All our teas come with a brewing guide (enclosed with each order) to help with brewing times. The time suggested is only a guide and after a while, you can experiment with brewing times to end up with the perfect cup of tea to suit your own taste.

Our loose tea comes with suggested quantities to use. Most of our tea bags have enough tea in them to make 2 cups of tea as opposed to most tea bags which are 1 bag per cup. Remember if you want a stronger cup of tea you should use more tea and not – just brew for longer! Is there a difference between loose-leaf tea and tea in a teabag? The size of the tea leaf is the main difference. Because loose leaf tea has a larger leaf it becomes difficult to pack it into a teabag and still give it enough room to swell once it has infused. Manufacturers that produce tea bags use low-grade tea with tiny leaves with a larger surface area so they can claim their tea brew quicker. A good tea will take a bit of time to brew so all our teas come with a recommended brewing time.

Tea should always be stored in a cool dry place. The best container is air-tight and dark. Avoid plastic containers as these can taint the tea and allow light in. If stored correctly tea can maintain its quality for well over a year but it’s always best to have the freshest tea available. How do you decaffeinate tea? Tea can be decaffeinated in a number of ways. The main commercial method for decaffeinating black tea is to use either ethyl acetate or methylene chloride by washing the leaves at the end of the production process in the organic solvent. This process is strictly monitored and governed by legal limits and has minimal effect on the final quality of the tea.

Most teas contain approximately 40-70mg of caffeine per cup compared to coffee which contains on average 100mg per cup and cola which has about 30-60mg per 300ml. Even dark chocolate has approx 35-40mg of caffeine in 60g of chocolate. Black teas tend to have slightly more caffeine, other teas tend to have slightly less. Herbal “teas,” which are not truly teas but infusions of herbs, generally have no caffeine.

Not only is tea a delightfully refreshing drink in its own right, but tea also contains many natural chemicals that have positive benefits for health. There has been a lot of research and many claims that tea can help with a number of ailments and conditions. We cannot verify the claims and only report what has been said. Tea does contain many useful minerals and vitamins that the body needs on a daily basis as well as containing powerful flavonoid antioxidants and poly-phenols. It is accepted that Herbal Tea (not strictly a tea but an infusion) can help with many common complaints such as upset stomachs & headaches.

The amount of oxygen held in water is reduced by continued boiling which can leave the tea tasting rather flat or bitter. It can also make a tea of a different color and strength. It is always best to start with freshly drawn cold water each time you make tea. Having made the case for probably putting the milk in last there are some people who insist the tea tastes different if the milk goes in first. In the end, it doesn’t make a lot of difference so go with what gives you the best-tasting cup of tea.

Orange Pekoe is a term that describes the “grade” of a tea leaf in India or Sri Lanka. It does not mean the tea has an orange flavor. This grade of tea refers to the size of the leaf… not quality.