Loose tea has been enjoyed for millenniums. Today's popular paper tea bags are really quite new, the first being used in the early 1930s. Loose tea can be added directly to the tea pot and then strained or placed first into a tea infuser and then added to boiling water. Many gourmet tea drinkers prefer tea prepared from loose tea rather then a bag due to the purity of taste. Brewing loose tea also allows tea to be made with larger pieces of the tea leaf. All types of tea including black, green and herbal varieties can be made with loose tea.