# Making tea in a pot with loose tea **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 4, 2014, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323 "2014-04-04T08:43:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/21 "2014-04-04T16:26:07Z")
The teapots I use have a large strainer that you set into the top, and you put the tea leaves in that. After the initial steep, you pour the tea, and the remaining level in the pot drops below the strainer so that it doesn’t steep any further. I find this arrangement ideal, because I have an herbal blend I make that becomes bitter very quickly with oversteeping. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/22 "2014-04-04T18:00:28Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > For disposing of the tea leaves, I use one of [these](http://www.davidstea.com/the-steeper-36-oz?&TF=8215E1C9208C&DEID=) gadgets. You put in the tea, pour in the boiling water, and while it is brewing you pour the rest of the hot water into the pot to “hot the pot”. Just be sure to pour out the hot water before you decant the tea into the pot, which you do by just placing the gadget on top of the pot, which releases a valve and the tea flows through a filter directly into the pot. The gadget is easy to clean too, the filter comes out if you need to clean that separately. You can also make just a cup’s worth and then release the tea directly into a cup. Oooooo! I do love me some gadgets! I have been known to brew tea in a great pig pyrex measuring cup and strain it into the pot. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/23 "2014-04-04T21:55:14Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > If you’re only making one cup at a time it makes more sense to me to do it right in the mug, I do it with a Finum basket style infuser…Upton Imports has a huge variety of teas, you can buy small sample packs for a dollar or so and try a few, I like their Russian Caravan and Baker Street blends. I like the look of the Finum. I use something a little simpler, one of those hinged spoons, where you toss in the tea, snap the spoon closed – very like a tea-ball with a handle – and dunk it in the boiling cup-full. I love a nice Jasmine China. Someone recently gave me a cup of Assam, and I liked that. Darjeeling makes me happy. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/24 "2014-04-04T22:16:48Z")
Depends on the tea too. If you have an herbal or the right rooibus you can leave it in forever and all it’ll do is plateu. Grab a white in there and holy crap you’re gonna have some nasty-ass tea in about 5 min ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/25 "2014-04-04T22:19:34Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I have been known to brew tea in a great **pig** pyrex measuring cup and strain it into the pot. Does it have a snout? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/26 "2014-04-04T22:32:54Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > The teapots I use have a large strainer that you set into the top, and you put the tea leaves in that. After the initial steep, you pour the tea, and the remaining level in the pot drops below the strainer so that it doesn’t steep any further. I find this arrangement ideal, because I have an herbal blend I make that becomes bitter very quickly with oversteeping. If you are a tea snob, you find this method inferior because the tea leaves have less room to unfold as they seep (and, for that reason, tea balls, sachets and bags also leave much to be desired - although tea bags leave much to be desired for more reasons than that. However, its really convenient. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/27 "2014-04-04T22:35:44Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Does it have a snout? It has sort of a stout snout. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/28 "2014-04-04T22:40:29Z")
Missed edit window. Has anyone made hot tea in a French press pot? I had this in a hotel once. The leaves were allowed to circulate freely in the hot water for x minutes (see OP) and then pressed down and out of the way. It was Darjeeling. Very nice. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/29 "2014-04-04T22:47:31Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > It has sort of a stout snout. A stout snout spout? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/30 "2014-04-04T22:59:25Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > While we’re on the subject, what is “builder’s tea”? The Two Fat Ladies (God rest both of them) used to talk about “good, strong builder’s tea” sometimes. Does that just mean tea that puts hair on your chest? Should have looked on [Wiki!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Builder%27s_tea) Basically, strong, sweet, milky tea, made from a teabag, usually cheap tea blended for strength and colour rather than a delicate or complex flavour. As for loose leaf tea, of which I drink a lot, I have several small teapots and infusers, and I always brew just enough for a cup at a time. Many leaves can be brewed two or more times, depending on the type and quality, but I find I get a much nicer cup by draining the pot completely then adding fresh water. I also have a couple of large teapots, and a rather nice tea cosy a friend knitted for me. [This](http://www.rareteacompany.com/shop/1/speciality-loose-leaf-tea/6/emperors-breakfast-tea) is what I’m drinking now. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2014, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/31 "2014-04-04T23:23:29Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Missed edit window. > > Has anyone made hot tea in a French press pot? I had this in a hotel once. The leaves were allowed to circulate freely in the hot water for x minutes (see OP) and then pressed down and out of the way. It was Darjeeling. Very nice. I have. It works, its a pot. I prefer ceramic or a Japanese cast iron pot to glass. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2014, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/32 "2014-04-05T01:07:17Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > A stout snout spout? 😛 A stout stoat snout spout. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2014, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/33 "2014-04-05T01:09:59Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Should have looked on [Wiki!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Builder%27s_tea) Basically, strong, sweet, milky tea, made from a teabag, usually cheap tea blended for strength and colour rather than a delicate or complex flavour. Well, poo. Sure I coulda. But Wiki don’t love me back like the SDMB do. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/34 "2014-04-05T01:36:27Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Should have looked on [Wiki!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Builder%27s_tea) Basically, strong, sweet, milky tea, made from a teabag, usually cheap tea blended for strength and colour rather than a delicate or complex flavour. Known locally, at least by certain friends of mine, as “gumboot tea”. 🙂 As for MIF, everyone\* knows that is to avoid scalding the milk. \*for certain values of “everyone”, “knows”, and actual facts. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/35 "2014-04-05T01:45:25Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > If you are a tea snob, you find this method inferior because the tea leaves have less room to unfold as they seep (and, for that reason, tea balls, sachets and bags also leave much to be desired - although tea bags leave much to be desired for more reasons than that. > > However, its really convenient. As I said, I make my own herbal tea blend\*; the components are smaller than tea leaves, so as long as I don’t put too much in the strainer, they have plenty of room to float freely. I seldom use those pots for true tea leaves, and if I do, I fill them very loosely. \*Is having your own blend snobby? ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2014, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/36 "2014-04-05T02:07:43Z")
I use a small one-cup french press with a very fine filter to make tea. I like the set and drain style linked above, but on the one I had the filter couldn’t be removed for cleaning, so it only lasted a couple of weeks before I got squeamish. [These](http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/1/1/151092-le-creuset-27-ounce-french-press.html) are a bit more expensive than mine, but basically the same. I don’t remember who made it, but it wasn’t le creuset. The ceramic is nice because you can just heat the water in the microwave. Warm pot-\> hot water-\> super quick. Most plastic presses have metal screws inside the handle just waiting to wreak havoc in the microwave.\* You want a small one though, just the amount you’ll pour off at once, as there’s no way to remove the leaves. \*What, me? Nooooo, no, no, no, no, noooooo. I , um, heard it somewhere is all. Yeah, that’s it. . . :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2014, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/37 "2014-04-05T15:08:23Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > As I said, I make my own herbal tea blend\*; the components are smaller than tea leaves, so as long as I don’t put too much in the strainer, they have plenty of room to float freely. I seldom use those pots for true tea leaves, and if I do, I fill them very loosely. > > \*Is having your own blend snobby? Maybe a herb snob but you aren’t guilty of being a tea snob. In tea snob language, you aren’t drinking tea, its a tisane. Teas must have tea in them (but may have something else in addition to tea - such as bergamot). But if one must talk of tisanes as teas, you should make sure to use the word with quotes around it, even in speaking - herbal “teas.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/38 "2014-04-05T16:27:54Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Maybe a herb snob but you aren’t guilty of being a tea snob. In tea snob language, you aren’t drinking tea, its a tisane. Teas must have tea in them (but may have something else in addition to tea - such as bergamot). But if one must talk of tisanes as teas, you should make sure to use the word with quotes around it, even in speaking - herbal “teas.” 😉 Hercule Poirot liked [tisanes](http://tisane.askdefine.com/). > [@](#): > > Herbal tea, along with hot chocolate, was the favorite drink of Agatha Christie’s sleuth, Hercule Poirot. In numerous stories, Poirot brews a tisane in order to recover from wet weather or to soothe his ‘little grey cells.’ ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/39 "2014-04-05T23:55:28Z")
[T-Sacs](http://www.amazon.com/T-Sac-Disposable-Paper-Filter-Count/dp/B001BLCIN4) are a nice disposable alternative to the strainers and tea balls. And I put milk in last. Guess I’m not society material. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323/40 "2014-04-06T00:37:08Z")
I drink a lot of tea, and generally now use teabags. I’ve can’t really drink crap, since I actually like tea rather than coloured water. Since I can’t descend into Typhoo or PG Tips territory, or worse, that rummy, excessively cheap, stuff dubiously labelled ‘tea’ in small chain shops probably made of sweepings and mouse droppings reconstituted into a block as with Tibetan Brick Tea, soaked in tannin and then grated, _even when at friends_ I rely on the more expensive packets in supermarkets; what I’d suggest is merely grade 4 — compared to the loose teas that were sold in specialized shops for teas in the olden days. When young in Cheltenham there was an exquisite tiny shop run by an ex-officer with a metal hook for a hand; more recently there was a decent shop in Ipswich; and now — as with second-hand bookshops, nearly gone over the last 10 years, old-fashioned health stores which seemed unchanged from a 1960s _Health & Fitness_ mode, and all the pubs closing since the smoking ban — shops devoted to fine teas and coffees are vanishing fast except for chains such as _Whittards_ which I do not rate at all. The sorts I buy, cost around £2.80 for 80 bags, tea having gone up a lot in the last two years; so I stock up when the supermarkets run a reduction to £2. Clippers organic, CafeDirect or an Irish firm called Thompsons ( the Irish drinking more tea than the English… ) are as OK as teabags may be. Some time ago I did have a special darjeeling by post — oddly worth it, just as a certain Ukrainian family bakery from Bradford is oddly worth getting parcels sent from since it’s 5 or 15 times better than average English bread now — as with the Beaujolais races, at a certain time of the year, the first flush of darjeeling is dispatched around the world: I’m pretty sure it was from the German firm of **[Teekampagne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teekampagne)**. They operate in America also. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tea-in-a-pot-with-loose-tea/685323.md?page=3)