How to Make Loose Leaf Tea with Quality Herbs: Ditch the Tea Bag
At La Ferme À Ciel Sur Mer, our loose lef herbal tea is a ritual of flavor, intention, and care. We grow herbs with the same philosophy that guides our everyday life: with a deep respect for the land, our bodies, and the nourishment that simple practices can bring. Making loose leaf tea at home is one of those small daily moments that can feel grounding and restorative. In this post we’ll go over how to make loose leaf tea and what you might want to consider when ditching the tea bag.
Unlike conventional bagged teas, loose leaf tea gives you fuller flavor, better aroma, and the opportunity to blend herbs intentionally and to meet your own whims or goals. Whether you’re reaching for an afternoon pick me up, a sleepy time tea before bed or a refreshing iced tea, learning how to make loose leaf tea opens the door to possibilities.
How to Make Loose Leaf Tea
Making loose leaf tea is simple and rewarding. You’ll need:
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1 to 2 teaspoons of dried herbs or loose leaf tea blend per 8 oz of water. You can add more and I’ve seen some who really overdue it but if you have sourced high quality fresh herbs or teas a little will go along way. I prefer using around two teaspoons or 5-6 grams of herbs.
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A teapot, French press, infuser, or reusable tea bag. There are so many combinations of options here. I try to shy away from plastic here and my favorite infuser right now is the August Uncommon One-Cup Tea Infuser. I like to have as simple a cleanup as possible and the way this infuser sits in your teacup and can easily be rinsed out adds to convenience here.
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Freshly boiled water. Let the water sit for thirty seconds as boiling water can burn some of the leaves. I’ve never really noticed this being a problem but there are electric kettles with temperature control and you don’t need to go all the way to a boil.
Steps:
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Scoop your herbs into your vessel of choice.
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Pour hot water over the herbs (just below boiling for delicate herbs like mint, fully boiling for roots and seeds).
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Cover and steep for 5–10 minutes depending on the herbs.
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Strain and enjoy. I see lots of people and me at times included leaving the infuser in too long or while sipping. Ideally you identify how strong you want your concoction and then you pull it out and use the tea for the next cup so as not to let the tea get too bitter.
You can adjust the amount of herbs or steeping time depending on how strong you like your tea.
How to Make Sweet Tea
Sweet tea is often associated with Southern hospitality, but when made with loose leaf herbs, it can also become a refreshing and healthful treat. Here’s how to do it:
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Brew your loose leaf tea strong—use double the amount of herbs.
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While still hot, stir in honey, maple syrup, or sugar to taste.
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Let it cool slightly, then transfer to the fridge to chill.
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Serve over ice with lemon or fresh herbs like spearmint or lemon balm.
Try it with lemon verbena, hibiscus, or peppermint for a twist on the classic.
How to Drink Loose Leaf Tea
Drinking loose leaf tea is about slowing down. You can make it part of a morning ritual or an afternoon pause. Here are a few ways we love to enjoy it:
In many countries outside North America loose leaf tea is just poured directly into your mug. When you drink this way you really have to slow down and master your sipping because otherwise you’ll get a mouth full of herbs. I must say while there is certainly a place for this traditional approach I prefer the infuser.
Using an infuser you can drink loose leaf tea however you want. Add some lemon, some sugar, some honey, let it cool enough to not burn your lips and go. On our farm, we grow medicinal herbs also called botanicals that can all go in a tea. While some require some getting used to for their texture bitterness or earthy flavor others are delicious right out of the gate. And all can provide grounding to our stressful over-full lives.
How to Brew Loose Leaf Tea
Brewing tea isn’t just about hot water—it's about knowing your herbs. Leaves and flowers (like tulsi, anise hyssop, or chamomile) typically steep for 5–10 minutes. Roots and barks (like ginger or dandelion) are best decocted—simmered gently for 15–30 minutes.
Avoid plastic especially where high temperatures are concerned. We’ve seen some fun and interesting plastic infusers that have great function but avoid these. Use glass or stainless steel where you can.
If you boil water for tea leaves let it settle before pouring over the leaves.
For roots we recommend a longer infusion or decoction to extract all the properties of the plants.
Tea Flavors
One of the joys of loose leaf tea is playing with flavors. Herbal tea doesn’t just mean “mild” or “earthy”—it can be bright, floral, spicy, or grounding depending on what you use.
Here are some herbal flavor notes to experiment with:
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Minty: peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm
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Floral: chamomile, calendula, lavender
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Citrusy: lemon verbena, lemongrass
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Spicy: ginger, tulsi, cinnamon
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Earthy: nettle, oatstraw, raspberry leaf
Create your own blends to match your mood or the season. We grow a wide variety of herbs you can use in your next loose leaf brew. Check out the medicinal herbs we grow.
Tea Bag vs Loose Leaf
Tea bags are convenient, but they often contain the dust and broken bits of tea (called fannings) left over from processing (not to mention many of them are made of plastic). This results in a quick-steeping but less flavorful cup. Loose leaf, by contrast, uses the whole herb or leaf, delivering more aroma, deeper flavor, and often better therapeutic properties.
If you still want the convenience of tea bags, try filling your own reusable or plastic free with your favorite herbs. That way, you control the quality and blend.
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