Dabbling in loose-leaf tea

So, you are curious to try loose-leaf tea. You may be a conscious consumer interested to discover the origins of most things you eat and drink but have not yet been convinced to leave the perceived ease and convenience of a teabag. In your heart you know the world of tea is probably slightly better, you may have read the health properties of drinking loose-leaf tea or stumbled into a tea retailer and been enticed by the aromas of the tea leaves.

Congratulations! Perhaps you are not experiencing all that tea has to offer but where do you go from here? We are big believers here at The Steepery Tea Co. that preparing and drinking tea should not be overcomplicated. We do like to brew our tea with love and care as this ultimately leads to enjoying drinking the tea we have created. We do not feel that this equates to challenging and timely brewing processes. If we are splitting hairs perhaps discarding the tea leaves and rinsing the infuser may add an additional minute to cleaning up but this is minor compared to the resulting cup of tea.

What basic equipment do I need to make a cup of loose-leaf tea?

• Loose-leaf tea
• In-cup tea infuser (or a small teapot with a strainer)
• Teacup or mug
• Water

We would encourage newcomers to loose-leaf tea not to make large investments in teaware. Instead invest in excellent quality loose-leaf tea and use basic tea equipment to begin with. We offer a few in-cup tea infusers in store that can help you get brewing straight away.

What styles of loose-leaf tea might I prefer?

For those accustomed to drinking a breakfast style tea we suggest trying the following pure (non-blended) styles of loose-leaf tea.

• Assam – a strong full-bodied tea that is renowned for its velvety mouthfeel and comforting malty flavours. Try our Chota Tingrai Assam
• Arakai Estate – an Australian grown semi-sweet black tea that is rounded and comforting. Delicious to drink plain. 
• Milan Kumari Autumnal – autumnal flushes from Nepal tend to be bold with a darker and bold liquor. Produced in a short season between October and November these teas tend to be a darker leaf.

And now it is over to you to enjoy and explore the world of tea. We are certain you are going to enjoy what you discover!