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Loose-leaf 101: brewing a calmer cup

Water temperature, steeping time and one small ritual.

By Lila Brandt5 min ritual

Loose-leaf tea rewards a little care. The two things that matter most are water temperature and steeping time. Get them roughly right and even inexpensive tea tastes better.

As a general guide, delicate green and white teas prefer water well below boiling and a short steep of 2–3 minutes. Black and herbal teas can take hotter water and longer steeps.

The ritual is the bonus. Watch the leaves unfurl, wait without doing anything else, and let the timer be your permission to pause.

Try the ritual
  • Warm your cup with a splash of hot water first.
  • Use a timer: 2–3 minutes for green, 4–5 for black or herbal.
  • Watch the leaves instead of your phone while it steeps.
  • Take the first sip slowly.
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