The Perfect Brew

Most people don't realize that blending tea is a fine art, similar to blending champagne or whiskey. At Tetley, our team of blenders has over 1,000 years combined tea experience, so they know a thing or two about blending!

Tetley has been sourcing the highest quality teas for over 175 years. Our professional tea tasters, based in 7 countries around the world, have over 1000 years’ worth of experience and we believe that our expertise is second to none. 90% of the tea we drink is actually a tea blend, containing a variety of different sourced teas. Tea is often sold at auctions, our expert buyers and tasters go to these auctions to assess the quality and for selecting the best for our Tetley blends.

Every blend is tasted at least eight times! Before it can be judged to be of Tetley quality. We have over 60 different types of Tetley tea blends, and it takes more than five years to become a qualified Tetley Tea Master. Since no one tea crop is ever the same, tea tasting is a continuous learning process.

Over the years, we have developed our own unique tea tasting language called “Uhuru.” It is a global language that allows Tetley tasters and blenders to describe and grade the quality of the teas. Apart from black and green teas, our expert blenders have managed to create a wide range of herbal teas that suit any occasion. Encompassed by the aromatic and flavorful tastes of nature – roots, leaves, seeds, flowers, spices, berries and herbs – We have devised some wonderful combinations. Rich in fragrance and flavor, these refreshing elixirs are an embodiment of our expertise and epitomize our dedication. These herbal blends contain no caffeine and ensure that you get drawn into the world of Tetley goodness!

The leaf

Our tasters examine and grade the leaf density, color, and record the shape, form, and size of the leaf.

The Liquid

Our tasters assess the following factors of a tea liquid:

1. Sparkle - purity of the color

2. Clarity - record the clarity of the tea brewed without milk

3. Body - the weight of the tea in the mouth

4. Zing - overall liveliness of the tea on the palate

A perfect cup of tea, as it unfolds is the flawless harmony of delightful flavor, tempting aroma, and much more. Even though it’s almost always up to your personal preferences, there is very little room for error when it comes to brewing. But not to worry! Our master blenders are here to provide a few pointers to help you out and to make your tea taste better.

• The water used for making tea should be boiled only once, and if possible, it must have a low mineral content. If the water is boiled more than once, the oxygen level in it gets reduced, and that affects the taste. Whereas, water with low mineral content allows tea notes to come through easily, thereby ensuring a truly wonderful flavor.
• Black tea is the perfect start to the day for many people around the world. And, if you are not careful enough, you might end up losing its lively essence. The key here is that while making black tea, you should stand by the kettle, ready to pour as soon as it’s boiled. When brewed close to the boiling point, the black tea tastes better as its rich and robust flavor starts to kick in.
• Patience plays a huge factor while using tea bags. You should leave the tea bag in the water for about two minutes so that there is ample time for it to infuse the tea flavor. Poking and prodding should be avoided, let the process happen naturally and slowly. 
• Irrespective of whether you brew in a teapot or cup, the brew should be allowed to cool down for around 2-3 minutes, after removing the tea bags. Because, once the temperature reduces, the flavors start to develop and deliver a better quality taste.
• When making tea in a mug or cup, the perennial question is whether to put milk in the vessel before or after adding the hot water. The simple answer is after because it allows the water to be at the right temperature for infusing the tea.
• If you are looking to sweeten your tea, it is best to use white or brown sugar or honey.

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Tea Tips

Brewing tips

How to make a perfect cup of hot Tetley® Tea

1. Start with fresh, cold water. (The better the water quality, the better the tea will taste.)
2. Place a tea bag in your favorite cup or mug.
3. Bring water to a rolling boil and immediately pour over your tea bag.
4. Steep for a good 3 to 5 minutes. (Great taste can't be rushed—it really does take the full time to release the tea's entire flavor.)
5. Remove the tea bag, relax and enjoy! (Serve it “clear” or try it with milk and sugar.) 

Green Tea Variation

1. Start with fresh, cold water. (The better the water quality, the better the tea will taste.)
2. Place a tea bag in your favorite cup or mug.
3. Bring water to a rolling boil, remove from heat to cool for a moment and pour over your tea bag. (Green tea leaves are delicate—boiling water will bruise the leaves, causing a bitter taste.)
4. With green tea, steep for only a minute or two. (Over steeping green tea will result in a harsh flavor). Remove the tea bag, relax and enjoy! (Serve it “clear” or sweeten with honey or sugar.) 

How to make a perfect pitcher of Tetley® Iced Tea: Family Size Iced Tea: For a half-gallon pitcher (2 quarts)

1. Bring 4 cups of fresh water to a rolling boil.
2. Gently pour water over 2 tea bags.
3. Steep 3 to 5 minutes.
4. The longer you steep, the stronger the flavor. Stir before removing tea bags.
5. Add your favorite sweetener, if desired.
6. Pour brewed tea into a pitcher and add 4 more cups of cold water and/or ice cubes. Chill and enjoy!

Single Serve Iced Tea (for a Single Glass)

1. Bring one cup of fresh water to a rolling boil.
2. Add 1 or 2 tea bags and steep 3 to 5 minutes. The longer you steep, the stronger the flavor. Stir before removing tea bag(s).
3. Add your favorite sweetener, if desired
4. Let cool.
5. Pour brewed tea into a large glass filled with ice. Enjoy! 

Here is a cold water method for clear, cloudless iced tea

1. Fill a quart pitcher or container with cold tap water. Cover. Let stand at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
2. Add 4 to 6 tea bags or 1 Family Size tea bag (remove tags).
3. After at least 6 hours (or overnight), remove tea bags, squeezing against the side of the container.
4. When ready to serve, pour into ice-filled glasses. Makes 1 quart. Recipe may be doubled. 

Storing Tips

Once removed from the box, tea bags are highly susceptible to odors and can become “stale.” To prevent this, you should place the “exposed” tea bags in an airtight container immediately and store it in a cool, dry area. It is not recommended store tea in the refrigerator or freezer, because condensation might occur, affecting the flavor of the blend.