Okay, so I’ve been on this huge tea kick lately, and I finally decided to ditch the tea bags and try loose leaf. I went with organic black tea because, why not? Here’s how it all went down.

Getting Started

First, I had to actually find some organic black tea loose leaf. I hit up a local tea shop. Way more options than the grocery store, let me tell you!

The Experiment Begins

• The Gear: I picked up a simple little infuser – one of those metal ball things. Seemed easy enough. I also grabbed a new electric kettle. It can keep warm for me.
• The Tea: I eyeballed the amount of tea, probably a bit more than a teaspoon for my mug.
• The Water: I boiled fresh, filtered water. The guy at the shop said to let it cool for just a tiny bit after boiling, so I did that.

Brewing and Tasting

I poured the hot water over the tea leaves in the infuser, and then plunked the whole thing into my mug. I let it steep. It’s really a wonderful thing!

The Result: Okay, I’m officially a convert. This was way better than any black tea I’d had from a bag. Richer, smoother, just…more flavorful. No weird aftertaste, either. I added my favorite honey.

My Thoughts

Honestly, the whole loose leaf thing seemed a little intimidating at first, but it’s super easy. And the difference in taste is totally worth the tiny bit of extra effort. I’m definitely going to keep experimenting with different types of loose leaf tea, but for now, I’m hooked on this organic black tea!