Why Start Drinking Tea? (Where to Start with Tea)
Truth, tea is comforting, good for you, and delicious. People start drinking tea for all sorts of reasons. Relaxation, taste, health perks, or even replacing coffee. Whatever your motivation, sipping tea is meant to be fun! Don’t stress over getting it “right.” Embrace the variety and simply start!
Types of Tea to Explore (Best Teas for Beginners)
Before you choose, a quick tour of the popular starter teas…
Herbal Teas for Beginners
Chamomile and rooibos are common for newbies to pick up. They’re naturally caffeine free, soothing, and have pleasant flavors. Chamomile calms nerves, and rooibos is a zero sugar power punch of sweetness. You’d be shocked when you taste it, no lies. Its why its one of my favorites, and I will never stop recommending it to beginners.
Green Teas: Gentle Introduction
Japanese sencha, mint, or jasmine blends are gentler and less bitter than some green teas. Genmaicha, a green tea with rice, offers a nutty twist that’s beginner friendly. You might like these if you’re after that fresh green vibe! Now obviously, you cant forget matcha when your talking about green tea, but that deserves its own page.
Black Teas: Bold and Comforting
English Breakfast is perfect for coffee fans. It’s richer, slightly smoky, and pairs nicely with milk and sugar while you adjust to strong tea flavors.
Zen Alternatives
Chai tea and other fruity blends like peach, orange, and strawberry are a few flavorful options you could pick from. Rooibos is also a personal favorite.
How to Choose Your First Tea
Don’t know how to choose tea? You just need to start taste testing. Sampler packs with a variety of different teas are probably the best option, and you may even have some local tea shops in your area. Pay attention to your palette. Floral, sweet, spicy, or bold… Trying different teas is half the fun.
Essentials for a Tea Starter Kit
Skip the fancy gadgets, a mug, a basket-type infuser, or even paper tea filters will do just fine. Trust me, you don’t need a $100 teapot to start. A basic starter kit
- Mug with infuser or tea strainer
- Loose leaf tea assortment or sampler box
- Kettle or pot for boiling water (Or a quick trick if you have a Keurig machine; Just let the plain hot water run through!)
Brewing Tips for a Flawless Cup
Simple Infusion Methods
- Use spring or filtered water for the best taste.
- Steep herbal teas 3 to 5 minutes, green teas 1 to 3 minutes, black teas 3 to 4 minutes.
- Don’t let your tea get bitter. Follow package instructions!
Flavor Adjustments and Sweeteners
Many teas here have some natural sweetness, but if you want, add honey or milk if that helps your transition. Extra bonus points if you’re using some raw organic stuff. Or try some dessert teas before sweetening so you know what you prefer.
Sip, Savor & Experiment!
From chamomile’s gentle hug to chai’s spicy kick, there’s a perfect tea for every beginner. The secret to mastering how to get into tea is… to just start. Keep tasting, and pretty soon you’ll be your friends’ go to tea guru. So here’s to mugs full of smiles and flavor. Bottoms up!