Loose-leaf, high-quality tea might seem intimidating to some. After all, bagged tea is relatively simple — drop a tea bag in some hot water and wait a few minutes. Loose-leaf tea, in contrast, takes itself a little more seriously but is so much better than the bagged stuff. At So Wealth-Tea, we take our cuppa seriously, too. Here’s everything you need to know about loose-leaf tea for a better tea-drinking experience.
DIFFERENT TEAS, DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES
You may be tempted to throw some of your delicious, high-quality loose-leaf white tea into a pot of boiling water and call it a day. Don’t throw away your tea by over or under-extracting it! The best online tea stores and tea heads know that different types of tea extract best at different temperatures. For example, white and green teas are extremely delicate and extract best at lower temperatures. Black tea and herbals love a bath in a rolling boil. For more tips, check out our blog post on the subject.
LOOSE LEAF JUST TASTES BETTER
The debate between loose-leaf and bagged tea has raged ever since the tea bag’s inception in 1903. There’s nothing wrong with bagged tea of course, but loose leaf offers a high-quality tea experience that bagged tea can’t compete with. That’s because bagged tea uses whole or partial tea leaves from the tea plant, Camellia Sinensis. Bagged tea, by contrast, uses the stems and leftover trimmings from these leaves, resulting in a brew that’s not as robust as its loose-leaf counterparts.
LOOSE LEAF IS MORE AUTHENTIC
According to legend, loose-leaf tea has been known in China as early as 2,700 BCE, making tea one of the oldest beverages in human history. When you brew loose leaf, not only are you getting the full flavor profile of the tea, but you’re also brewing it as it has been brewed for centuries. Tea bags, while still perfectly fine, are the products of modern invention and don’t offer drinkers the flexibility to adjust the amount of tea brewed or throw in extra ingredients. These are all benefits loose-leaf tea drinkers know well.
MAKE SURE YOU INVEST IN GREAT TEAWARE
Shoes make the man, and kettles make the brew. For a much better and more convenient tea experience, invest in high-quality teaware that meets your needs. The best online tea stores, such as So-Wealth Tea, recommend beginners start with a great, adjustable-temperature electric kettle (bonus points if it’s gooseneck). This will allow you to not only boil your water faster, but you’ll be able to dial in the temperature of your tea as well
So-Wealth Tea believes that every good day starts with a fresh cup of your favorite tea. We’re tea lovers hoping to give back to our community and connect others to rich, high-quality loose-leaf teas. Shop our selection now, and see what we So-Wealth Tea can offer.
