Loose Leaf Tea FAQ | Brewing, Storage, Shipping and Orders

Everything people actually ask us about brewing, storing and buying loose leaf tea, answered by the people who pack it. If your question is not here, write to brewyoursip@gmail.com or call +91 7003685847.

Brewing loose leaf tea

How do I brew loose leaf tea without an infuser?

Put the leaf straight into the pot or the cup, pour the water on, wait, then pour through a small kitchen strainer into a second cup. That is how tea has been made in India for a century and it works better than most infusers, because the leaf has room to open. If you are brewing chai, you are boiling and straining anyway, so no equipment is needed at all.

How much loose leaf tea per cup?

One level teaspoon, roughly 2 to 3 grams, per 200ml cup. For chai use a slightly heaped teaspoon, about 3g, because milk dilutes it. In imperial terms, 1 oz of loose leaf tea is about 28g and brews 10 to 14 cups, and 2 oz brews 20 to 28 cups.

What water temperature should I use?

• White tea: 75 to 85°C
• Green tea: 75 to 80°C, never boiling
• Jasmine and scented green: 75 to 80°C
• Darjeeling first flush: 85 to 90°C
• Darjeeling second flush: 90 to 95°C
• Earl Grey and black tea: 90 to 95°C
• CTC chai leaves: full boil, with milk
• Herbal and chamomile: full boil

If you have no thermometer: boil the kettle, then wait 30 seconds for black tea, two minutes for green, three for white.

How do I brew loose leaf green tea without it going bitter?

Bitterness in green tea is almost always one of two mistakes: water that is too hot, or steeping too long. Use water at 80°C and stop at three minutes. Boiling water scalds the leaf and pulls out tannins faster than the amino acids that balance them, which is what makes the cup harsh. Whole leaf green tea brewed correctly should need no sweetener at all.

How many times can I re-brew loose leaf tea?

Whole leaf teas can be re-brewed. Hand rolled green tea pearls take three to four infusions, white tea two to three, Darjeeling two, and each one tastes slightly different, getting lighter and sweeter. CTC chai leaves are single use, because the leaf is already crushed and gives everything up on the first brew. Re-brew within the same day and do not leave wet leaf sitting overnight.

How do I cold brew loose leaf tea?

Use one tablespoon of leaf per 500ml of cold water, put it in the fridge, and leave it eight to twelve hours. Strain and drink within three days. Cold water pulls out sweetness and aroma but leaves most of the tannin behind, so cold brew is smoother and less bitter than anything you can make hot. Green tea and jasmine cold brew best; hand rolled pearls are exceptional. Do not cold brew CTC chai.

Storing loose leaf tea

What is the best way to store loose leaf tea?

Four things ruin tea: air, light, heat and moisture. Keep the leaf in its resealable pouch or an airtight opaque tin, press the air out, and store it in a cool dark cupboard. Do not keep it in the fridge, do not keep it in a clear glass jar on the counter, and do not keep it next to the spice rack or the coffee, because tea absorbs smells from everything around it.

How long does loose leaf tea last?

Sealed, our teas carry an 18 month shelf life from the pack date. Once opened, black tea and CTC hold well for six to twelve months. Green, white and first flush Darjeeling are best inside six months, because the delicate aromatics are the first thing to go. Tea does not become unsafe, it just becomes dull.

Is loose leaf tea better than tea bags?

For flavour, yes, and the reason is grade rather than marketing. Tea bags are filled with fannings and dust, the smallest particles left after the whole leaf has been sorted out. They brew fast, release tannin quickly, and go flat. Whole and large cut leaf has room to unfurl, holds its volatile aromatics, and can be re-brewed. Per cup it is also usually cheaper, because you are not paying for the bag, the string, the tag and the individual wrapper.

Our tea

Which tea should I start with?

If you drink milk chai, start with the chai sampler. If you are moving off green tea bags, start with the green tea sampler. Both are three 20g pouches for ₹399, which is about a week of drinking each one. Buying a sampler first is cheaper than guessing wrong on a 500g pouch.

Do your teas contain sugar, colour or flavouring?

No. Nothing on this site contains added sugar, artificial colour, flavour enhancers or preservatives. Where a tea is scented, such as our jasmine, it is scented with real blossoms rather than sprayed with flavouring. All products are made under FSSAI licence and packed in food grade resealable pouches.

Are your Darjeeling teas genuine?

Our first flush and second flush Darjeeling are GI tagged, meaning they come from the designated Darjeeling growing region in West Bengal rather than being blended with cheaper leaf from elsewhere. The GI tag works the same way as the AOC designation on Champagne.

Orders and delivery

Do you ship across India?

Yes. We ship anywhere in India from our Kolkata premises, and orders are usually dispatched the same day. You will get a tracking link when the parcel leaves us.

Is delivery free?

Shipping is free on orders above ₹199. Below that a delivery charge applies at checkout.

Do you offer cash on delivery?

Yes, cash on delivery is available on eligible pin codes. If COD is not offered at checkout for your address, it is not currently serviceable there. We also accept UPI, cards and net banking.

What if something arrives damaged or wrong?

Write to brewyoursip@gmail.com with your order number and a photo, and we will sort it out. Full terms are in our refund policy and shipping policy.

Can I buy in bulk or for an office?

Yes. Most of our teas come in 1kg pouches, which are the cheapest option per cup and suit households drinking chai twice a day, offices, and small cafes. For larger wholesale quantities, call +91 7003685847.

Answers written by Archit Shah, Managing Director, Unik Tea Centre Private Limited. Brew Your Sip is a brand registered under the company, whose parent business is Unique Tea Centre, established in Kolkata in 1988.