Depending on your tastes and wellness goals there is a brewing tip for every occasion. Look no further than this comprehensive herbal tisane brewing guide.
THE EQUIPMENT
The instructions below feature brewing techniques with loose leaf herbs and spices. You will need equipment such as a teapot (with a tea strainer for serving or built-in infusion basket) or coffee plunger for making large quantities. For smaller batches or a one cup brew, make use of a pincher, stainless steel infuser or empty tea bag for a no fuss decoction.
THE WATER
Bring water to a rolling boil in a kettle or pot and wait a few moments after reaching boiling point before pouring over leaves. If the water it too hot it will burn some tisane ingredients which may affect the flavours. Always use filtered water where possible to avoid chlorine, fluoride and other contaminants which will affect the flavour of your brew and may negatively affect your health.
THE TISANE
The amount of leaves per serving is up to you. Start with a minimum of 1 heaped teaspoon per cup, adding more to taste. If you have some serious healing to do or wellness goals to achieve, it is recommended to start with 3 heaped teaspoons and use the 'overnight' brewing technique below to extract maximum flavour, nutrients and benefits.
THE PROCESS
▶ The 'quick' brew
Add the herbs/tisane blend to your brewing vessel of choice and pour just boiled water over the leaves and allow to steep for a minimum of 5 minutes. Strain and serve.
▶ The 'I want the nutrients but I haven't got all day' brew
As in the quick brew, add just boiled water to your herbs, however this time allow to steep for up to 30mins. If you like your tisane served hot, when ready to drink add a splash of just boiled water to bring the temperature up again.
▶ The 'overnight herbalist' brew
This method is used to extract the maximum nutrients from the tisane, making a super healing decoction with intense flavour. Use a large teapot for this method. As in the previous two methods, pour just boiled water over your herbs (it is recommended to use 3 heaped teaspoons per serving). Allow to steep for a minimum of 4 hours, preferably overnight. Place a tea towel around the teapot to keep warm for longer - the warmer the water, the more nutrients are extracted. Strain and serve warm or cold. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove top if you prefer a hot brew - but do not reheat to boiling point! Store your decoction in the fridge and consume within 36 hours.
THE RESULT
Unlike black or green tea, some tisanes do not get darker as they become stronger so go by taste and steeping time rather than sight when judging the strength of your brew.
To ramp up the nutrient and immune boosting factor, finish your decoction with a teaspoon of raw honey.
