Okay, so I’ve been getting into loose leaf tea lately, specifically black tea. It’s been a whole thing, and I figured I’d share my little journey, ’cause why not?

Getting Started

First off, I ditched the tea bags. I mean, they’re convenient, but I heard loose leaf is where it’s at for flavor. So, I grabbed a basic mesh infuser – you know, the kind that looks like a little metal ball with holes.

The Tea Hunt

Then came the fun part: finding the tea! My local grocery store had a surprisingly decent selection. I went with a classic English Breakfast and an Earl Grey, because, well, gotta start somewhere, right?

Brewing Blunders

My first few attempts were… interesting. I definitely used too much tea at first. My English Breakfast ended up tasting like I was drinking straight-up tree bark. Yikes! Then, I over-steeped the Earl Grey, and it got super bitter. It was a learning curve, for sure.

Figuring It Out

• Less is more: I started using way less tea – like a teaspoon per cup. That made a HUGE difference.
• Water temperature: Turns out, you’re supposed to use boiling water for black tea. Who knew? (Okay, probably a lot of people, but I didn’t!)
• Steeping time: I experimented with steeping times. For my English Breakfast, about 3-4 minutes seems to be the sweet spot. The Earl Grey, a little less, like 2-3 minutes.

Finally, a Decent Cup!

After a few tries, I finally nailed it! The English Breakfast was rich and malty, and the Earl Grey had that lovely bergamot aroma. It was so much better than the tea bags I was used to. I felt like a fancy tea connoisseur, even though I was just chilling in my pajamas.

My Current Routine

Now, I’m all about that loose leaf life. I even got a cute little teapot with a built-in infuser. I usually have a cup of English Breakfast in the morning and sometimes switch to Earl Grey in the afternoon. It’s a nice little ritual, and it definitely makes my day a bit brighter.

I still have a bunch to discover the world of teas, that’s just my recent simple practice and journey.