There is no one best way of boiling water for tea. It all depends on the tea that you’re preparing. Most of us are only concerned with good old fashioned black tea here in the southern United States. I myself love sweet iced tea but this article will cover all different types of teas and how to prepare them. Before you get overwhelmed, we’ll break it down so you can easily understand what we’re going to learn for each type of tea:
- How much tea leaves to brew
- How long the leaves need to steep
- What temperature the water should be for brewing
Continue reading to learn how to brew your favorite tea.
Loose Tea Brewing Guide By Cup
Tea
Amount
Time
Temp
Black
~1 1/2 Teaspoons
~3 Minutes
~200º
Green
~2 Teaspoons
~2 Minutes
~175º
Oolong
~2 1/2 Teaspoons
~3 Minutes
~195º
White
~2 1/2 Teaspoons
~3 Minutes
~180º
How to check the temperature of your water
An instant read thermometer is the easiest and most accurate way, at least until you start to get a feel for what temperature works best for you and what that temperature feels like. You can read about our picks for the best instant read thermometer. It’s an article geared toward probing meat temperatures but the thermometers are not just for reading meat temperatures but for instantly reading any temperature around the kitchen.
Best Rated Instant Read Meat Thermometer
Steps for brewing tea in a teapot
- Boil water
- Add the needed number of cups of water to teapot
- Allow water to cool to the required temperature for your tea temperature
- Add the required amount of tea to the teapot for the number of cups you’ll be serving
- Steep for the required length of time
- Strain and serve
At what temperature does water boil?
Water boils at 212ºF which is above the brewing temperature of tea. Once your water begins to boil you can remove it from the heat and monitor it’s temperature as it cools down to the ideal brewing temperature.
How to make perfect southern sweet iced tea
Proper sweet iced tea is taken pretty seriously here in the southern states. It’s the staple drink of the south. Some like it just sweet enough to remove any bitterness while others like it sweetened to the point you can stand a spoon upright in it. We’ll suggest a reasonable amount of sugar in our instructions but know that you can obviously adjust it to your tastes.
- Boil 4 cups of water
- Remove from heat
- Add 12 individual tea bags
- Steep for 5 minutes
- Remove tea bags
- Add 1 cup of sugar a stir
- Add 12 cups of water
- Refrigerate overnight
- Enjoy
NOTE: Tea shouldn’t be kept more than 1 week but you’ll be lucky to have any left after 1 day so this likely won’t be an issue.
Is Sweet Tea bad for you?
Unsweetened black tea is actually very healthy and can reduce the risk of cancer, lower blood pressure, and promote weight loss. High amounts of sugar are obviously bad and so sweetened iced tea should be drank in moderation. Also, too much tea can cause kidney stones which may not necessarily be unhealthy but you’ll wish for a swift death in the event you encounter this problem.
Why is my iced tea bitter?
The two most common reasons for tea that is too bitter is that the temperature was too high or the tea was steeped for far too long. Be sure to follow the prescribed instructions and you’ll end up with a winning batch of tea.
Why do you put baking soda in iced tea?
A pinch of baking soda makes the flavor of tea smoother by removing some bitterness and smoothing it out.
How many tea bags does it take to make a gallon of iced tea?
12 individual tea bags are the ideal amount for making a gallon of sweetened or unsweetened souther iced tea. You can alternatively use 3 family sized tea bags instead. Lipton and Luzianne also sell 1 gallon tea bags specifically designed for brewing 1 gallon of tea at a time.
What kind of tea is used to make sweet tea?
Black tea from companies such as Lipton or Luzianne are common for making proper sweet tea.
Other Resources:
Helpful Links
Wrapping Up:
Best Method Of Boiling Water For Tea
Whether you’re brewing tea in a tea pot and serving in tea cups or brewing it a gallon at a time as sweeten southern iced tea, temperature is probably the most important aspect, closely followed by steeping time, and lastly, amount of tea leaves to brew. No matter which way you prefer to enjoy your tea be sure you’re brewing it properly. Boiling is just the very beginning of the process. Never place your tea in boiling water since boiling temperature is above the ideal steeping temperature for any tea. Also, you can’t rush good tea. Be sure you steep for the prescribed period of time. Good luck in your tea brewing and drinking adventures.
