How to Make Mullein Tea: The Method, and Why You Have to Strain It

By Suhail Rivera, founder of Alkaline Herb Shop

To make mullein tea, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried mullein flowers to 8 ounces of boiling water, cover, and steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Then strain it through a fine mesh strainer or a cloth, which is the step that matters most, because mullein has tiny plant hairs you want to keep out of the cup. Drink it hot, or chill it for iced gordolobo tea. That is the whole method, and the rest of this guide explains the straining, the taste, and how to serve it.

How to make mullein tea, step by step

1. Measure 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried mullein flowers per 8 ounce cup.
2. Pour boiling water over the flowers.
3. Cover the cup and steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Mullein flowers are light and need the longer steep to give up their flavour.
4. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or a piece of cloth. Do not skip this.
5. Drink it hot, or let it cool and pour over ice.

Why you have to strain mullein tea

Mullein is covered in fine, soft hairs, and some of them come loose in hot water. They are harmless to swallow but they can tickle or scratch the throat, so you want them out of the cup. A standard tea bag mesh is often too coarse to catch them. A fine mesh strainer works, and a coffee filter or a clean cloth works even better. This one step is the difference between a smooth cup and a scratchy one, and it is the thing most first time mullein drinkers wish they had known.

What does mullein tea taste like?

Mild and lightly sweet, soft and floral, with a note of warm hay. It is one of the gentler herbal teas, nothing sharp or bitter about it, which is why people who find other herb teas too strong often get on with mullein. It takes well to a slice of lemon if you want a little lift.

Does mullein tea have caffeine?

No. Mullein is naturally caffeine free, so it is an easy evening cup and will not keep you awake.

Iced gordolobo tea

In Mexico dried mullein flowers are called gordolobo, and gordolobo tea has been made in traditional kitchens for generations. It is very good iced. Brew it a little stronger, using the full 2 teaspoons and the longer steep, strain it well, then cool it and pour over ice. A slice of lemon or lime suits the iced version.

What is mullein?

Mullein is a tall roadside plant with soft, woolly leaves and a flower stalk that can grow taller than a person, Verbascum thapsus. The soft yellow flowers are the part used for this tea, picked and dried whole. Ours are organic or wildcrafted mullein flowers from Mexico, just the dried flowers with nothing added. If you have only seen mullein sold as a leaf, the flowers are the milder, sweeter part, and they are what most tea drinkers are looking for. We make no health claims for it. Drink it because it is a gentle, caffeine free, easy to like cup.

Who should not drink mullein tea

• Strain it well, because the fine hairs can irritate the throat if they get into the cup.
• Do not use it during pregnancy or while nursing.
• It is not recommended for anyone under 18.
• If you have a medical condition or take prescription medicine, speak to your doctor first.

How to store mullein flowers

Keep them tightly closed in a dry place at room temperature, 59 to 86°F. Dried flowers kept sealed and dry stay good for a couple of years.

Suhail Rivera is the founder of Alkaline Herb Shop, which sources and sells the mullein flowers described in this article.