Tea tastes best when prepared with fresh water. Don't boil the same water more than once, as this will weaken the flavor of the resulting tea. Heat the water to the proper temperature for the type of tea you're making, and steep appropriately. Some general guidelines are: White tea: 158-167 degrees Green tea: 167-176 degree Black tea: 195-212 degrees Herbal tea: 195-212 degrees If you're using a tea bag, you'll generally use one bag per cup of tea. If you're using loose tea, add one teaspoon per 8-12oz of water.  Most teas need to steep for 3-5 minutes, depending on your preferences. The longer the tea steeps, the stronger the flavor. You can steep a green or white tea for as little as two minutes, while you may want to steep an herbal tea for up to 12 minutes.