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How to Brew Great Hot Tea

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Unlike bagged tea, you can more easily personalize loose teas to suit your individual tastes. Start with the method described below, and then vary the amount of loose tea leaves. Depending on a number of factors, you might prefer a stronger or weaker taste. Though not a requirement, an infuser can simplify your life.

We believe that a great cup of tea begins with fresh clean water:
1) Fill the kettle with cold water and heat
2) Preheat the teapot or your cup with hot tap water
3) Measure 1 tsp. of loose premium tea for each 6 oz. cup prepared
4) Pour boiling water over the leaves. Infuse for 4 minutes or less (to desired strength)
5) Strain the tea or remove the infuser basket and serve fresh.

You can pour any remaining tea into a container and refrigerate it to enjoy later. Tea can also be reheated in the microwave. However, as there is nothing like fresh tea, we suggest you brew only as much as is needed.

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How to Brew Awesome Iced Tea
The trick to making an awesome iced tea is to increase the amount of loose tea. Ice melts to dilute and weaken the taste of the tea, thus we must compensate by using more loose leaf tea.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of Canada Creek loose flavored tea
5 tablespoons of sugar or 7 packets of low calorie sweetener
1 quart of water
Ice cubes

Brewing instructions:
1) Fill the kettle with cold water and heat
2) Preheat your teapot or other container with hot tap water
3) Place the loose tea (see ingredients above) into the container and
4) Pour boiling water over the leaves. Infuse for 4 minutes or less (to desired strength)
5) Strain the tea or remove the infuser basket
6) Pour tea over the ice cubes and sweeten to taste.

Tip 1: Iced tea is best if served immediately. It will store covered in your fridge for 6 to 8 hours.
Tip 2: When sweetening a cold beverage, use sugar twin as it dissolves better than sugar

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Other methods for making Iced Tea
There are many ways to brew iced tea. Some of these are provided below. As we come across more, we will include them in this section. Have you got a favorite method of your own? E-mail it to us at service@cctm.com or if you prefer to remain anonymous, you can use the our recipe form to send us your recipes.

Sun Tea Method
Wondering about the history behind this method? Send us an email at service@cctm.com.
Place 1.5 to 2 times the normal amount of tea in a glass container along with the normal amount of cold water you would use for that batch of tea (Normal amount of tea: 1 level teaspoon per 6 oz. cup of water.) Loosely cap the container and place it in the sun for 2 to 4 hours, depending on your taste. Pour the tea through a strainer. Serve over ice.

Tip: Combine ingredients from the standard method into a glass container. Sun, strain and serve.

Cold Water Method
Place 1.5 to 2 times the normal amount of tea in a container along with the normal amount of cold water you would use for that batch of tea (Normal amount of tea: 1 level teaspoon per 6 oz. cup of water.) Place the container in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours, depending on your taste. Pour the tea through a strainer. Serve over ice.

Quick Method
Brew the tea normally as you would with hot water, using 1.5 to 2 times the normal amount of loose tea to account for the dilution factor of ice cubes (or try our standard method for 1 quart of water.) Pour the tea over ice immediately or after the tea has cooled to room temperature. (NOTE: Iced teas made by this method will appear cloudy when cooled. This is due to the high tannin content in the teas. It has no adverse affects on the flavor or quality of the product.)

Tea Maker Method
Do you own a Iced Tea making machine?? We hate to admit it, but those machines do make life so much easier for those of you who love a large quantity of iced tea. Plus, they make a pretty good cup of tea. This recipe will work for the Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker, as well as for most other iced tea machines.

1) Fill with water to the line marked on the pitcher (usually 1 quart of water)
2) Place 5 tablespoons of loose leaf tea in the basket (don't forget the filter)
3) Use 4 tablespoons of sugar or artificial sweetener to taste (optional)
4) Fill the pitcher with ice to the appropriate line (usually 2 quarts of ice)
5) Hit start and wait for the tea to brew.

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How to reduce the caffeine in regular tea
It is the end of the day and you want a hot cup of tea. The problem is that all you have at home is a regular tea. Don't want to stay awake all night with caffeine coursing through your veins? Here is a neat trick that you can do at home, or even at a restaurant, when you want a cup of "de-caf" tea, but all you have is regular.

Approximately 80% of the tea's caffeine is released in the first 30 seconds of steeping. Therefore, if you wish to have a cup of tea with less caffeine, you just have to discard the water after the first 30 seconds of steeping, replace the hot water, and let it steep again. This will do minimum harm to the flavor of your cup of tea. Happy dreams.

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