While kettlecentric modern-day tea making tends towards a ‘one temperature fits all’ approach, it’s worth remembering that if you want to enjoy a particular tea at its best, it pays to be more precise. Every Newby tea includes a guide to producing the perfect cup, and the temperature plays a big part. Most black teas, such as Assam and English Breakfast, benefit from using boiling water and a fairly long brew of around 3-5 minutes. A less robust tea, such as Darjeeling, could be brewed for a little less. Pouring boiling water directly on to loose tea leaves can scald them, destroying their aroma, so it’s better to place the leaves into the water if possible.


You can also use boiling water for our tisanes and oolong teas, but green tea will taste much better if the water is around 70-80 degrees – a little cooler to avoid overpowering the delicate leaves. A shorter brew of 2-3 minutes is also recommended. White teas are generally better at lower temperatures too. In fact, the higher the quality of a green or white tea, the less resistant it will be to hot water, so treat these with particular respect. These are just the basic guidelines, so check the instructions on your next pack of Newby tea… and let us know if you notice the difference!