The three variables of a good cup
Tea is simple to make and easy to spoil. The flavor depends on three things: the amount of leaf, the water temperature and the steeping time. Each type of tea has its own sweet spot, because delicate green and white teas turn bitter in boiling water, while black teas and herbal infusions need the heat to open up.
Brewing guide
| Tea | Leaf per 8 oz | Water | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | about 2.4 g | 200–212 °F | 3–5 min |
| Chinese green | about 1.9 g | 175 °F | 2–3 min |
| Japanese green (sencha) | about 2.4 g | 160 °F | 1–2 min |
| White | about 2.4 g | 175 °F | 4–5 min |
| Oolong | about 2.4 g | 195 °F | 3 min |
| Pu-erh | about 2.4 g | 200–212 °F | 3–4 min |
| Herbal or rooibos | about 2.4 g | 212 °F | 5–7 min |
The calculator scales the amount of leaf with the volume of water and adjusts it for a lighter or stronger cup.
Example
For an 8 oz cup of black tea of standard strength:
- Leaf: 2.4 g, about one level teaspoon
- Water: 203 °F, just off the boil
- Steeping: 4 minutes
- Caffeine: roughly 47 mg, against about 95 mg for a cup of brewed coffee
Practical tips
- Weigh when you can. A teaspoon holds about 2.5 g of small black tea leaves but only about 1 g of fluffy white tea, so spoons can mislead.
- Without a thermometer, let boiled water rest about 2 minutes for 185 °F and 4 to 5 minutes for 175 °F, or use a variable-temperature kettle.
- Use fresh, filtered water if your tap water is hard or chlorinated.
- Warm the pot or cup first so the water does not cool too fast.
- Remove the leaves at the end of the steeping time, or pour off all the tea, so it does not keep extracting.
Re-steeping
Good green, oolong and pu-erh teas can be steeped two to five times. Add 30 seconds to a minute for each new infusion. Brewed gongfu-style, with much more leaf in a small pot and very short infusions, the same teas give a series of intense small cups.
Iced and cold brew
For iced tea, brew at double strength and pour over ice. For cold brew, steep about 1.5 times the usual amount of leaf in cold water in the refrigerator for 6 to 12 hours: the result is smooth and low in bitterness.