Brewing tea is straightforward, but there are many different methods. For the most basic way to brew a cup of tea, simply pour hot water over your ingredients and let them rest for a few minutes. Be open to experimenting with the amount of time tea is left too steep to find what tastes right to you. In general, the longer your tea is left to rest in hot water, the more potent your cup will be. Some research on black tea shows that the longer the tea is left to sit, the more antioxidants and phytochemicals are present in the tea.