and graded according to size, quality and characteristics – so only the best loose leaf tea ends up in your cup.

Can you drink loose leaf tea without a strainer?

Yes. You can use an infuser basket or even a sieve to remove the leaves from the mug before drinking – or simply wait for them to sink to the bottom of the mug.

 Why is loose leaf tea better than tea bags?

Many people prefer loose leaf tea to tea bags as whole leaves maintain more flavour and aroma than the finely cut leaves in tea bags – providing a more enjoyable drinking experience. You can also reuse loose tea leaves two or three times without losing out on flavour.

 Is loose leaf tea better for the environment?

Loose leaf tea is generally better for the environment than tea bags as it doesn’t require any additional materials and the leaves can be composted. You can also reuse loose leaves multiple times without losing flavour.

Can loose leaf tea be reused?

Yes. Most loose leaves can be reused a few times. You may need to steep the leaves for slightly longer on the second or third use to get the best flavour.

Does loose leaf tea expire or have a shelf life?

Loose leaf tea doesn’t expire in the way fresh food does, and can maintain its flavour and aroma for a long time when stored correctly in an airtight, opaque container.

When stored correctly, loose leaf tea can maintain its freshness and flavour for up to two years.