Brew Your Own Bliss (BYOB): The Methods for Brewing a Perfect Cup of Tea, Part 2
Preparing Your Teas
Now that you have some understanding of the basics of tea making, it’s time to get those herbs into some water! In Part 1 we covered loose leaf teas and tea bags, different equipment you can utilize, and a few tea blends plus individual herbs you might like.
*If you haven’t yet read Part 1 of our series on crafting your own teas, you can find the link to that article here:
https://herbsfromtheheart.com/articles/brew-your-own-bliss
Let me start by saying: don’t get overwhelmed. Do NOT feel like this is a “start doing all of these now!” type of thing. I don’t do all of these, and I’ve been at this for years (and I’m by all rights and admissions a tea nerd). If you’re new to this, pick what feels attainable and flows easily into your life. If you’re loving it and want to then add an additional method, perfect. This is meant to be peaceful, calming, and enjoyable.
A tea bag is typically “steeped;” steeping is 1 method of preparing a tea, much like infusions (which some of us have likely heard of). I’m going to go roughly in order of simplest to most complicated (roughly, don’t hold me to it).
Proportions: Aim to use about 1 Tablespoon of your dried herbs per 8 oz of water. If you’re planning to make iced tea, you’ll want to use closer to 2 Tablespoons per 8 oz of water.
Method 1: French Press OR Tea Ball OR Mug Tea Strainer
This is a relatively simple way of preparing. In a French press, you first add the herbs to the bottom of the beaker. With a tea ball or mug strainer, the herbs are added to the ball or strainer. Regardless, you want to then pour boiling water over the herbs, and cover with a relatively tight-fitting top. If it’s in a mug, a small plate works just fine if that’s all you have, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. You can let it steep longer if you dare! (Some herbs can get quite bitter after 10-15 minutes). What’s convenient about these methods is they have built-in straining- no fuss, no mess, no complication.
Method 2: Infusion
You can realistically make an infusion in any container with a tight-fitting lid. The traditional way is to:
Add your herbs to a jar or sauce pan
Pour boiling water over them
Cover with a lid
Allow to steep for 15 minutes
Strain and enjoy.
There are other ways to create an infusion, but this is a simple, straightforward way.
Method 3: Sun Tea
This can be pretty fun, especially when you’re living in Arizona and feel there’s zero benefit when outdoor temperatures rise above 120 degree. Now you can name 1 benefit. You’re welcome.
You’ll want to use a glass container (large masons jars can be great). This is an opportunity to get creative and try new herbs and flavors: if you have fresh herbs in the fridge you’ve been cooking with like mint and basil, throw them in! What’s the worst that can happen?
Add your herbs to the water, close the container/lid, and let it sit in the sun for 4+ hours. Many people like to enjoy it iced because if you’re able to make a true sun tea it’s probably on a pretty hot day.
This is a great blend for Sun Tea (or an iced tea in general). Kids will love it!
Herbal Lemonade
This special blend is absolutely delightful, cooling and nutritious! It's great for the whole family to enjoy ... they will be asking for more!
Ingredients: Nettle, Oat Tops and Lavender.
Method 4: Decoction
This isn’t exactly beginner level stuff, but I look for opportunities to show you that I believe in you.
A decoction is a method used specifically for drawing out the properties from those deeper parts of a plant (like roots, barks, nuts, & seeds).
Take note, NOT ALL roots are to be decocted, so be sure to reference them beforehand. As an example: a couple popular ones- valerian and golden seal- should not be decocted.
There are several methods to decocting; this is a simpler way, and close to the way that I use virtually every day:
Bring your water to a boil in a saucepan.
Add 1 Tablespoon of herbs per 8 oz of water in the saucepan.
As you add the herbs: quickly cover with a lid, turn down the heat to a low simmer, & let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Next, turn off and let sit.
Finally, use your Fine Mesh Strainer to strain and enjoy that tea!
Getting CreaTeave!
Mix a blend, 50/50%, with coffee. This can be especially satisfying with a root blend, such as something with Dandelion. Andrea has an Herbal Coffee Blend that can pair extremely well.
Freeze your tea into cubes in an ice tray!
Imagine dropping tasty or healthy tea ice cubes into a seltzer or sparkling drink as you make a mocktail. Picture yourself: elegant, next-level, talk of the party, and so health forward.
Make popsicles for the kids
Add some honey, a little juice, or some nut milk to make it creamsicle style! (You don’t have to be a kid to have these 😉)
These are just a few ideas, but there are so many creative ways to bring teas into your life.
Are you unsure of the BEST or correct way to prepare an herb? It’s worth knowing, especially when it comes to something like decoctions. Ask an herbalist! Andrea loves helping and is knowledgeable beyond words, and I’m here for you too. Send a message here or reach us on Instagram anytime.
Which method are you ready to try first? We hope you feel inspired to make tea a bigger part of your weekly rituals. It’s a huge part of who we are and we want to continue sharing it with more of you. Sending love.
This article is for educational purposes only. Our articles have not been evaluated by the FDA and our products do not claim to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
About the Author
Tim Peters is the Founder of Mind Body Business as well as a Certified Herbalist. He provides 1 on 1 business coaching plus writing and copy editing for health professionals. If you want to connect or learn more about him:
Tim@mind-bodybusiness.com
www.mind-bodybusiness.com
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