Frequently asked questions about our tea

What is the difference between green, black and oolong tea?

All types of tea (such as green tea, black tea, oolong tea and also white tea) are made from the leaves of the tea plant Camellia sinensis. The difference between these types lies in the degree of oxidation:

• Green tea is unoxidized.
• Black tea is fully oxidized.
• Oolong tea is partially oxidized (so it sits between green and black tea).
• White tea is only picked and dried. Its degree of oxidation is usually just 1–4%.

Can I steep your teas more than once? And if so, how often?

In short: yes, you can steep most of our teas several times! Whether and how often you can re-steep a tea depends on the type of tea and its quality grade.

• Green teas always allow several infusions. Most varieties can be steeped up to three times, and particularly high-quality teas like our Gyokuro even up to five times!
• Oolong has the most staying power of all teas. You can steep most oolong teas four to five times. Our Shan Lin Xi even lasts for an impressive 8 infusions!
• Black tea can usually be steeped only once.

What is the best way to steep your tea?

To let the aroma of the tea develop as fully as possible, choose a brewing method that gives your tea plenty of room. That way, the tea leaves can unfurl best and release their flavor into the water.

Large strainers and reusable filters that you simply hang into a teapot or cup work well. We advise against a tea ball – it is usually too small or too tight to steep tea properly.

Alternatively, you can also steep your tea using the traditional Chinese method. As this topic is a little more complex, we have written a separate article about it: The Chinese tea ceremony – Gōng fū chá (in German).

What water temperature do I need to make tea?

Each type of tea calls for a particular water temperature:

• Green tea: 60–80 °C
• Black tea: 100 °C
• Oolong tea: 85–95 °C
• Rooibos tea: 100 °C

For green tea and oolong, it is a good idea to measure the temperature with a thermometer. A kettle with adjustable temperature works too. If neither is an option, a rough rule of thumb helps: After boiling, water loses about 10 degrees every 5 minutes.

How much tea should I use?

As a general rule, you can count on 10 to 12 grams of tea leaves per liter of tea. For most types of tea, that is about 2 tablespoons. For particularly voluminous teas, use 3 tablespoons per liter; for compact varieties like our oolong teas, just one tablespoon is enough.

But feel free to vary the amount as you like. Don't be afraid to experiment with your tea! You will find exact recommendations on every product page and in our preparation guide (in German).

Where do your teas come from?

We source all our teas directly from the tea gardens. Our teas come from the following regions:

• Japan, Uji in Kyoto Prefecture and Kagoshima on Kyushu
• Taiwan, highland regions such as Shan Lin Xi or Nantou
• Indonesia, island of Java
• India, Darjeeling and Assam
• Nepal, Dhankuta District
• South Africa, Cederberg Mountains
• China, central China (our jasmine teas)

For even more transparency, we also state the origin of our teas on our labels. A small map on each tea shows exactly where it comes from!

Is your tea safe to consume?

Yes! All our teas are tested for residues and far exceed the EU requirements for tea. Buying tea is a matter of trust, and we want you to feel confident when you enjoy your tea. On request, we are happy to send you lab results for our teas!

By the way, our Milk Oolong is steamed with milk flavoring – it contains no real milk and is lactose-free.

Why aren't your teas certified organic?

Certification under the EU organic regulation does not necessarily mean that a product is sustainable. In our view, the organic label has too many gaps to be a reliable indicator of a product's sustainability. There are certainly many products that carry an organic label and are indeed grown in an environmentally conscious way. Still, the label is often also a marketing tool aimed above all at environmentally conscious customers.

We have written a whole article on this topic and our company philosophy: Why our teas don't carry an organic label (in German).

Any other questions?

Your question isn't listed here? No problem! Feel free to email us at hallo@friendsoftea.de.