The ritual
How to brew a proper cup.
Tea is patient. It rewards attention. These are the parameters we use — and the reasons behind them.
Three teas. Three approaches.
Each tea in the Abelié Brew range has a different character — and a different ideal brewing method. CTC teas release quickly and reward a shorter, hotter steep. Orthodox teas open slowly and need a little more time. A blend of the two sits somewhere in between.
The parameters below are our recommendations. They are not rules. Start here, then adjust to your cup.
Assam CTC
First Flush
Bright. Brisk. Best without milk.
CTC — Cut, Tear, Curl — produces small, uniform granules that release their character quickly. The First Flush CTC is the freshest expression of the season: brisk, clean, with a brightness that fades if you over-steep. Keep it short.
Bring fresh water to 90°C. Do not use boiling water — it will flatten the brightness.
Measure 2g of First Flush per 200ml of water. A heaped teaspoon is approximately right.
Steep for 3 minutes. Remove the leaves promptly — CTC granules continue to extract quickly.
Drink without milk to appreciate the brightness. A small amount of honey works if you prefer sweetness.
90°C
3 minutes
2g per 200ml
Best without milk
Ceramic or glass
If the cup tastes flat or bitter, reduce the steep time by 30 seconds. If it tastes weak, add slightly more leaf rather than steeping longer.
Assam CTC — Second Flush
Craft Bold
Malty. Full. Built for milk.
The Second Flush CTC is the workhorse of Assam tea — full-bodied, deeply malty, and robust enough to hold its own against milk and sugar. Brew it hotter and longer than the First Flush. This is the tea that built Assam's reputation.
Bring water to a full 95°C — just off the boil. Craft Bold can take the heat.
Use 2g per 200ml for a straight cup, or 2.5g if you are adding milk.
Steep for 4 minutes. The extra minute draws out the malt and body that make this tea what it is.
Add milk to taste. Full-fat milk rounds the malt beautifully. A pinch of cardamom is optional but excellent.
95°C
4 minutes
2g per 200ml
Excellent with milk
Ceramic mug or teapot
For chai, double the leaf quantity, add milk and water in equal parts, and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes with your preferred spices.
Assam CTC & Darjeeling Orthodox — Batch No. 27
Batch Elite
Complex. Layered. Two teas in one cup.
Batch No. 27 is a blend of two very different teas: Assam CTC for body and malt, Darjeeling Orthodox for complexity and a muscatel finish. The Orthodox leaves need a little more time to open than the CTC granules — the 3.5-minute steep is calibrated to let both express themselves without either dominating.
Heat water to 95°C. The Darjeeling Orthodox component needs the temperature to open fully.
Use 2g per 200ml. The blend is calibrated — do not over-leaf.
Steep for exactly 3.5 minutes. This is the window where the Assam body and the Darjeeling complexity are both present.
Taste it straight first. The muscatel note from the Darjeeling is most apparent without milk. Add milk if you prefer — the Assam CTC holds up well.
95°C
3.5 minutes
2g per 200ml
With or without milk
Ceramic or glass teapot
The muscatel character of Darjeeling Orthodox is temperature-sensitive. Avoid water above 96°C or the delicate top notes will be lost.
Before you begin
Four things that make a difference.
Water quality matters
Use filtered or spring water if your tap water is heavily chlorinated. Chlorine suppresses the top notes of any tea.
Warm your vessel
Rinse your cup or teapot with hot water before brewing. A cold vessel drops the water temperature by 5–8°C and shortens the effective steep.
Measure by weight, not volume
A teaspoon of CTC granules and a teaspoon of Orthodox leaf are very different quantities. 2g on a small scale is more reliable than any spoon measure.
Remove the leaves
All three teas continue to extract after the recommended steep time. Remove the leaves promptly — or use a teapot with a built-in strainer.