You go through the motions, brew up a delicious cup of tea, take a sip and… bleh. This tastes like dirt.
If your tea tastes bitter, bland, or just plain awful, you’re not alone. Whether your green tea comes out bitter every time or your black tea tastes like dishwater, the problem usually isn’t the tea itself – it’s how you’re brewing it.
After years of tea tasting and reviewing hundreds of blends, I’ve identified the 9 most common mistakes that make tea taste bad, and more importantly, exactly how to fix them. These proven tea brewing tips will transform even the cheapest supermarket tea into something you’ll actually want to drink.
From water temperature secrets that prevent bitter green tea to storage tricks that keep your tea fresh, here’s how to make any tea taste better.
Fix #1: Use Fresh Water (Prevents Flat, Stale Tea)
Water left in the kettle goes stale quickly, especially when you boil it multiple times. This makes your tea taste dull and flat. Spruce up your tea by refilling the kettle every time!
Fix #2: Get Water Temperature Right (Stops Bitter Green Tea)
Ever wondered why green tea tastes bad? Never assume that two teas should be brewed the same. Green tea should be brewed at 80°C, not boiling! If your water is too hot, your green tea will taste bitter.
- Green and White – 80°C
- Oolong – 85°C approximately (dependent on how black or green the leaves are)
- Black – 98°C
Herbal teas vary widely and can taste good or bad depending on the temperature. Delicate chamomile, for example, is best brewed at 70°C. Check my individual tea reviews for the correct temperature.
Getting the water temperature wrong is the #1 reason green tea tastes bitter and black tea tastes weak or harsh.
Fix #3: Check if Your Tea Has Gone Stale
Like coffee, tea goes stale quickly if not packaged correctly. Good tea will come sealed in a foil package, but great tea will come in a container that can be sealed airtight. Keep your tea cool and in the dark. If your tea has lost its aroma, that’s a sign that you need to restock the tea cupboard!
Fix #4: Try Your Tea Without Milk (Taste the Real Flavour)
Try your tea black, sweetened with honey, or with lemon to switch things up! This suits some teas better than others, particularly green tea. The benefits of green tea with lemon (from bright skin to improved concentration) come down to how the acidity of the lemon breaks down the green tea antioxidants, helping your body absorb more of them.
Earl Grey is another classic you’ll love with a small squeeze of lemon. Brew lightly if you’re drinking without milk and go very easy on the lemon juice or wedge.
Fix #5: Make Iced Tea When Hot Tea Tastes Bad
Try iced tea! Brew into a jug or pitcher, then let it cool to room temperature or lower in the fridge. Pour over ice and dilute to taste. Voila! Serve with fresh fruit in a tall glass with a straw. Paper umbrella optional, but highly recommended.
Fix #6: Switch to Loose Leaf Tea (Instantly Better Flavour)
The tea in most teabags is a fine (or even powdery) consistency.
When tea leaves are dried, processed and blended, small flecks of the leaves and stalks will break off or crumble. These tiny tea leave parts are called fannings – they are the waste product of producing a high-quality tea.
These fannings are gathered up and used for low quality tea bags. It makes packaging the tea easier and brewing a cup quicker… but it will never, ever, taste as good as loose leaf.
When the fannings break off the main tea leaves and fall away from the high quality ‘loose leaf’ much of the natural tea oils and aroma are lost too. Loose leaf will taste brighter compared to teabags, even if they’re from the exact same tea plant.
Loose leaf is available in some teabags anyway (make sure the bags offer enough room and are organic paper) and is not difficult to find online and in supermarkets!
Fix #7: Try a Different Tea Brand
Tea varies from one estate to another, and from one tea brand to another. For example, Twinings Earl Grey sticks closely to the classic recipe of bergamot and black tea, with just a hint of lemon. Whittard Earl Grey, on the other hand, add dried orange peel and cornflower petals to their bergamot and black tea blend.
Take a look at my blog for tea reviews of all your favourites.
Fix #8: Use the Right Cup (It Actually Matters)
The reason I NEVER drink tea in Starbucks or Costa (besides the poor quality of the tea) is the humungous, thick stoneware monster they serve the tea in. This is the worst thing you could do for your cup of tea.
A thin porcelain cup or mug will drastically improve the flavour. The thin lip lets the tea roll onto your tongue for better tasting, and the smooth porcelain texture is non-porous, meaning those tea oils and aromas can’t hide away in any crevices.
Marcus’s Tea Blog has a great article explaining the science in a bit more detail.
Fix #9: Experiment with Natural Flavour Additions
Switch sugar for honey, add a few strawberry slices to your mango flavoured green tea, or add a dash of lime cordial to your Earl Grey blend. Just like a cocktail, you can mix up your tea however you like. Ignore the experts, just make a drink that you’ll enjoy.
Explore the World of Tea
Maybe it’s time to try a new tea… but which one?
You’ve come to the right place to explore everything tea-related. Here at Immortal Wordsmith, I have reviewed hundreds of teas and logged them all in my Tea Review Index. If your current cuppa isn’t quite hitting the spot, you are sure to find something better here. From cupboard staples like Yorkshire Tea and Tetley to fine specialty teas and all manner of herbal infusions, your taste-buds will be tickled.
Let me know what you decide to sip next in the comments below.