The Rike is built on a passion for amazing tea

The Rike is built on a passion for amazing tea, and on a passion for sustaining a healthy planet and people. We consciously try to consider how every action, big and small, will affect our environment.

How to Store Your Tea

Tea is very prone to picking up moisture and scents found in its environment, and can also be impaired by direct sunlight, so proper storage is key. To keep your tea fresh, keep these things in mind:

• Store your tea in an airtight container to reduce its exposure to moisture.
• Storage containers should be opaque, unless they’re consistently kept in a dark place like a cabinet.
• Keep your tea away from strong smelling items such as coffee and spices, as the tea will absorb these scents and start to smell and taste like its surroundings.
• Do not freeze your tea! Unlike coffee which many people freeze for long term storage, tea does not like to be frozen, and the flavor can be harmed by doing so.

HOW TO STEEP LOOSE TEA

Steeping loose tea requires either a tea press (i.e., a French coffee press) or a reusable tea infuser made of metal or silicone.

To properly steep loose tea, it all comes down to timing and temperature. Depending on whether you’re making black, oolong, green, white, or herbal tea (the last of which is technically called a “tisane”), you’ll need to heat your water and time your steep accordingly. Because each type of tea is harvested, dried, rolled, oxidized and prepared for consumption differently than its counterparts, slight differences in steeping brings out the true flavor of the blend. Steeping the tea for the correct amount of time at the appropriate temperature will enhance the flavor and save you from a cup that’s too weak, strong, flat, or bitter.

STEEPING BLACK LOOSE TEA

1. For loose black tea, heat water to 208 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place one teaspoon of loose tea in the infuser and leave it to steep for three to five minutes to taste.
3. Remove infuser and enjoy!

Milk and/or sugar may be added to black tea, although the addition of milk lessens black tea’s antioxidant potential. For those who enjoy milk tea, however, milk is ideally added to a pre-warmed cup first, followed by the tea itself. Lemon is another wonderful accoutrement, but it must never be used along with milk, as citrus and dairy in the same cup will curdle and spoil the experience.

STEEPING OOLONG LOOSE TEA

1. For loose oolong tea, heat water to 195 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place one teaspoon of loose tea in the infuser and leave it to steep for five minutes to taste.
3. Remove infuser and enjoy!

Oolong teas can be bold, delicate, or somewhere in between, but they are always unique and varied. While the above instructions are in generally true, be sure to check the packaging for steeping details, as oolongs can vary from blend to blend in both steep temperatures and timing.

As far as accompaniments go, oolong tea is best enjoyed on its own, without any milk, lemon, or sweetener.

STEEPING GREEN OR WHITE LOOSE TEA

1. For loose green tea and loose white tea, heat the water to 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place one teaspoon of tea in the infuser and leave it to steep for two to three minutes to taste; left longer than that, bitterness may emerge.
3. Remove infuser and enjoy!

Add sugar or honey to taste, if desired, but leave the milk or lemon for black tea, as it doesn’t pair well with green or white tea blends.

TEA PREPARATION

How to Steep the Perfect Cup of Tea

3 MIN READJULY 29, 2021

HOW TO STEEP THE PERFECT CUP OF TEA

In tea preparation, timing and temperature are everything. Falling into a quintet of categories, tea can be generalized as black, green, white, herbal, or oolong, depending on the source and the process through which the leaves were dried, rolled, oxidized and otherwise prepared for consumption. Because of these variations, your role in bringing out the flavor relies on a few key steps: heating the water just so, steeping the tea for a certain amount of time, and choosing accompaniments that will enhance, rather than spoil, the taste.

If you’re wondering how to steep the perfect cup of tea, then cheers: you’ve arrived in just the right spot.

Your role in bringing out the flavor relies on a few key steps: heating the water just so, steeping the tea for a certain amount of time, and choosing accompaniments that will enhance, rather than spoil, the taste.

THE PERFECT CUP: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

Want to make sure your brew isn’t too bitter, too flat, too strong, or too weak? Follow these simple instructions to bring out the nuance in each cup of tea you prepare.

BLACK TEA STEEPING INSTRUCTIONS

For black tea (known in China as red tea):

1. Heat water to 208 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place one tea pyramid infuser, or 1 teaspoon of loose-leaf tea, into your cup.
3. Pour 6-8 ounces of hot water over the tea and steep for 3 to 5 minutes, or to taste.
4. If you plan to add milk to your tea, swirl the hot water in your cup to pre-warm it. Then add the milk to a pre-warmed cup, then add the tea and steep for 3-5 minutes.

GREEN TEA STEEPING INSTRUCTIONS

Green tea needs to be steeped with care. Be sure to use the recommended water temperature of 175˚F and 2–3-minute timing so you don't end up with a bitter-tasting cup of green tea.

1. Heat water to 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place one tea pyramid infuser, or 1 teaspoon of loose-leaf tea, into your cup.
3. Pour 6-8 ounces of heated water over the tea and steep for 2 to 3 minutes to taste (Bitterness will emerge if left longer than 3 minutes).
4. Add sugar or honey for sweetness, if desired. Milk (or, alternatively, lemon) is generally reserved for black tea.

OOLONG TEA STEEPING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat water to 195 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place one tea pyramid infuser, or 1 teaspoon of loose leaf tea, into your cup.
3. Pour 6-8 ounces of heated water over the tea and steep for 5 minutes or longer.
4. This gorgeous tea variety is best enjoyed without any accompaniments.

WHITE TEA STEEPING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the water to 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place one tea pyramid infuser, or 1 teaspoon of loose leaf tea, into your cup.
3. Pour 6-8 ounces of heated water over the tea and steep for 2 to 3 minutes to taste (Bitterness may emerge if left longer than 3 minutes).
4. Add sugar or honey for sweetness, if desired. Milk (or, alternatively, lemon) is generally reserved for black tea.

HERBAL STEEPING INSTRUCTIONS

For herbal tea, also known as a tisane:

1. Heat the water to 208 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place one tea pyramid infuser, or 1 teaspoon of loose-leaf tea, into your cup.
3. Pour 6-8 ounces of heated water over the tea and steep for 5 minutes or longer.
4. Add sugar or honey for sweetness, if desired. Milk (or, alternatively, lemon) is generally reserved for black tea.