How to Brew Tea

A high-leaf, short-steep method that uses a small pot and many quick infusions to show how a tea changes cup by cup.

A lidded porcelain bowl used for short, repeated infusions; it shows leaf and liquor clearly and works with any tea type.

One long steep in a full-size teapot with a modest amount of leaf, poured off completely to serve two to four people.

Loose-leaf tea steeped in a mug with a fitted basket, giving whole-leaf flavor with tea-bag convenience for one person.

Pre-portioned leaf in a paper, mesh or pyramid bag, steeped in a mug; the fastest method, with results set by time and temperature.

A small side-handled Japanese teapot used for short, cool steeps of sencha and other green teas, poured to the last drop.

Thin matcha: about 2g of sifted powder whisked into 60-70ml of hot water until a fine, even layer of foam covers the bowl.

Thick matcha: about 4g of top-grade powder kneaded slowly into 30-40ml of water to a glossy, syrupy paste with no foam.

Loose leaf dropped straight into a tall glass or mug, sipped all day and topped up with hot water before it runs dry.

Loose leaf steeped in cold water in the fridge for hours, giving a sweet, low-bitterness tea that needs no ice.

Tea brewed hot at double strength and poured straight over an equal weight of ice, ready to drink in under 10 minutes.

Strong Assam black tea boiled with milk, sugar, ginger and whole spices on the stove, the way it is made across India.

A strong black tea blend simmered, pulled repeatedly through a cloth filter and finished with evaporated milk for a dense, silky cup.

Chinese gunpowder green tea brewed with fresh spearmint and sugar in a metal teapot, then poured from height into small glasses.

A strong black-tea concentrate kept hot in a small teapot on top of a water urn and diluted to taste in each glass.

Loose leaf steeped freely in a plunger pot, then pressed and poured off completely to brew a measured batch without a teapot.