Mug infuser

How to use an infuser mug ? Using a tea infuser mug is not difficult. But it varies a bit depending on the type and the parts that make it up. They always include the infuser mug in question, a strainer and a lid. Some also have a second lid. This is the case with ceramic tea cups. The reason for this is that the included ceramic lid is perfect for steeping tea, but it doesn't seal tightly, making it unnecessary to take on a trip. This is where the second silicone lid comes into play in the infuser mug .

Metal or plastic cups usually only have one lid, as it is already tightly closed. There are also sets that include a teapot, two mugs and an infuser or a single infuser mug , like this one. They are great for travel, but not while travelling. In other words, you will use them in a hotel during your vacation, but not during the car journey. We won't talk about these sets here, because they're not what we usually mean by "road trip tea mugs" but simply an infuser mug .

How to use an infuser mug?

Here are the steps you need to follow to get the best results from your infuser mug . Of course, you can remove some steps to speed things up, like the first one, for example.

1. Rinse the infuser mug and filter with hot water to warm them up.

2. Fill the infuser basket of the infuser mug with the amount of tea leaves you want: in general, it takes about a tablespoon per 100 grams of water, but this varies from one type of tea to another and also to suit your taste (check your tea instructions for a good starting point for the first steep, then adjust to suit your personal preference).

3. Fill the infuser mug with hot water (boiling for black tea or infusion, 90° C for oolong, 85° C for green and 80° C for white).

4. Place the lid on the infuser mug (the ceramic lid, if you have two).

5. Infuse the tea for the time indicated on the packaging (2 minutes if you don't have packaging) and adapt the duration of the following infusions to your taste (longer for a strong tea and shorter for a weak tea) .

6. Remove the lid and filter from the infuser mug ; set the filter aside to reuse the leaves for another brew; you can usually get 3-5 infusions from the tea leaves).

7. Replace the lid on the infuser mug and prepare the mug for travel. If you have two lids, use the silicone one now.

See, it wasn't that hard, was it?

The hardest part of making tea is determining how many leaves to use and the correct steeping time. These vary a lot from tea to tea and according to personal preference, so nothing to do with the use of the infuser mug . They also vary for subsequent infusions of the same leaves.

I always start with the recommendations on the packaging and then adapt them for subsequent infusions. If I want a stronger tea, I use more leaves and/or increase the steeping time. If I want a weaker tea, I do the reverse.