The tea guide
Six chapters on the world’s favourite drink after water. Read them in order for the full story, or jump to the one you need.
Chapter 1What tea is
One plant, six families. How a leaf from Camellia sinensis becomes everything from a pale white tea to a smoky black.
Chapter 2A short history of tea
From medicine in ancient China to Swedish East India ships and the British teapot: five thousand years in one long read.
Chapter 3The six types of tea
White, green, yellow, oolong, black and dark tea, plus the blends and herbal infusions that sit alongside them.
Chapter 4How to brew tea
Water, temperature, time and leaf. The four things that decide whether your cup is sweet or bitter, and a table to keep by the kettle.
Chapter 5How to taste tea
Look, smell, slurp. How professional tasters work, and the words that help you notice more in every cup.
Chapter 6Choosing a tea subscription
How much tea you actually need, loose leaf or bags, shipping and customs, and the small print to read before you sign up.