How to Brew Loose Leaf Tea – A Beginner's Guide
A BEGINNER'S GUIDE FROM WANDER CUPPA
Your First Cuppa of
Something Beautiful
No fuss, no special equipment — just really good tea.
If you've never brewed loose leaf tea before, the good news is it's not complicated. No special skills, no fancy equipment, and honestly no rules you can't bend once you get going.
What you do get is tea that actually tastes like something. Better flavour, more variety, and the quiet pleasure of making a cup properly. This guide will get you there.
We've kept it short. You'll be brewing your first cup before you know it.
01
Choose Your Tea
There are five main types of loose leaf tea and they're all quite different from each other. The easiest way to choose is to think about what you already like, and go from there. If you usually drink builder's tea with milk, start with black. If you prefer something lighter, try green. Want no caffeine at all? A fruit infusion is your friend.
| TYPE | CHARACTER | GOOD FOR |
|---|---|---|
| Black tea | Bold, malty, warming | Morning, with milk |
| Green tea | Grassy, fresh, delicate | Afternoons, no milk |
| White tea | Subtle, sweet, light | Any time, very low caffeine |
| Fruit infusion | Fruity, bright, naturally sweet | Any time, caffeine-free |
| Herbal blend | Floral, earthy, calming | Evenings, unwinding |
WE RECOMMEND
Benmore Peak
Black tea · 50g · 16 cups · £5.50
A bold blend of Assam, Ceylon, and Java black teas. Familiar, energising, and very easy to brew — a great first cup.
02
You Only Need One Thing
An infuser. That's genuinely all you need. It's a small stainless steel ball that unscrews in the middle. Spoon your tea leaves inside, close it up, drop it into your mug, pour water over it and lift it out when the tea's ready. Same idea as a teabag, just reusable and far better for the tea.
How to use your infuser
→ Unscrew the two halves of the ball
→ Add a heaped teaspoon of leaves to one half
→ Screw it back together and drop it in your mug
→ Pour water over it, steep, then lift it out by the chain
→ Rinse clean and it's ready to use again
No teapot needed. No scales. A heaped teaspoon per cup is all the measuring you'll ever do.
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We started Wander Cuppa because we wanted teas that actually went somewhere. Blends with a bit of character, inspired by places we'd been and flavours we'd loved. Every bag is packed by hand, in our tea room in Cumbernauld. We hope you enjoy your first cuppa.
DIANA & DAVID · WANDER CUPPA
03
Water Temperature Matters More Than You Think
This is the one thing worth paying attention to. Boiling water is fine for black tea and fruit infusions, but pour it straight onto green tea and it'll turn bitter on you. It's not a huge deal. Just let the kettle sit for a couple of minutes first, or add a small splash of cold water to the mug.
| TEA TYPE | WATER TEMP | SIMPLE GUIDE |
|---|---|---|
| Black tea | 100°C | Straight from the boil |
| Fruit infusion | 100°C | Straight from the boil |
| Green tea | 80–90°C | Off the boil, 2 min rest |
| White tea | 90°C | Just off the boil, 30s rest |
| Herbal blend | 100°C | Straight from the boil |
04
Brew It. Don't Forget It.
How long you leave the leaves in makes a real difference. Too short and the tea tastes weak; too long and it goes bitter. Set a timer on your phone the first few times and you'll quickly get a feel for it.
| TEA TYPE | STEEP TIME |
|---|---|
| Black tea | 3–5 minutes |
| Green tea | 2–3 minutes |
| White tea | 3–5 minutes |
| Fruit infusion | 5–10 minutes |
| Herbal blend | 5–10 minutes |
Don't panic if you wander off and lose track of time. Most of our blends are fairly forgiving. A minute over won't ruin your cup.
05
Make It Yours
Once you've made your first cuppa, start playing around. Use more leaves if you want it stronger, steep it a bit shorter if you want it lighter. Try a fruit infusion with a spoonful of honey. Drink your black tea without milk once, just to see what it actually tastes like.
There's no wrong way to drink tea you enjoy. The whole point is finding what works for you. That's half the fun of it.
One Last Thing: Keep It Fresh
Loose leaf tea is best kept somewhere cool and dark, away from moisture and strong smells. A cupboard is perfect. Our pouches are resealable so they do the job well, but a small tin works too if you want to keep things tidy on a shelf.
Most blends stay fresh for 24 months. Although in our experience, the ones you like tend not to hang around that long.
Ready to Wander?
We're Diana and David, and we pack every order by hand from our tea room in Cumbernauld. Browse our full collection and find something you like the look of. We think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Free UK shipping on orders over £25 · Hand-packed in Cumbernauld, Scotland