Making A Simple Herbal Tea

Herbal teas are a wonderful and simple way to enjoy some medicinal benefits and are a delicious beverage that can be enjoyed hot or cold any time of the year! Making your own herbal tea allows you to have control over your taste preferences and needs, as well as reap more of the health benefits and flavors than can be found in a tea bag at the grocery store. 

 

The growing season allows you to use herbs from local farms, your own garden, or foraged out in nature!

 

Tips + Tricks:

• Brewing Times + Temperatures:
• Make sure your water is heated to an approximate temperature of 212 degrees for herbal teas.
• You can use anywhere from 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon or more of dry herb per 8 oz. of water. The fluffier the plant material the more you will need! Double or Triple this amount if using fresh herbs.
• The recommended brewing time for dried herbs is usually anywhere from 2-5+ minutes. Steeping (brewing) time depends on how strong you like your tea as well as the type of herb. Brewing florals for longer periods of time can result in a bitter-tasting tea (which can have its own medicinal benefits!).
• Fresh herbs need a longer brewing time of 5-15 minutes for tender plant matter such as flowers and leaves and 15-30 for harder matter such as chopped roots. They can also benefit from being simmered for a short time and then being steeped to break down the cell walls.
• Dried roots, berries, mushrooms, etc., usually require simmering in water for 5-10+ minutes. Keep in mind that if harder matter is powdered or cut smaller it might not be necessary and you can just pour the boiling water directly over the herbs.
• Covering your tea while it is steeping helps keep the aromatic oils from escaping, as well as keeping the temperature consistent for both fresh and dried or harder plant matter. 
• Brewing herbs for a longer period of time results in an herbal infusion–this is recommended to enjoy more of the medicinal or nutritional benefits of a plant and will create a more concentrated tea. This can influence the flavor profile of tea drastically depending on the herb, as well as the ratio of plant material to water. Brewing in a jar is recommended!
• Making sure to cut your herbs to a smaller size will increase surface area and help break down the cell walls and make a more flavorful and nutritious tea. This is important, especially when steeping fresh herbs and for harder plant matter. (I prefer to keep dried leaves whole and crumble right before steeping to help preserve the shelf life!)
• If you want a stronger-tasting tea, the recommendation is to add more plant material rather than stepping longer which can change the taste.
• Infusing herbs in a small ball or bag will take longer; using a teapot with a big strainer or using a pot or mason jar (mason jar only if steeping for long periods) will help the herbs steep evenly. 

• Fresh vs. Dry

Teas can be made from fresh or dried herbs; taste profiles and preparation may vary depending on the plant. Summer is a great time to harvest herbs when they are at their peak. You can enjoy herbal teas fresh, or dry the herbs and then use them, depending on your preference. Dried herbs can also be used all winter long. Herbs can be air-dried by hanging in small bunches or placing on a flat screen, or by using a dehydrator. Harvesting when plants are clean and dry and healthy looking will yield the best results. Making sure plants are getting adequate airflow with your method, being kept out of the sun, and then being stored in dry, airtight containers (such as closed paper bags or lidded jars) in a cool and dark location will help preserve herbs so they can be enjoyed for around 2+ years, though a few herbs lose flavor and potency after a few mons. 

• How to put together a good-tasting blend:

Ratios of herbs and their different flavors are good to keep in mind when making a blend of 2 or more herbs. A rough guideline is:

 

 Base (3-4 parts) + Secondary or more background flavor (2 parts) + Highlighting (1 part)  + additional Accent (½- 1 part)

 

• Activating your senses in the ritual of tea making is important. Taste and smell are most important, and then it is  important to keep in mind the visual appeal of the tea blend. The size of the herbs as well as a variety of color or textures will help entice you and give you a balanced blend!

• Cold vs. Hot

Some plants brew a different tea when they are brewed with cold water rather than hot water. For example, Linden flowers brewed with cold water will result in a mucilaginous (rather thicker or “slimy” in texture) tea which is recommended if you want some of its more hydrating benefits. 

The recommended brewing time for a cold water infusion is from 3-6+ hours. You can also leave the tea, in a clear, lidded jar, in the sun to gently help the process!

• Sweetening: You can sweeten your tea to taste. Use sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, raw sugar or stevia.

 

Below are some simple recipes or combinations:  (Herbs can always be enjoyed solo or with complimentary herbs; you can mix a blend to keep on hand or keep herbs separate and blend right before brewing!)

 

Note on parts: To translate a recipe from parts, use a baseline of teaspoons or cups or ounces, so, for example, 1 part equals 1 ounce or 1 cup, 2 parts equals 2 cups or 2 ounces, etc.

 

Rest + Relax

• 3 parts lemon balm

• 2 parts oat straw or milky oat tops

• 1 part chamomile 

• ½ part lavender flowers

 

Summer Sweetness

• 4 parts tulsi/holy basil

• 3 parts linden flowers

• 2 parts rose petals

• 1 part calendula flowers

 

Digestive Soother

• 3 parts peppermint 

• 2 parts lemon balm

• 1 part lemon thyme 

• 1 part ginger root

Better than Lipton Lemony Iced Tea
    3 parts raspberry and/or blackberry  leaves
    2 parts lemon balm
    1 part lemon verbena
    1/8 part stevia leaves (optional)

 

LOCAL PLANTS THAT CAN BE GROWN or FORAGED +  HARVESTED FOR TEA

 

COMMON NAME	BOTANICAL NAME	PARTS USED	Benefits. flavor profile. fresh or dry
Bee Balm	Monarda fistulosa,  M. didyma	Flowers, leaves	Calming, helps digestion, flus and colds. Strong spicy flavor
Chamomile		Flowers	Calming, helps digestion, flus and colds. Floral, apple/pineapple
Dandelion	Taraxacum officinale	Flowers, roots, leaves
Evergreens: Hemlock, Spruce, White Pine	Tsuga canadensis, Picea spp., Pinus strobus,	Needles	High in Vit C Helpful for flus and colds
Ginger			fresh or dried
Lemon Balm
Lemon Thyme
Linden	Tilia europea or T. americana	Flowers + leaf bracts	Edible, Medicinal
Peppermint, Spearmint. other Mints	Mentha x piperita, M. spicata, Mentha spp.
Nettle
Raspberry Leaf
Rosemary
Roses	Rosa spp	Flowers + hips	Edible, Medicinal, Tea
Tulsi (Holy Basil)
Thyme
Yarrow	Achillea millefolium	Flowers, leaves