Making Tea

[Anonymous]

I grew up in a culture where my family used a small ceramic teapot to make a really strong tea concentrate. When it was time for tea, you would dilute it with hot water. The concentrate was remade every couple of days.

As an adult now, I am curious how others make their tea. I use paper tea bags or those mesh strainers to make a cup at a time (or a regular tea bag). But whenever I read a book, or a forum, someone either mentions making a pot for themselves, or making a cup in a seemingly quick fashion (like people in books set in the UK).

How does one make a pot of tea? Do you use the same bag or strainer, and wait for it to brew, then take it out and then settle with a nice pot? Surely leaving the tea in the pot would overbrew it?

Do books make the process seem faster, or is my electric kettle just so slow? It just feels like such a production to make tea that I cannot imagine, for example, making it first thing in the morning.

[Anonymous]

I'm a hot tea addict, I have an instant hot water dispenser to instantly make a cup of tea whenever I want. Best thing ever.

[Anonymous]

Are you from Russia/FSU? I am and that’s how we used to make tea over there. These days, I just use tea bags or the “strainer” if having loose leaf. We do have several nice tea pots but pretty much never use them. I find that even if we serve tea when having company, people want a variety of flavors so it doesn’t make sense to serve just one pot.

[Anonymous]

I usually make a cup at a time, but when I do make a pot it doesn't take much longer than making a cup. A little extra time for the kettle to come to a boil, but that's the only difference. It's not really any slower than brewing a pot of coffee.

I put a few teabags in the pot, add the water and then take the tea bags out when it's steeped long enough. I have a teapot cozy to keep the tea warm so I can go back and have a second cup that's still hot.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure I understand your question - making a pot of tea is like making a cup except using more water and more tea. So, depending on the size of your pot, use 3-4 bags/scoops instead of one, and let it sit longer.

I am Indian, we boil the tea and spices in a pot of water and add milk to the pot (regular pot, not tea pot).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you from Russia/FSU? I am and that’s how we used to make tea over there. These days, I just use tea bags or the “strainer” if having loose leaf. We do have several nice tea pots but pretty much never use them. I find that even if we serve tea when having company, people want a variety of flavors so it doesn’t make sense to serve just one pot.

OP here, yup, FSU!

The tea cozy comment makes sense to keep the pot warm. And the instant hot water is intriguing... thanks all!

[Anonymous]

I make tea in a teapot. Usually, a small teapot. I warm the pot with hot water, then put in one tea bag and let it steep for a few minutes. I pour one cup and use the rest for iced tea later in the day. I guess you could say I use the leftover tea as "concentrate" because I pour water over it when I make the iced tea. But, I never tried using it as a concentrate for hot tea.

[Anonymous]

I have an electric tea kettle and I use it ALL THE TIME.

[Anonymous]

I am an avid tea drinker (of Irish ancestry). For a cup, I use my electric tea kettle, a tea strainer and a scoop of loose leaf tea; pour the boiling water over the tea in the strainer which is set over my cup, and let steep.

I rarely make a pot of tea but when I do I use the electric kettle, strainer, and several scoops loose leaf tea (depending how big/small a pot). I sometimes will boil water and pour it (plain) into my tea pot to pre-heat it. Otherwise, the process is more or less the same, pour the boiling water (more of it) over the tea in the strainer (more of it) which is set over my tea pot, and let steep (same amount of time). I also have used a tea cosy sometimes to keep the pot warm though pre-heating is effective. With tea bags it is the same just more tea bags for a pot than a cup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am an avid tea drinker (of Irish ancestry). For a cup, I use my electric tea kettle, a tea strainer and a scoop of loose leaf tea; pour the boiling water over the tea in the strainer which is set over my cup, and let steep.

I rarely make a pot of tea but when I do I use the electric kettle, strainer, and several scoops loose leaf tea (depending how big/small a pot). I sometimes will boil water and pour it (plain) into my tea pot to pre-heat it. Otherwise, the process is more or less the same, pour the boiling water (more of it) over the tea in the strainer (more of it) which is set over my tea pot, and let steep (same amount of time). I also have used a tea cosy sometimes to keep the pot warm though pre-heating is effective. With tea bags it is the same just more tea bags for a pot than a cup.

This is how I make tea, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an electric tea kettle and I use it ALL THE TIME.

Me too. My son also uses it for Ramen noodles and hot chocolate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an avid tea drinker (of Irish ancestry). For a cup, I use my electric tea kettle, a tea strainer and a scoop of loose leaf tea; pour the boiling water over the tea in the strainer which is set over my cup, and let steep.

I rarely make a pot of tea but when I do I use the electric kettle, strainer, and several scoops loose leaf tea (depending how big/small a pot). I sometimes will boil water and pour it (plain) into my tea pot to pre-heat it. Otherwise, the process is more or less the same, pour the boiling water (more of it) over the tea in the strainer (more of it) which is set over my tea pot, and let steep (same amount of time). I also have used a tea cosy sometimes to keep the pot warm though pre-heating is effective. With tea bags it is the same just more tea bags for a pot than a cup.

This is how I make tea, too.

Same. Also Irish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a hot tea addict, I have an instant hot water dispenser to instantly make a cup of tea whenever I want. Best thing ever.

Same.

My cheat is that I make tea the night before and put it in a lidded container. Then I microwave it the next morning. But I only do that when I’m likely to be in such a rush that I won’t have time to make a fresh cup.

[Anonymous]

It takes a few minutes to boil enough water for a pot of tea in my electric kettle, but I start it and then get the tea in the pot and do whatever else I’m doing in the kitchen. Brewing is the same time as a single cup.
I prefer loose leaf tea and I have a pot with a strainer that I take out after it’s brewed. I do have single cup strainers too, and I have multiple sizes of teapots.

We drink a lot of tea in my house-my kids love hot tea and have drink it since they were very small. My Irish grandparents taught me well. When we visited my relatives in Ireland, all they put on the table for meals was a teacup. My husband had to ask for water.