How Long Does Loose Leaf Tea Last
If stored properly, you can expect your loose leaf tea to last for up to 18 to 24 months. But to maximize its lifespan, your loose tea should be stored in airtight containers, away from light, moisture, or direct heat.
Keep in mind, though, that your loose leaf tea will not spoil . Tea is perfectly safe to consume even after the expiration date however, it will be way less potent. To get the most out of your leaves, brew while still fresh.
Common Mistakes When Brewing Tea
Remove Tea Leaves And Enjoy
Just like that you have a delicious cup of tea! Enjoy it however you wish to plain or with milk or sweetener.
Most high quality loose leaf teas can actually be steeped again. So, when you take the tea infuser out of your cup, dont toss the tea leaves out right away. Instead, set it to the side to use later and enjoy your cup of tea.
How do I re-steep tea leaves?
If you would like a second cup, put the tea infuser back in your cup. Using the same tea leaves add hot water and steep again. Essentially, repeat the steps above. For additional steeps you should increase the steep time by 1-2 minutes.
How many times can I re-steep tea leaves?
The amount of re-steeps will depend on the tea. Not all teas will be good for 2 or more steeps. Generally, I like to keep steeping the same leaves again until the water no longer changes colour.
Also Check: Dunkin Bubble Tea
Explore Plum Deluxe Tested
How Long Does Tea Last?
You may be wondering whether that old box of tea in my cupboard is still drinkable? The answer is probably yes. Different teas last for different amounts of time but generally, tea takes a while to go stale and tasteless.
How long does teavana tea last then? Well, it depends. In most cases, unflavored teas have a longer life than flavored teas.
Flavored teas and herbal teas are best within six months to a year if the package has been opened. After that, you can still drink them, but the flavors will start to dissipate. You can tell because the scent wont be as strong, the tea leaves and herbs will begin to fade, and the tea just wont taste the way you remember.
Fear not! There is nothing to be worried about when it comes to drinking old tea. It wont hurt you it just wont taste great either. So, make sure you store your tea properly and take some out to brew every now and then to see how the flavor has developed.
Unflavored green and black teas are usually good for up to 18 months, while most oolongs are generally best within two years. White and pu-erh teas can age extremely well may people age them on purpose with the goal of enriching their flavor.
Over time, loose leaf tea will mature and the breadth of flavor may expand. However, as we have mentioned the tea will lose its potency after a while. It is best to take advantage of the tea at its peak and not hang on to exposed leaves for more than a year.
Tea Brewing Instructions: How To Brew Loose Leaf Tea
Brewing loose leaf tea may seem like a daunting task, but it’s easier than it seems! We truly believe that the difference in taste and reduction of waste is absolutely worth it ! Our blog post “How to Brew Loose Leaf Tea” goes over all of the ins an outs!
The Process:
Also Check: What Tea To Drink To Lose Belly Fat
Reasons To Brew Loose Leaf Tea
Still not sure whether brewing loose leaf tea is a better choice? Well, let these benefits convince you, then:
Loose Leaf Tea Is High In Quality
This shouldnt even be explained, really. Loose leaf tea is whole and unbroken, meaning that you always know what youre getting. A teaspoon of leaves is a teaspoon of tea, without any fannings, dust, or other unwanted particles.
Loose Leaf Tea Is Healthier
Being unprocessed, loose leaf tea makes one healthy cuppa. Steeping whole leaves means extracting more of the teas healthy oils and compounds, which is what everyone is looking for in a nourishing cup.
Loose Leaf Tea Is Diverse and Allows for Combos
Loose leaf tea is not only black or green. The fresh leaf-tea options are pretty endless, and the best thing of all is that you can mix them up as you see fit. Making your own blends and finding a unique taste is only possible if using loose leaf tea.
Brewing Tea With A French Press
Who knew a coffee making device could double up as an infuser?
Before starting this method, make sure the French press has been thoroughly cleaned to avoid any coffee taste in your tea.
Take out the metal plunger and drop your loose tea into the beaker. Pour in the hot water and allow to brew. Once brewed, put the plunger in the beaker and press down as you would when brewing coffee.
Then simply pour into a mug to enjoy some fresh tea.
Recommended Reading: Is Gold Peak Green Tea Good For You
Final Brewing Tips For A Perfect Cup Of Tea
Tea Tools & Accessories: What Youll Need To Get Started
Before you can start brewing loose leaf, you need a few important items to help get the job done.
The below quick links are some of the most commonly used tools to help brew loose leaf tea. They take you to Amazon and well also go over them in more detail shortly.
Read Also: Lipton Tea While Pregnant
How To Brew Loose Leaf Tea Without A Infuser
Daily household tools or utensils that can be one of the great media of making tea and delicious.
There are many ways to brew a loose tea-like
The traditional way of brewing tea, which we all are much aware, and use to make.
However, there are some, which can be done easily and creatively –
wherein one the warm water is been poured with add up of tea leaves which is mixed properly and served in another cup in such a way that the tea leaves do not get dropped in the final cup. Likewise, the tea brew is ready.
With tea bags if out on a trip, caring tea bags and hot water flask is also useful. Where you just need to dip the tea bag on a cup of warm water and your brew is ready.
There are many more processes of tea brewing loose leaf tea with homemade creative ideas like tinfoil even with kitchen foil and so on can be ways of how to brew loose leaf tea.
Knowing How Much Loose Leaf Tea To Steep
Luckily, the tea industry created guidelines to make brewing the perfect cup of hot tea more achievable.
A single serving of loose leaf tea is typically measured as 2 grams of loose tea per 8 ounces of hot water.
These guidelines were created to make professional cupping and tasting standards consistent across the board. But if youre not a professional cupper and youre simply brewing tea at home, you may be dealing with other variables. For example, you may not have a scale to weigh out your 2 grams of loose tea. Or the dainty teacups in Grandmas collection only hold about 6 ounces of water, while your favorite cozy tea mug holds more like 12 ounces.
The industry standard measurements also dont take into account personal tea drinking preferences. Maybe you like your tea on the strong, astringent side because you like to add milk and sugar. Or perhaps you like to sip teas that are mild and therefore like a brew that is a tad weak. Whatever your preference, these are simply guidelines to get you closer to your own perfect cup of tea.
Then theres the fact that you have to weigh the tea. Dont have a scale handy? No problem. Here are our quick tea measurement guides for Teatulia®s different tea types as well as variables, tips, and personal considerations that may apply more specifically to what youre steeping.
Teatulia Loose Leaf HOT Tea Measuring Guide Measuring different types of Teatulia tea by weight and volume to yield an 8 oz. cup of hot tea.
Also Check: Herbalife Tea Burns Calories
Utensils For Brewing Tea In A Teapot
A good teapot, a strainer and a nice tea cups are all you need for a proper tea session. Avoid old teaware with unknown residues and invest more in a piece that will last for years. Volume, material and type will make brewing tea either very easy or very difficult. The best teapot for one person is usually around 200-400 ml. Our choice is a Japanese kyusu with a removable mesh because its easy to clean and handle, will last for years, and you can use it to brew almost any loose leaf tea. If you are a beginner, avoid tea vessels without handles.
If your teapot doesnt have a built-in strainer, you will also need a strainer. Keep your teapots clean and empty the leaves after brewing.
Why You Should Use Loose Leaf Tea For Iced Tea
There are many reasons you should commit to an unprocessed, loose-leaf tea-sipping, and well go over those in a second. But before we start exploring the benefits of steeping the whole tea leaves, lets see why this type of brewing is better for your iced tea.
When you think of iced tea, the first thing that comes to mind is cold, sweet, fruity, maybe zesty, drink that will quench your thirst on a hot day. But beneath all the layers of fruitiness, sweetness, and acidity lies the real flavor of the tea.
The actual taste of the tea in your regular iced tea is barely recognizable, which is a real shame. Tea can be loaded with flavor and aroma that will only boost the taste of your iced cold drink. And thats what loose leaves bring to the pitcher. A deep flavor that transforms this summer staple, and not to mention, makes it a healthier beverage.
Don’t Miss: Does Teatox Work
How To Make Tea With Loose Leaf Tea
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I dont know about you, but I sure have enjoyed having my husband, Randy, stop by for regular features. Hes here again today to share about his new insights on how to make tea using loose leaf tea. Take it away, Randy!
I feel a little silly saying I just discovered tea. Humans have been drinking it for thousands of years and its only the second most consumed drink in the world behind water. And I myself have enjoyed tea in some form every day of my life since I could hold a sippy cup. So I was already a fan of tea, however, what I just discovered was how to make tea much better.
I stumbled into a quiet coffee shop while on vacation recently. I had a hankering to try something different so I asked the barrista to hook me up with a cup of hot black tea. . They had a big selection of loose teas. I sort of randomly pointed to Thunderbolt Darjeeling not knowing anything about it. The description said fine black tea. The dude put 2 scoops of tea from the tin into a French press then poured hot water over it. He suggested I press and pour the tea into my cup after about a 2 minute steep. I did and added about a teaspoon of honey. I took a sip and it was really good. It tasted like black tea that Im used to, only much better.
Lose the bag and try making a cup or glass at home from quality loose tea. Youll be glad you did.
How To Make Cold Brew Tea
Now on to the easy bit, place teabags/sachets or loose tea leaf in a jar, top with cold filtered water and place in the fridge or on the countertop to steep overnight for 8 to 12 hours. If using cold infusing teabags, follow the instructions on the packets.
Strain tea or remove teabags accordingly and serve as desired. Enjoy
Don’t Miss: Hibiscus Tea For Sleep
What You Will Need
Tea of choice, this could be teabags/sachets or loose leaf
Recycled glass jar, a water bottle, BPA free bottle, or a dedicated cold brew bottleor
Infusion teapotsor French press and
Coffee filter paper for super smooth tea: this is optional if you used large loose tea leaves or tea sachets You can also use cheesecloth but if you are not careful, some tiny tea particles might escape into the tea.
Small hole strainer: this is perfect to strain
Using A Slotted Spoon
If you dont have a sieve at home, a slotted spoon also works well for this method. Although, it can work better for some types of tea than others depending on how big the slots are.
For example, a fine black tea would might escape through holes that are too big, whereas green whole leaf would be fine. Use your own judgement as to whether this method will work for your loose leaf.
Just brew the tea in a mug and pour into another cup through the slotted spoon once brewed.
Read Also: Smooth Move Tea Instructions
Use Fresh Water And The Perfect Temperature
Always use filtered, fresh cold water. Tea leaves love oxygen because it helps in terms of flavor development. For that reason, you never want to reheat water that is left in your kettle. Use fresh water instead.
Note the correct temperature for your tea from the instructions n the package or from the table above. Most tea should not be brewed with boiling water. Doing so can scald the delicate leaves.
The best way to get the correct temperature is to heat it to that temperature and then stop. When water boils, it loses oxygen and, as mentioned, tea leaves need oxygen.
That said, I always just boil the water and then let it cool. It is not exact, but it gets close enough for my tastes. To get the perfect temperature every time, use a thermometer. An even better option is an electric kettle that allows you to set the desired temperature.
How To Brew Loose Leaf Tea In A Teacup
A good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon of tea for no more than 8 ounces of water.
Experiment according to your tastes, because I usually prefer a little less water maybe 6 ounces.
The main thing tea needs is room to expand.
A teaball like the one pictured below is almost always too small. The leaves expand, and flavor gets trapped inside.
But is your cup or mug bigger than 8 ounces? Probably! That means using more dry tea so your brew isnt weak. And THAT means more space for the flavor to blossom.
Heres an easy solution: A strainer like this can hold a tablespoon of teaand more importantly, it will release the flavor right into your cup!
If you already have a French press, that can be a great way to brew tea.
Just be sure to clean it thoroughly with baking soda if you have also used it for coffee.
Read Also: Where To Buy Iaso Tea In Stores
Small Tea Pots & Gaiwans
For those who truly love tea, specialized teaware in a smaller size can be a worthwhile investment. Brewing in smaller quantities is a bit like brewing an espresso instead of a large pot of coffee: the result is a more concentrated flavor that can be consumed in full while fresh. The advantage in tea, however, is that the same leaves can produce more than one infusion. Watch a demonstration of how we use small teaware for gong fu cha:
Traditional teaware, like gaiwans or small teapots, are designed for maximum control over the brewing process. The wide mouth and white background of a porcelain gaiwan makes it easy to see when tea leaves have rehydrated, while the dense stoneware of Yixing is perfect for retaining heat and producing a precise pour. The high degree of control is indispensable for maximizing the flavor potential of any tea.