How do you brew black tea?

To brew black tea, please don't stop at "boiling water, three to five minutes." That might serve some teas well for industrial teabags or particularly if you want a strong infusion to add milk and sugar. But it is not a universal truth.

Brewing loose leaf black tea well involves three variables:

Leaf-to-water ratio

  • Most of our black teas call for 2.5g per 150ml of water.
  • If you like a stronger flavour add more tea.
  • Because the size and shape of the leaf varies between teas, weighing is the more accurate approach but each product page also gives a teaspoon or tablespoon measurement if you don't have scales to hand.

Water temperature

  • For most of our black teas drunk without milk, 80-90°C (176-194°F) is a good starting point.
  • For teas taken with milk, boiling water draws out the tannins that balance the richness of the milk.

Infusion time

  • This depends on your preference but most of the great flavours in tea are released in the first 90 seconds. After than the tannins start to take over.
  • You may need these extra minutes for a strong milky tea
  • Strain immediately when ready. Leaving the leaf in contact with water means it keeps brewing - like a steak in the frying pan.

We also offer a handy Printable Tea Guide here.

Making multiple infusions

Most of our black teas are worth re-infusing. A second or third steep can be more complex and delicious than the first.

If you are making a very long, strong infusion of black tea - you may only get one cup out of the leaves. But you might experiment with multiple, shorter infusions and less water - to experience every nuance of flavour held in a precious leaf.

Speedy Breakfast is the exception. It was blended for exactly that - to make a quick and delicious infusion. 45 to 90 seconds with boiling water extracts its full malty flavour. But it gives everything in that first infusion, gloriously and completely.

Under every one of our teas you will find specific recommendations for that particular leaf.

A note on equipment: you do not need anything elaborate to make delicious black loose leaf tea.

Our simple stainless steel Mug Infuser is the easiest bit of kit.

A tea pot has been around for millennia. They are not hard to use and we have a lovely range.

Our tea strainers are handy gadgets for decanting your tea from the leaves.

Explore our full range of teaware here.

Does black tea need milk, or can you drink it on its own?

Black teas that have been beautifully made by skilled artisan can and be enjoyed - just as they are - without anything added.

An industrial black tea teabag, however, drunk without milk or something to sweeten it, may be completely unpalatable.

These teas work well with milk, but can also be enjoyed without:

These teas are best without milk; their more subtle flavours will be overpowered by it:

How does the way you brew tea effect the flavour?

It is possible to extract a wide range of flavours from the same leaf depending on how you brew it. With our collection of loose leaf black tea, you can:

  • Increase the strength of black tea by varying the amount you use (unlike the tyranny of pre-weighted teabags). The more tea, the more flavour.
  • Increase the tannins by lengthening the infusion time. This won't add more flavour - but it will allow more of the bitter, tannic flavours to dissolve.
  • The temperature of the water will also dictate the solubility of some of the polyphenols and catechins in the leaf and how their flavours are released. As a rule of thumb - lower temperatures of around 80-90 degrees (176-194°F) allow you to make a sweeter, more nuanced cup of tea v boiling water.

How does brewing effect Black iced tea?

What black iced tea tastes like depends on how you infuse the leaf.

  • If you make a hot tea and let it cool - it will slowly oxidise and the flavour will deteriorate. (you know what it's like when a cup of tea you forgot about goes cold.)
  • To make really excellent, flavour stable, iced black tea our recommended method is a long slow, cold infusion

Black tea cold infusion

  • This will bring out the sweetest notes in the leaves, through infusion by osmosis (instead of rupturing the cell wall with hot water).
  • You will find our black teas cold infused in-house in restaurants and bars across the world from Japan to Copenhagen because they pair so beautifully with food.
  • Because Rare Tea Company's black teas are so beautifully crafted, the iced teas made from them are incredibly complex and tannin doesn't overpower the flavours - so no sweetener is required.
  • Iced black teas make a brilliant non-alcoholic, sugar-free option to pair with a variety of dishes.

We have spent decades finding the best tasting black teas and experimenting to find the best ways to extract the best flavours. It's an important reason why great restaurants and hotels choose to partner with us.