How to Make a Good Cup of Tea

Setting Up

Start with the water. Whether you use bags or loose tea, water is the second most important ingredient. Off tastes in your water, such as chlorine, iron, or sulfur will make your tea noxious to smell and drink. Fill an empty kettle with 1 cup (250ml) fresh, cold water. Tap water is acceptable for most purposes, but a truly great cup of tea starts with filtered water or spring water. Never use distilled water, or previously-boiled water. The more oxygen in your water, the better the tea will taste.

Heat the kettle. If you don't have an electric kettle, you can use a stovetop tea kettle—as long as it lets you get the water hot, it's good.

Bring the water to a boil. Wait until the kettle switches off automatically or your tea kettle whistles. Optional: Wait for the water to cool off. Some teas are steeped with boiling water, while some are steeped in water that's slightly cooler. Experiment with your tea to find what works best.

Rinse out the cup with boiling water.

Steeping

Place the tea bag or loose tea into the cup. If using loose tea, spoon in 1 teaspoon per cup. You can also use a tea ball, or an infuser, but use the same amount of tea. If milk is desired, add into the cup. Some believe adding milk before the hot water is best, others feel tea brews best in hot water, and don't add milk until the tea is done steeping.

Add water. Pour water from the kettle into the cup until 4/5th full. Leave room for milk, if you wish to add that.

Let steep. Wait for three to five minutes to let tea steep—more or less depending on the type of tea you are making, and the recommended brewing time. About one minute for green tea. Three to six minutes for black tea. Six to eight minutes for Oolong teas Eight to twelve minutes for herbal teas. Note: if you like stronger tea, don't steep longer—add more tea, instead.

Serving

Use a teaspoon to remove the tea bag. Discard it, or recycle it, as desired. If sweetener is desired, place a spoon of sugar or honey into the cup and stir thoroughly.

Drink the contents of the cup at a leisurely pace and enjoy the goodness that is tea. You might like to add some biscuits or a piece of cake on a plate with your tea.

Finished.