CommuniTEA

Never brewed loose leaf before? No worries! Unlike tea bags, loose leaf tea gives you richer flavor because the leaves have room to fully expand. All you need is a mug, hot water, and something to strain with. Here’s how.

1. Grab an infuser — You’ll need something to hold the leaves while they steep. A mesh ball, basket infuser, or even a small fine-mesh strainer works great. No infuser? You can steep the leaves loose and pour through a strainer into your cup.
2. Measure your tea — Use about 1 teaspoon (roughly 2–3 grams) of loose leaf per 8oz cup of water. Don’t stress about being exact, you can always adjust to taste next time!
3. Heat your water — Different teas like different temperatures. Green and white teas are delicate, so use water around 175°F (just before it boils). Black and herbal teas can handle a full boil at 200–212°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, let boiling water cool for a minute or two for greens.
4. Steep it — Pour the hot water over your leaves and let them sit for 3–5 minutes. Shorter steeps are lighter and sweeter, longer steeps are bolder and sometimes more bitter. Experiment to find your sweet spot!
5. Remove & enjoy — Take out the infuser (or strain the leaves) and your tea is ready! Most loose leaf teas can be re-steeped 2–3 times. Just add a minute to each steep. You’ll often discover new flavors on the second cup.