Loose leaf tea offers a world of flavour far beyond the everyday tea bag. From rich and malty black teas to delicate green teas, fragrant whole leaf varieties and naturally caffeine-free herbal infusions, there is an enormous range to discover.

But if you're new to loose leaf tea, knowing where to begin can seem complicated. How much tea should you use? Do you need a teapot? What's the difference between black and green tea? And does loose leaf tea really taste better?

Our Loose Leaf Tea Guide takes you through everything you need to know, from understanding what loose leaf tea is and how it is made to choosing, storing and brewing your tea at home.

Brewing loose leaf tea is surprisingly simple. With good quality tea, fresh water and a few basic steps, you can make a delicious cup without any specialist equipment.

The secret is finding the right balance between the amount of loose leaf tea, water temperature and brewing time. Different types of tea respond differently to heat and steeping, so making a few small adjustments can bring out considerably more flavour from your leaves.

Whether you're making black tea, green tea, herbal tea or something a little more unusual, this guide explains how to brew loose leaf tea and get the best from every cup.

Black tea, green tea, white tea, oolong, matcha and pu-erh can look and taste remarkably different, yet they all have something important in common: they come from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis.

The enormous variety found in tea is created by where it is grown, the variety of tea plant, when the leaves are harvested and, importantly, how they are processed after picking. Alongside traditional tea is another world of herbal infusions made from flowers, leaves, roots, herbs and spices.

Discover the main types of tea, what makes each one distinctive and the flavours you can expect to find in your cup.