Ghograjan Teas’ Crash Course Guide For Brewing Black Tea

This the first of several posts to help you make the perfect cup of Assam black tea using several different brewing methods. These techniques apply equally to all of our teas.

We are starting with kettle brewing because it is the most ubiquitous method. Every tea drinker needs to know how to use the kettle.

What you need:

• Ghograjan loose leaf black tea
• Electric or stove-top kettle
• Tea infuser or strainer
• Tea cup/mug

Step 1 - Set your infuser or strainer in your teapot or mug. Place 2-3 teaspoons of loose leaf black tea into the infuser/strainer.

Step 2 - Bring the water in the kettle to a full boil at 212° F.

• Most electric kettles either have a temperature control setting or are programmed to turn off at a full boil
• With a stove-top kettle, as soon as it starts whistling, you are good to go
• If your electric kettle does not have clear settings or you are using a non-whistling kettle, a food thermometer reading 212° F will work just fine
• Don’t worry if your water has gone a little above or below the boiling point, but you want it to still be within a couple degrees of 212° F

 Step 3 - Pour the water from the kettle over the infuser/strainer into your teapot/mug.

• Keep an eye on the clock or set a timer
• Let the tea leaves steep in the water for at least 3 minutes for a standard brew
• Steep for 4 minutes for a stronger brew
• Remove the strainer from your mug or pour out your teapot into your drinking glass

Step 4  - Enjoy your tea! 

Why is it important to use boiling hot water?

Water at lower temperatures will not bring out the full flavor of black tea leaves. When brewing a rich, full-bodied Assam black tea using boiling hot water to maximize the flavor of the leaves is a must. 

This is a big difference from brewing some other types of tea like green tea. When brewing green tea, water that is too hot will damage the leaves. 

Why does the steep time matter?

In short - if you brew it for less time, there won’t be much flavour to the cup (it’ll taste like water) and if you brew it for too long, it’ll taste bitter (which is what majority of the people end up doing).