Just a quick double post to share a great little chart that showed up in my Republic of Tea e-letter…
Steeping time and water temperature are the two critical elements for brewing the perfect cup or pot of tea. This little chart might get taped inside my tea cabinet!
Do note that with the more delicate white, green and oolong teas that it matters whether you’re using a bag or loose tea. That’s because most commercial tea bags use tiny bits rather than the larger pieces found in loose tea. If you’re using some of the new tent or pyramid shaped bags, you probably want to lean towards the loose tea steeping times, as those bags seem to contain loose tea, rather than the almost dust some bags have within.
I’m still quite hung up on Mighty Leaf’s Chamomille Citrus, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a nod to The Republic of Tea’s Promise Me blend, of which $1 from every tin is donated to Susan G. Komen.
What’s in your tea cup today?
Chan Knits 
I’m not much a tea expert although reading the tea shop cozy mysteries has made me want to experiment more. You’d die if I ever made you a cup of tea – boil water in the microwave, pour over a tea bag and hand it all to you! Heathen!! I know. g
I just got the Pink Lady Apple Tea from Republic yesterday (and a few others) it also is in support of the Breast Cancer foundation!!!
Saw today in that email they have white ginger peach too—love ginger peach tea!!!
That Pink Lady Apple tea that Grace speaks of sounds awfully yummy!
I’ve been drinking mostly coffee lately, but I have discovered that I like Jasmine teas. Had some at a Chinese restaurant and loved it!
This morning’s pot is East Frisian tea (a strong, black blend) from Harney and Sons. Time to check it ROT has their Holiday teas available yet…:-)
Ben loves tea, but I can’t drink it.
No microwaves when it comes to tea. It just doesn’t taste the same.
I like using loose tea but I’ve ground up so many tea balls in the disposal that Rob winces when he sees me make a pot of tea.
I too am a tea heathen like your first replier! I use the microwave to heat up my water. I tried to tell myself to be civilized on the weekends and heat up the kettle, which seems to give me joy on vacations in condos, but there’s not always time for this in real life. I think I did it once about a month ago.
I’m a heathen like G most of the time, but not quite as bad, because I use the electric kettle. I’m with Sue in believing that microwaving tea just isn’t the same. My kettle went on the fritz in July, and my dearly beloved sent Cass to Wally World in the middle of the night so I’d have tea the next morning. Later in the afternoons, I like to have a cup or 2 of a nice tea, like my Harney and Sons Tropical Green tea.
What a handy chart! Reminds me that I haven’t been drinking my red tea lately and I do so enjoy it.
My daily poison is good old Yorkshire Gold. Can’t live without it.
Oh I need that chart. Thanks.
What’s in my tea cup? Heathbar ;)or the yogitea bedtime.
I am a bad and lazy tea drinker. I usually leave the tea bag in the container until I am done drinking it!
i know i am a tea snob and only like black teas..but we ate at a place called Pei Wei and they had this fresh brewed iced mandarin orange green tea and it was so good i drank 3 glasses and asked for a to go cup. The closest i’ve found is a green tea called St Dalfour which is an organic green mandarin orange tea. i have drank a ton of it and now my mom who is a LIPTON only person (shudder i know) loves it. i’m still searching for a loose leaf version of it. No spices only orange and green tea
I LOVE Republic of Tea. I bet I’ve tried nearly every one. There’s have some ginger peach steeping in the kitchen right now. Sunshine tea!
PG Tips. Although I have tried (and liked) a loose-leaf creamy caramel tea I picked up in a small shop in Lititz, PA. Pretty boring tea drinker…just drink lots of it made with boiling water from my kettle. Sorry, can’t stand the taste of micro’ed tea.