Guide to Loose-Leaf Tea for Beginners
Million mugs of tea are consumed daily making it the most recognized beverage in the entire world. However, majority of the consumer still lack knowledge about loose-leaf tea as they have not explored options beyond tea bags.
So, are you ready to explore the world of loose-leaf tea? Loose leaf tea is the best tea alternative for a tea bag. Whether you prefer black tea, milk tea, green tea, or herbal tea, loose leaf variant is available for all these teas.
Unlike tea bags, loose-leaf teas are not mass produced. This provides them with good robust flavor and better taste profile. Once you start your journey with the loose tea leaf, it is very unlikely that you will go back to the tea bags. This we can assure.
What is loose-leaf tea?
In simple words, loose-leaf tea is a tea that is not packaged in tea bags. If you have ever opened the tea bags, you must have noticed the dusted or tiny pieces of tea leaves in them but the loose teas do not come in dust particles. When the tea leaves are dusted, they lose most of the essential oil which degrades their quality and freshness. The loose tea comes in boxes or containers as a whole or as broken parts of the tea leaves, which makes them more flavorful and qualitative.
Steeping the loose tea leaves directly into water instead of the tea bags; provides more room for the infusion of aromas and minerals which helps to make the tea more delicious. This is one of the reasons that makes the loose tea so special.
How to choose loose-leaf tea?
You will find different types of loose-leaf tea from the different tea production companies in the market, but always remember to select the leaf tea with the best quality. So, how to know about high-quality loose-leaf tea? We have listed some of the things that you can do to identify the best loose-leaf tea for preparing the best tea.
Check the Appearance
Yes, you can also determine the quality of the loose tea leaves by studying their looks. The tea leaves that are large in size are more likely to be of the highest quality and provide the highest flavor. Besides the size, the color of the leaves can also show different characteristics of the tea. The dark green colored loose tea leaf has a stronger infusion and flavor than the pale green colored loose tea leaf
Feel Them
The leaves should not break into pieces when you touch them softly. They should feel smooth and a little bit heavy. If you feel that the leaves are very light then it indicates that they are not fresh or they are over-dried.
Look at the Description
You should always read the description provided in the product, before selecting them. Many tea producers use artificial flavorings which can impact the health of the drinkers. So, read the ingredient information so that you can avoid the product that has been prepared using an ingredient that is not suitable for your health.
Online shopping is getting more popular today, so many tea producers also provide loose-leaf tea online. There are many online sellers who promote their product as the best loose-leaf tea online. But it can be difficult for you to select the best quality tea online as you cannot check the product physically. So, it is important that you gather the full description of the product before deciding to select the loose tea online.
Best Loose-Leaf Tea for Beginners
Tea lovers have varieties of tea types to choose from to start a day with a fresh and energetic feeling. People love different types of tea for different reasons, whether it be for its health benefits, taste or flavors. So, if you are one of the beginners who just started to explore the world of tea, then you may find it difficult to decide on the best loose-leaf tea for you. Everything is new for someone at some point in life, so you do not have to worry about it. To make it easy for you, we have listed some of the best loose tea for beginners.
Earl Grey Loose-Leaf Tea
Earl grey is popular as versatile tea as this high-quality tea can be enjoyed in the morning, afternoon, or evening. Available in rich flavor, earl grey tea, popular as one of the best loose tea provides a citrusy aroma. The black tea that is scented using bergamot oil also adjusts very well with the milk. The tea is definitely recommended as a tea for beginners as this tea can create an amazing first impression for the people entering to the world of tea.
Mint Herbal Teas
Mint herbal tea is the best loose tea for you if you are looking to begin the journey of tea by avoiding caffeine but still enjoying the many health benefits of the tea. Mint herbal teas are usually prepared using peppermint and spearmint and both of them have their benefit. Spearmint herbal tea tastes softer than peppermint herbal tea as they are high in menthol levels. Go for it, if you are looking for deliciously fresh with a slightly sweet taste in your tea.
Masala Chai Tea
Even if you are just a beginner in the tea world, just a cup of this spicy masala tea will encourage you to think of it as one of the best loose-leaf tea ever made. This tea will take your journey directly to a new level with a unique satisfaction level and its spicy taste provides you with the vibes of enjoying the culture of south Asian regions. The tea is blended using the spices such as ginger, cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon, and cardamom which can be enjoyed with or without milk. It makes this tea perfect for milk tea lovers as well as black tea lovers.
How to make loose leaf tea?
If you have decided on the best loose-leaf tea for you then the next question you are probably asking to yourself is – how to make loose-leaf tea. Being a beginner does not mean that you will find it very difficult to make loose-leaf tea. Keep on reading to find out the best way to brew loose-leaf tea.
Steps to Make Loose Leaf Teas
Step 1: The first thing to do is to ensure that you have all the required equipment available. So, keep ready the equipment like a loose-leaf teapot, mug, or infuser.
Step 2: Fill your loose-leaf teapot or mug with water and then heat the water. If your pot or mug is non-electric, you can heat the water on the stove and then pour them into the pot.
Step 3: Once the water reaches the desired temperature, place the loose tea leaf in the water and let the leaves steep for a while. It is recommended to steep the leaves for 1 to 5 minutes depending on the type of tea you are preparing. For example, you can complete the steeping process after one minute for green tea or white tea whereas you are required to steep for a minimum of 5 minutes for teas like herbal tea and rooibos tea.
Step 4: After completing the steeping process, it is time to enjoy your tea. Take out leaves from the pot and then add the sweetener as you desire and enjoy your tea.
How much loose-leaf tea per cup?
The best tea requires you to use the correct amount of loose tea leaves and water. If you are a beginner, you may need a tea guide for preparing the tea by balancing the tea-to-water ratio perfectly. The tea tastes best when you use one teaspoon of loose-leaf tea in 6 ounces of water. As one cup contains 8 ounces of water, you will need to use a little bit more than one teaspoon in it. However, it also depends on your taste preference. With this tea guide, we would like to inform you that brewing the tea for a longer period of time does not make it stronger, instead, it degrades the flavor. If you want your tea to be stronger, then you should increase the amount of loose-leaf tea in the water.
Conclusion
Danfe Tea which is also popular for producing the best-flavored tea from Nepal, strives to make beginners fall in love with Himalayan tea. The teas are cultivated at high altitudes which makes the tea plant grow at a slow speed and as the result, high levels of antioxidants are received.
As the loose leaves are grown in the Himalayas of Nepal, it gets the perfect climate for developing the strongest flavor making it one of the best options for beginners who are taking their initial steps in the tea world.
Danfe Tea brings you the finest loose-leaf tea from the Himalayas. With over 30 natural loose-leaf tea variants, we offer 1 lb variants and also offer monthly tea subscription.
