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Brewing loose leaf tea is a delightful process that allows you to fully appreciate the flavours and aromas of the tea leaves. The brewing time can vary depending on the type of tea you're using, as different teas require different temperatures and steeping times to bring out their best qualities. Here's a general guide on how to brew loose leaf tea:

Equipment You'll Need:

1. Loose leaf tea
2. Teapot or tea infuser
3. Tea kettle or hot water source
4. Tea cup or mug
5. Timer

Steps:

1. Choose Your Tea: Select the type of loose leaf tea you'd like to brew. Common types include black, green, white, oolong, herbal, and more. Each type will have specific brewing instructions, so it's essential to know what type of tea you're working with. You can read the Let's talk Tea blog post for more information about the different types.

2. Measure the Tea leaves: Use about 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of loose leaf tea per 200ml cup. Adjust the amount based on your taste preferences and the tea's strength.

3. Preheat Your Teapot or Infuser: Pour hot water into your teapot or tea infuser to preheat it. This helps maintain the water temperature during brewing, ensuring even extraction.

4. Heat the Water: Different teas require different water temperatures to bring out the best in them. If the water is too hot the tea can become bitter. Here are some general guidelines:

   • Black Tea: Boiling water (212°F or 100°C)
   • Green Tea: 175-185°F (80-85°C)
   • White Tea: 160-185°F (70-85°C)
   • Oolong Tea: 185-205°F (85-96°C)
   • Herbal Tea: Boiling water (212°F or 100°C)
     
     

5. Add Tea Leaves: Discard the preheating water and add the appropriate amount of tea leaves to your teapot or infuser.

6. Pour Water: Pour the heated water slowly over the tea leaves so not to disturb them too much. Be sure to cover all the leaves to ensure even steeping.

7. Start the Timer: Different teas have different steeping times so to ensure the perfect taste profile. Here's a general guideline:

   • Black Tea: 3-5 minutes
   • Green Tea: 1-3 minutes
   • White Tea: 2-5 minutes
   • Oolong Tea: 3-5 minutes
   • Herbal Tea: 5-7 minutes
     
     

8. Monitor the Steeping Time: It's crucial not to over-steep your tea, as it can result in bitterness (Green tea especially). Use a timer to track the steeping time accurately.

9. Remove the Tea Leaves: Once the tea has steeped for the appropriate time, remove the tea leaves from the teapot or infuser to prevent over-extraction. Putting them into a compost is great for the garden.

10. Enjoy Your Tea: Pour the brewed tea into your cup or mug and savour the flavours and aromas. You can enjoy it plain or add sweeteners, milk, or other flavourings according to your preference.

Remember that these are general guidelines, and the best flavour might come from some experimentation. Over time, you'll develop a sense of how you like your tea brewed.

Enjoy your tea journey!

Get Smile Tea Tokens every time you spend!

Here at Tea & Leaves we like to look after our fellow tea lovers and reward your returning custom with real discounts that can be used on our products.

We use Smile.io to create and manage our customer loyalty programs, referral programs, and other engagement strategies. Customers will typically interact with Smile.io through our website and communication emails.

Here's how it works:

1. Earning Points: Customers can earn points by completing various actions defined by the loyalty program. These actions might include making purchases, referring friends, writing reviews, following the business on social media, or engaging with other activities specified by the program.
   
   Ways to Earn:
   5 Tea Tokens = for every £1 spent online
   25 Tea Tokens = follows on Instagram & Facebook
   

2. Redeeming Rewards: Accumulated points can be redeemed for rewards. Rewards might include discounts, free products, exclusive content, early access to sales, or other incentives provided by the business.
   
   Ways to Redeem:
   100 Tea Tokens = £1 order discount

3. Referral Programs: With Smile Rewards customers can refer their friends to Tea & Leaves. When referred friends make purchases, both the referrer and the referred friend can earn rewards or points.
   
   Referral = £3 off token

4. Account Dashboard: Here our customers can track their points balance, see available rewards, and monitor their progress towards unlocking different tiers or benefits within the loyalty program. Be sure to sign up!

5. Engagement and Interactions: Depending on the loyalty program, our customers might engage with us in various ways, such as participating in surveys, interacting with us on social media, or leaving reviews. These interactions can earn them additional points or rewards.

6. Program Communication: We may communicate program updates, promotions, and other relevant information to customers through emails, notifications, or other channels. Customers can stay informed about their program status and any special offers.

7. Account Management: Customers can manage their loyalty program account details, update their preferences, and adjust communication settings through the account management features.

Become our Tea Friend and join the scheme to save you money and love our tea as much as we do.

If you have any queries please get in touch at info@teaandleaves.co.uk

Tea itself, from the Camellia sinensis plant, typically doesn't contain allergens. However, flavoured teas or herbal blends may contain allergens depending on the ingredients used. Some common allergens that might be found in flavoured teas include:

1. Nuts: Almonds, hazelnuts, or other tree nuts may be used in flavoured teas or as additives.
2. Soy: Soy lecithin or soy-based flavourings may be used in some teas.
3. Dairy: Some teas may contain milk or milk derivatives such as powdered creamer.
4. Gluten: Tea blends containing additives like malt flavouring may contain gluten.
5. Fruits: Certain teas may contain dried fruit pieces like citrus peel or berries, which can cause allergic reactions in some individuals.
6. Spices: Some teas may contain spices like cinnamon, which can be allergenic for some people.

We import our teas and ingredients from around the world meaning that some may have been prepared in an environment which handles nuts and other allergens. 

It is essential to check the ingredient list on our teas if you have allergies or sensitivities to specific ingredients. Additionally, cross-contamination can occur during processing, so individuals with severe allergies should exercise caution and ask for assistance if you are unsure.