How to Brew Loose-Leaf Herbal Tea Properly (Most People Get This Wrong)

Loose-leaf herbal tea is more forgiving than green tea, but it still rewards a little care. The difference between a great cup and a flat one is almost always in the brewing.

Start with fresh water. Not water that's been re-boiled three times — fresh, cold water from the tap, freshly boiled. Re-boiled water has lost much of its dissolved oxygen, and the tea will taste flat.

For herbal infusions like hibiscus, moringa, lemongrass and butterfly pea, use water just off the boil — around 95°C. Unlike delicate green teas, hardy flowers and roots need that heat to release their compounds.

Measure one slightly heaped teaspoon of dried botanicals per cup (around 200 ml). Too little, and the cup tastes thin; too much, and it turns bitter.

Cover while steeping. This is the step most people skip — and it matters. Covering traps the aromatic oils that would otherwise escape with the steam.

Steep for 5–7 minutes for most herbal teas. Hibiscus can take a full 7. Butterfly pea is lovely at 4–5. Always taste before you assume.

Finally, strain into a cup you genuinely love holding. The right vessel turns a drink into a ritual.