Richard's Brew Guide
NooTea isn't brewed like most teas.
Especially Brew 2.
If you're coming from coffee, this guide will help you find a brewing style that feels familiar — and then adjust it to suit your taste.
This is the nerd's guide — the full detail, with measurements. If you just want the quick version, the brew guide on the Brew 2 page has everything you need. Either way is good.
Four ways to drink NooTea, all covered below:
Espresso
Americano
Cold brew
Latte
NooTea Brew 2 changes noticeably when you adjust how you brew it.
If your first cup isn't quite right, don't assume it's 'not for you'. A little more leaf or a little less water can completely change the result.
This is very different to normal tea
Most people brew tea with a small pinch of leaf and lots of water.
Brew 2 is almost the opposite.
The one principle that matters: use a lot of leaf. Much more than feels normal — and much less water.
Tea bag amount (top left) versus NooTea amount
Why doesn't it turn bitter?
Brew any ordinary tea with this much leaf and it would turn harsh and undrinkable within a minute or two.
Brew 2 is different because of how it's made. It's a fermented, aged tea — and that long fermentation and ageing process transforms the compounds that would normally cause bitterness. What's left brews deep and strong, but stays smooth and rounded.
That's why you can pile in the leaf, infuse for as long as you like, and even leave the leaves sitting in the cup. There's no timer to watch and nothing to get wrong.
It's also what gives Brew 2 its depth and coffee-like feel — richness and body from a huge amount of leaf, without the sharpness.
How much leaf?
A generous small handful — around two dessert spoons, or 10–12g if you weigh it.
Roughly ten times what you'd use for an ordinary cup of tea. It looks like too much. It isn't.
By eye: a generous small handful, about two dessert spoons
On the scale: 10–12g of leaf
And not much water — around 100ml for an espresso-style brew
If in doubt, use more leaf, less water, then adjust later brews to your taste.
The water that comes out of your tap makes a big difference
This one really does sound nerdy — but it makes a huge difference to the cup.
- •Soft water is better. If you live in a hard water area, your brew won't be as good — the minerals get in the way of the flavour.
- •Water treatment matters too. If you can taste the treatment in your tap water (that chlorine-like edge), it will come through in the brew.
If either of those sounds like your tap water, try brewing with bottled water. Just avoid anything labelled mineral water — that's hard water again. Look for a still water low in minerals — soft water is what you want.
We know this seems like a lot. You don't have to do it forever — but try it even once, just for your first brew, so you can taste what's possible. Then decide if your tap water is holding the leaf back.
Brew 2: choose your coffee reference
A useful way to approach Brew 2 is to think about the coffee you normally drink.
The measurements below are approximate starting points, for repeatability. Adjust from here to your taste.
If you're an espresso drinker
Small, concentrated brews — like pulling shots.
This is the one style where short infusions come into play — small brews from the same leaves, several times over.
- •Leaf: 10–12g (a generous small handful)
- •Water: ~100ml just-boiled
- •First infusion: ~60 seconds, then strain
- •Re-infuse the same leaves multiple times, adding about 15 seconds each time
Each infusion will taste slightly different.
You can drink them separately, or combine them.
If you're an Americano drinker
Same leaf, more water — and infuse as long as you like.
- •Leaf: 10–12g — the same as espresso-style
- •Water: 250–300ml just-boiled (a full mug)
- •Infusion: as long as you like — no upper limit, and no need to strain
It stays smooth however long it's infused, unlike regular tea — so there's no timer to watch and nothing to get wrong.
If you're a latte drinker
No water at all — infuse the leaves directly in 100% milk for a softer, rounder result.
- •Leaf: 10–12g
- •Milk: ~250ml hot unsweetened soya or almond milk — don't brew with water and add milk; the milk is the brewing liquid
- •Infusion: one long infusion, several minutes, then strain
Brew 2 Latte — Which Milk Works Best
| Milk | Richard's verdict | |
|---|---|---|
 | Blue Diamond Almond Breeze (Unsweetened) | Delicious Adds a lovely almond taste |
 | Alpro Almond (Unsweetened) | Delicious Lets the tea do its thing |
 | ALDI Almond Milk (Unsweetened) | Works really well |
 | ALDI Soya Milk (Unsweetened) | Works really well |
 | Full fat regular milk (dairy) | Not good Kills the flavour |
 | Sweetened plant milks | Not good Too sweet — throws the flavour off |
How to adjust to your taste
Small changes make a big difference.
- •More leaf → richer, heavier flavour
- •Less water → more intensity
- •Longer time → more depth
- •Milk → softer, rounder feel
NooTea is forgiving.
Exploration is part of the experience.
Cold brew
Cold brewing Brew 2 brings out a softer profile. Many people prefer its calmer, steadier feel.
Quick guide:
- •A handful of leaf
- •200–300ml of water
- •Brew at room temperature for a few hours or overnight
- •Strain and drink
Other brews
Each NooTea brew behaves differently.
- •Brew 2 — bold, structured, designed for coffee drinkers
- •Brew 1 — Soft cocoa notes with a smooth, malty body and a roasted edge. (currently unavailable)
You can nerd out or just throw in a good handful of leaf and get to know how you like it. Either way is good.