FAQ
Questions about tea, brewing and orders, answered
Water temperature, steeping times, delivery and payment, all in one place. If your question isn’t here, write to us and we’ll reply on a weekday.
01Tea and brewing
From the first cup to the fifth infusion
Every tea in the shop comes with its own brewing notes. Here are the questions we hear most from people moving from tea bags to whole leaves.
I’ve only ever drunk tea bags. Which tea should I start with?
The tasting set is the easiest first step: five teas, 20 g each, so you can taste green, oolong, black and herbal side by side and find what you like before buying a 100 g bag. If you’d rather pick one tea, the first flush Darjeeling is light and gentle, and the Japanese sencha is fresh and grassy.
Why does water temperature matter?
Whole leaves are delicate. Boiling water can scorch green tea and make it bitter, while the right temperature brings out its sweetness. Our Japanese sencha, for example, tastes best at 70 °C. Each tea page tells you the exact temperature, so you don’t have to guess.
How long should I steep the leaves?
It depends on the tea. Sencha needs about two minutes at 70 °C. Every product page lists the steeping time for that tea, and the tasting set comes with brewing notes for all five teas.
Can I use the same leaves more than once?
Yes, and many whole-leaf teas get more interesting with each cup. Our Taiwanese oolong steeps five times, changing a little every round. Each tea page tells you how many times its leaves can be infused again.
How should I store tea once the bag is open?
We pack every tea in Berlin in bags that keep the aroma. After opening, press out the air, close the bag tightly and keep it somewhere cool, dry and dark, away from spices and strong smells. Tea easily takes on other aromas.