The drinking of tea is believed to have started as early as 5,000 years ago in China. In the East, there have long been tea ceremonies - dedicated to artful loose leaf black tea preparation. In Western countries, there have likewise been traditions and social practices that have become common place which relate to the drinking of tea. To experience the flavour most fully, it is recommended that you drink loose leaf tea, prepared in a manner most suitable to the variety of tea which you are drinking.

Selecting a tea

The drink tea is made by pouring hot water over the leaves of the plant and allowing the flavour of the leaves to be released into the water. Different varieties of tea are like different types of wine. The leaves are prepared in distinctive ways and both the preparation and variety of tea leaf create a different flavour in the tea. The most common types of loose leaf black tea are China Black Tea, India Black Tea, Australia Black Tea and Ceylon Black Tea. There are also a number of black tea blends which are available, drawing on different characteristics of the different tea varieties in the blend.

Loose leaf tea preparation

To prepare loose leaf tea, it is best to add the leaves to the water, rather than the other way around. Loose leaf is considered preferable to tea bags as the leaves are able to move freely in the water, rather than being constricted and held tightly against each other. The movement of the leaves in the water allows the oils of the leaves to be released to give each tea its distinctive flavour.

Different tea types should be prepared with water at different temperatures. As a general guideline, loose black tea needs to be made with water that is just below boiling temperature and should be allowed to stand to release its flavour from between 3 to 5 minutes; with the larger cuts of leaf requiring longer. Black teas have tannins, which can become bitter if the tea is left standing for too long before being served.

Serving the Tea

After the loose leaf black tea preparation, the serving of the tea has an element of ritual in itself. In Western countries, the precise serving of the tea in fine china was considered a reflection of the sophistication of the woman serving it. In Eastern tradition, there were specific tea ceremonies which solemnised the serving and drinking of tea. Today, these practices may still be followed, but drinking tea in your own home is likely to mean the process is much more simplified. Many who love tea and drink loose leaf tea still find there is some of that tradition and style in drinking this rather than just dunking a tea bag. Once the tea is prepared, black tea is best served with milk and sugar or lemon and honey to taste.

Drinking tea that has been prepared in a classic way and allowed to brew to bring out its full natural flavour is considered the best way to take tea by true tea lovers. There is something that little more special about having tea that has been prepared in the traditional manner and of course, the enhanced flavour of the carefully chosen and prepared tea adds to the overall experience of tea drinking.