How To Brew The Perfect Cup of Tea

Switching from tea bags to loose leaf tea is an amazing decision. Loose leaf tea is bursting with flavor and packed with health benefits that tea bags just can't match. And the best part? Making loose leaf tea super easy and fun! Let me show you some simple ways to make your loose leaf tea.

Hot Infusions:

Hot Infusions are one of the most common ways to make a cup of tea. Hot infusions draw out vitamins, enzymes, and aromatic volatile oils. The longer certain herbs are steeped, the stronger their flavors. Longer steeping times tend to draw out more minerals.

Directions:

1. Heat water until it just comes to a. boil.

2. Place 1 to 3 tablespoons of dried herbs into a tea strainer or placed in your tea pot, mason jar, or mug. 

3. Pour hot water over herbs to submerge them and cover to help hold in any volatile oils. 

4. Steep for 15 minutes to 1 hour (depending on how hot your want it and strain)

Digest Better is great for hot infusions

Cold Infusions:

Cold Infusion is a slow and gentle process where tea steeps in water for hours in the refrigerator.

Cold infusions  is important if you are trying to extract delicate vitamins, flavonoids, mucilaginous carbohydrates and enzymes from herbs. Slippery elm, fruits, raspberry leaf, and marshmallow roots are just a few examples of herbs that do well in a cold extraction. 

Cold infusions makes a sweeter, smoother tasting tea since tannins, which can make tea bitter, aren’t steeped out of the tea in cold water the way it does in hot water.

Directions

1. Combine about 1 tablespoon tea per cup of cold water in a lidded jar. Shake the jar for a few seconds, then place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours. 

2. Strain out tea leaves.

Cold brewed tea can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Vitamin C Is a great tea to make as a cold infusion

Long Infusions:

The longer the water has contact with the herb, the more minerals it can extract from the plant.

“Because minerals are rock-like, we need to break open cell walls to get at them. To extract minerals, we need heat, time, and generous quantities of plant material.” – Herbalist Susun Weed

Do this before heading to bed!

Directions:

1. Put water on the stove to boil.

2. As the water is heating, pack your jar one-third to halfway full with plant material.

4. Pour the boiling water up to the rim of the jar, screw on a tight lid

5. In the morning, strain the herbs out (squeezing it well).

Drink before the day is over and make a new one for the next morning..

Not all plants can be steeped over long periods of time because they contain high levels of volatile oils, which can be toxic and detrimental to your health. Examples of plants unsuitable for nourishing herbal infusion are lavender, chamomile, bergamot, ginger, rosemary, lemon balm, and mint- 

Replenish Is a great tea to make using a long infusion. 

Decoction:

The longer the water has contact with the herb, the more minerals it can extract from the plant.

“Because minerals are rock-like, we need to break open cell walls to get at them. To extract minerals, we need heat, time, and generous quantities of plant material.” – Herbalist Susun Weed

Do this before heading to bed!

Directions:

1. Put water on the stove to boil.

2. As the water is heating, pack your jar one-third to halfway full with plant material.

4. Pour the boiling water up to the rim of the jar, screw on a tight lid

5. In the morning, strain the herbs out (squeezing it well).

Drink before the day is over and make a new one for the next morning..

Not all plants can be steeped over long periods of time because they contain high levels of volatile oils, which can be toxic and detrimental to your health. Examples of plants unsuitable for nourishing herbal infusion are lavender, chamomile, bergamot, ginger, rosemary, lemon balm, and mint- 

Replenish Is a great tea to make using a long infusion.