The following are suggestions for a wonderful cup of tea...

Storage

Store tea in a dark, airtight container for freshness.

Water

Great tea is impossible without good water.  Use bottled spring water or filtered tap water for best results.

Put fresh, cold running water in a kettle to boil.  Running water is fully oxygenated and is much better for tea.  Always use fresh water.  The taste of your tea can be adversely affected by using stale, reboiled water since it contains less oxygen.

Warm teapot

Always warm the teapot first with warm water.  The tea will brew better in hotter water and will stay hotter longer.  Just before the kettle boils, empty the teapot and ...

Measure tea carefully

The tea's strength and flavor is a careful mixture of the amount of tea in the pot as well as the steeping time. Use one tea bag per person (or one teaspoon of tea leaves or herbs per person) plus "one for the pot"  for strong tea. 

As soon as the water begins to boil, immediately pour it over the tea.  Don't let the water boil too long as it will begin to lose oxygen and weaken the flavor.

Steeping Time

The correct brewing time if vital.  If you don't brew enough, the full flavor won't be released.  If you brew too long, the tea will taste bitter.  The bitterness that is usually associated with tea is due most often with over-brewing.

In general, black tea will steep for 3-5 minutes, herbal tea for 5-10 minutes and green teas require only 1-3 minutes.  Stir the tea once while it is steeping.  If the tea tastes too strong after 4-5 minutes, you have used too much tea. 

If possible, wrap the teapot with a tea towel or tea cozy while steeping to retain the heat.

When finished steeping, remove the tea bags or tea leaves.  (Again, too much steeping will cause a bitter tea).  

Pour the tea into cups.  If you prefer milk, add it first as it dissolves better in hotter liquid.

Relax and enjoy!!!

(Tea should be consumed or refrigerated soon after it is made.  If it is left uncovered for a long period of time, it will lose its antioxidant concentration and become a good place for bacteria to grow.)