Knowledge Base
Coffee & Tea Guides
Brew better and explore more — buying guides, how-tos, and explainers for every coffee and tea ritual.
How-To
How to Make Rose Syrup for Coffee and Drinks
Rose syrup is a 1:1 simple syrup infused with food-grade rose — dried culinary petals, a splash of rosewater, or both. Here is the recipe, the light-hand trick that keeps it from turning soapy, how to use it in lattes and iced coffee, and how to store it.
How-To
How to Make Goldenrod Tea (Flowers and Leaves)
Goldenrod tea is a mild, slightly sweet, hay-scented herbal infusion made from the flowering tops and leaves of Solidago. Here is how to make it, hot or iced.
How-To
How to Make Schisandra Tea (Five-Flavor Berry)
Schisandra tea is dried five-flavor berries cold-soaked or gently simmered into a tart, ruby infusion. Here is how to make it, cold or warm, plus storage and safety.
How-To
How to Make Persimmon Leaf Tea at Home
Persimmon leaf tea is a mild, caffeine-free, gently grassy-sweet infusion made from dried persimmon leaves. Here is how to prepare, dry and steep it at home, hot or iced, plus a simple brewing chart for leaf amount, water temperature and steep time.
How-To
How to Make Allspice Tea from Whole or Ground Berries
Allspice tea is made by crushing and simmering whole allspice berries — or briefly steeping ground allspice — into a warm, clove-and-cinnamon-scented cup. Here is the full recipe, the whole-versus-ground question, spiced and citrus variations, and how to store the berries.
How-To
How to Make Bay Leaf Tea at Home
Bay leaf tea is a warm, savoury infusion of true bay laurel leaves. Here is how to make it from dried or fresh leaves, a spiced cinnamon variation, and the safety points to know.
How-To
How to Make Quince Tea (Hot or Iced)
Quince tea two easy ways: simmer thin slices of fresh, fragrant quince, or stir a spoonful of quince-honey preserve (mogwa cha) into hot water. Serve hot or iced.
How-To
How to Make Pine Needle Tea (Safely)
Pine needle tea is a bright, citrus-forest brew made from edible pine needles. Here is how to steep it gently, which look-alike trees to avoid, and who should skip it.
How-To
How to Make Star Anise Tea at Home
Star anise tea is made by simmering one or two whole dried pods until the water turns pale amber and smells warmly of liquorice. Here is the full recipe, a spiced cinnamon variation, hot and iced methods, storage tips, and how to tell the culinary spice from its toxic look-alike.
How-To
How to Make Pandan Tea at Home
Pandan tea is made by simmering or steeping the fragrant green leaves of the screwpine plant until the water turns pale gold-green and sweet-smelling. Here is how to make pandan tea from fresh, frozen, or dried leaves, plus a lemongrass version and an iced coconut twist.
How-To
How to Make Yaupon Tea (North America's Native Caffeine Leaf)
Yaupon tea is made by steeping dried or roasted yaupon holly leaves in hot water like tea. Here is the recipe, green vs roasted, hot and iced, plus storage.
How-To
How to Make Adeni Tea (Yemeni Spiced Milk Tea)
Adeni tea is the creamy, cardamom-forward spiced milk tea of Aden, Yemen. Here is how to make it on the stovetop, from the spice blend to clear and milky variations.
How-To
How to Make Cold Brew Concentrate at Home
Cold brew concentrate is easy: steep coarse grounds in cold water at a strong 1:4 to 1:5 ratio for 12 to 24 hours, filter, then dilute to taste. Here is the full recipe, the ratio, the steep, and how to store it.
How-To
How to Brew Cacao Tea (Brewed Cacao) at Home
Brewed cacao is a light, chocolatey, caffeine-light drink you steep from cacao husks or crushed nibs. Here is how to brew cacao three ways, plus ratios, iced tips, and storage.
How-To
How to Make Nitro Cold Brew at Home
Nitro cold brew is smooth cold brew infused with nitrogen so it pours creamy and cascading under a Guinness-like foam head. Here is how to make it at home with an N2 dispenser, step by step, plus a gear table and troubleshooting.
How-To
How to Make a Cortado at Home
A cortado is a double shot of espresso cut with an equal splash of warm, barely-foamed milk. Here is the 1:1 ratio, the glass, a step-by-step method, and no-machine fixes.
How-To
How to Make a Flat White at Home
A flat white is a double shot of espresso under steamed milk with only a thin layer of silky microfoam. Here is how to make one at home: the ratio, the pour, no-machine swaps, and the fixes for foam that is too thick.
How-To
How to Make Salted Caramel Cold Foam
Make salted caramel cold foam at home: froth cold milk with caramel syrup and a pinch of salt to soft peaks, float it on iced coffee or cold brew, and finish with a caramel drizzle and flaky salt.
How-To
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cold Foam
Pumpkin spice cold foam is cold milk frothed with pumpkin puree, spice, and a little sweetener into a light, pourable topping. Here is the full recipe, the tools that work, and how to nail the thickness so it floats on cold brew or iced coffee.
How-To
How to Make Lavender Syrup for Coffee and Lattes
Lavender syrup is a 1:1 simple syrup steeped with culinary dried lavender off the heat for 10 to 20 minutes, then strained. Here is the recipe, the light-hand trick that keeps it from turning soapy, how to use it in lattes and iced coffee, and how to store it.
How-To
How to Make Brown Sugar Syrup for Coffee and Boba
Brown sugar syrup is just sugar melted into water — a five-minute, two-ingredient sweetener with a deep toffee-caramel note. Here's the 1:1 and 2:1 method, plus how to use it in iced coffee, cold foam, and boba.
How-To
How to Make Chai Syrup for Lattes and Coffee
Chai syrup is a spiced concentrate you simmer once and pour all week. Here is how to make it, the ratios that work, ways to use it in lattes and coffee, and how to store it safely.
How-To
How to Make Burdock Tea at Home (Fresh or Dried Gobo Root)
Burdock tea is made by simmering fresh or dried gobo root for 10 to 20 minutes. Here is the full recipe, fresh vs dried tips, ginger pairings, and how to store it.
How-To
How to Make Orange Peel Tea (Fresh or Dried)
To make orange peel tea, simmer or steep clean orange peel — fresh strips or dried rind — in hot water for several minutes, then strain. Here is the full method for fresh and dried peel, a brewing chart, spice pairings, and how to store your own dried peel.