Since its discovery over 5,000 years ago, tea has become an integral part of our lives. For some, brewing and drinking tea is an art form and, according to a Japanese proverb, "If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty."

To appreciate the experience of a well-brewed cup of tea, we have created this Brewing Guide. Of course, to find the method that best suits your tastes, you may need to experiment. With more than 70 teas, Celestial Seasonings offers a variety of options to ensure a great-tasting cup of enjoyment to suit any moment and palate.

Tips for Brewing the Best Cup of Hot Tea

Use fresh water. Use freshly-drawn cold water as water that has been reheated gives tea a flat taste. If you're unhappy with the taste of your tea, you may, in fact, dislike the taste of your water. Try making a cup of tea with water from a purifier or bottled water and taste the difference.

Heat the water to the right temperature. Bring it to a rapid boil for black or herb tea (either in a kettle or microwave) to extract the full flavor. For green tea, the water should be hot, just to the point of boiling. Water temperature will drop rapidly, so bring your pot or cup to the stove and pour as quickly as possible.

Cover your cup. Whenever possible, if brewing tea by the cup, use the saucer to cover the cup and retain the heat. Some tea mugs on the market are designed with a built-in lid for added convenience and practicality.

Watch the clock, not the color. Never brew tea by color if you want the perfect cup. Some teas brew light, others dark. Always brew by the clock -- Celestial Seasonings recommends three to five minutes for green and black teas, four to six minutes for herb teas and six minutes for wellness teas.

Squeeze the bag. Some people have debated -- to squeeze or not to squeeze. Celestial Seasonings recommends squeezing the bag. Why? Tea leaves can absorb up to seven times their weight in water and compressing the bag enhances color and flavor. So, give a gentle squeeze to the tea bag before removing from the cup.

Herb Tea

Hot Tea by the Cup: Place one tea bag in your favorite cup. Add boiling water and let steep 4 to 6 minutes. Sweeten if you desire -- we recommend honey!

Iced Tea by the Pitcher: Pour 2 cups of boiling water over 4 tea bags. Steep 4 to 6 minutes, then remove the bags. If desired, stir in your favorite sweetener while the tea is hot. Add 2 cups of cold water and chill.

Black Tea

Hot Tea by the Cup: Place one tea bag in your cup and pour boiling water over it, cover and steep 3 to 5 minutes, depending on desired strength. Remove tea bag. We recommend adding honey to sweeten.

Iced Tea by the Pitcher: To make 2 quarts, pour 4 cups of boiling water over 8 tea bags. Steep 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the bags. Add sweetener and/or lemon if desired. Then add 4 more cups of cold water. Refrigerate and enjoy.

Green Tea

Green tea is brewed differently from black tea because its fresh green leaf makes a slightly astringent tea. With cooler water and shorter brewing time, you get more delicate flavor from the unfermented leaf.

Hot Tea by the Cup. Place one tea bag in your cup. Pour very hot (just at the brink of boiling) water over the tea bag. Cover and steep 3 minutes. Remove tea bag and add lemon and/or sweetener if desired. Traditionally, green tea is served without milk.

Iced Tea by the Pitcher. Pour 2 cups of very hot water over 4 tea bags. Steep 3 minutes then remove the bags. If desired, stir in your favorite sweetener while the tea is hot. Add 2 cups of cold water and chill.

Wellness Tea

Hot Tea by the Cup: Place one tea bag in cup. Add boiling water and let steep for 6 minutes. We recommend that you use no more than 4 tea bags per day. Sweeten if you desire -- we love our Wellness Teas with honey!

Iced Tea by the Pitcher: Pour 2 cups of boiling water over 4 tea bags. Steep 6 minutes, then remove the bags. If desired, stir in your favorite sweetener while the tea is hot. Add 2 cups of cold water and chill.

Cool Brew Iced Tea

Making a perfect cup of iced tea in only minutes is deliciously simple with Celestial Seasonings new Cool Brew line of iced teas.

Use 4 tea bags for each quart, or 1-2 bags for each 8-ounce glass. Pour cool water over the Cool Brew tea bags. Steep for a minimum of 5 minutes. Add ice and your favorite sweetener. Garnish with fresh fruit or mint. Refresh and enjoy! For a stronger brew, use more tea bags. Best if used within 72 hours of brewing.

Chai

By the Cup: Place one tea bag in your favorite mug. Fill with 3/4 cup boiling water. Steep for 4 to 6 minutes. For authentic chai taste, remove tea bag and fill mug with 1/4 cup hot milk or dairy substitute. Sweeten to taste with sugar or honey.

By the Pot: Use one tea bag for each 8-ounce serving. Steep tea bags with 3/4 cup of boiling water per serving. Remove tea bags, add 1/4 cup of hot milk (or dairy substitute) per serving and sweeten.

Iced Chai: Place one tea bag in your favorite mug. Fill halfway with boiling water, steep for 4 to 6 minutes and sweeten. Fill mug with cold milk or dairy substitute. Pour over ice.

Maté

Hot Tea by the Cup: Place one tea bag in your favorite cup. Add boiling water and let steep 4 to 6 minutes. If desired, add sweetener and milk or lemon to taste.

Iced Tea by the Pitcher: To make 2 quarts, pour 4 cups of boiling water over 8 tea bags. Steep 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the bags. Add sweetener and/or lemon if desired. Then add 4 more cups of cold water. Refrigerate and enjoy.

Water Bottle Maté: Add one tea bag for every eight oz of cold water. Shake, wait 10 minutes, and enjoy!