Steeping tea is actually very simple. All you need to do is pour some water over some tea leaves. But there are still some main rules to follow on how to steep tea:
- Always use cold, fresh water for boiling. Don’t re-boil old water.
- Pour the water over the tea directly into the cup. Not the other way around – don’t throw the tea to a cup already filled with hot water.
- If you’re using tea in teabags, don’t squeeze the teabags after the steeping is done.
- Always cover the cup with something (e.g. a small plate) for the entire time of steeping.
- When steeping is done remove the leaves immediately.
- Don’t let the tea to cool down, drink it while it’s warm.
The most popular types of tea and their perfect steeping conditions.
- Black tea: 0.5 teaspoon per cup; water temperature 96°C (205°F); steep for 3 minutes.
- Green tea: 1 tsp/cup; temp. 65-80°C (150-175°F); 3-4 minutes.
- Oolong: 0.5 tsp/cup; temp. 90°C (195°F); 3-6 minutes.
- White tea: 1 tsp/cup; temp. 80-85°C (175-185°F); 7-9 minutes.
- Red tea (Pu-erh): 0.5 tsp/cup; temp. 96°C (205°F); 3-7 minutes.
- Yellow tea: 1 tsp/cup; temp. 90°C (195°F); 3 minutes.
- Rooibos: 1 tsp/cup; temp. 96°C (205°F); 3-5 minutes.
- Honeybush: 1 tsp/cup; temp. 96°C (205°F); 5-8 minutes.
Steep Tea Preparation
Steep Time
It’s really a matter of personal preference. Whole leaf teas take a notably longer time to reach their optimum flavor. Our general rule of thumb is 4 to 5+ minutes for herbal tea and black tea and 3 to 4 minutes for white tea and green tea, which can become bitter if over-steeped. Try steeping these for 2 min, then start sipping every 30 seconds until you find your ideal flavor. Traditional paper tea bags have a much shorter steep time - 2 min or less - because the cut of the tea is much finer.
Steeping Temperature
If black and herbal teas are not steeped at hot enough temperatures, they can lack the full depth and breadth of flavor. Meanwhile, for green and white teas, adding water that’s too hot can scald the tea and release an off flavor. The basic rule: Steep black, herbal and red teas at full boil (around 208˚ - 212˚F) and green and white teas just off-boil (around 170˚ - 185˚F). Don’t forget that altitude affects your boil temp. Where we live, at 6,600 feet above sea level, water boils at 200˚F (which means we often burn our mouths on that first sip of tea at sea level).
Preparing Loose Tea
Use 1 teaspoon of loose tea per large cup or use a kitchen scale to measure out the perfect cuppa. We recommend around 2.5 or 2.7 grams, depending on the type of tea and personal preference.
The main things to remember are to use the right water, get it to the right temperature, and don’t use too much or too little of your chosen tea. Then, don’t let the leaves sit in the water for too long or take them out too quickly.
Once you figured out how long your tea needs to be steeped and at what temperature, give it a shot. It might take you a few tries to get your tea to taste just the way you want it to, but once you get it right, you’ll be able to prepare your favorite tea perfectly every time.
Many teas remain good for a second or third steeping, and you may even notice different flavors emerging when you reuse the leaves or bag.