How to brew tea properly: water temperature, steep time and how much leaf

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A lot of people who say they do not like green tea have only had it brewed with boiling water for too long, which makes almost any tea bitter. Getting a good cup comes down to four things: how much leaf, how hot the water, how long it steeps and the water itself. This guide gives general starting points; treat them as a place to begin and adjust to taste.

The general rule

The more delicate and less processed the tea, the cooler the water and the shorter the steep. Darker, more oxidised teas can take hotter water and longer brewing. When a tea tastes bitter or harsh, use cooler water or a shorter steep. When it tastes thin, use more leaf or a slightly longer steep.

Starting points by type

These ranges are typical for Western-style brewing, with a fair amount of water and one longer steep. Sellers' recommendations vary, so check the packet too.

Green tea: water around 70 to 80°C, steep about 1 to 3 minutes. Delicate Japanese teas often like the lower end.
White tea: water around 70 to 85°C, steep about 2 to 5 minutes. Bud-only teas tend to like cooler water.
Oolong: water around 85 to 95°C, steep about 2 to 4 minutes. Lighter, greener oolongs at the lower end; dark, roasted ones at the higher end.
Black tea: water just off the boil, steep about 3 to 5 minutes.
Pu-erh: very hot or boiling water. Many people quickly rinse the leaves first, then brew short infusions.
Herbal infusions: usually boiling water, steeped about 5 minutes or longer. Most do not turn bitter with time.

Getting the temperature without a thermometer

A kettle with temperature settings makes this easy. Without one:

let freshly boiled water stand with the lid open for a few minutes before pouring on green or white tea
pour boiled water into a cup or jug first, then into the teapot; each transfer cools it
add a splash of cold water to the hot water before it meets the leaves

How much leaf

A common starting point for Western brewing is around 2 to 3 grams of leaf, roughly a teaspoon of dense rolled leaf or a heaped tablespoon of large fluffy leaves, per 200 to 250 ml of water. Large, airy leaves such as white tea take up more space for the same weight, so weighing is more reliable than measuring by spoon. Use more leaf and less water when brewing in small pots for several short steeps.

Loose leaf vs tea bags

Tea bags usually contain small, broken leaf, which infuses quickly and strongly. Brew them for less time than loose leaf and take the bag out rather than leaving it in.
Loose leaf usually means larger leaves that need room to unfurl. A roomy infuser basket or a teapot works far better than a small tea ball, which crams the leaves together.
Pyramid bags with whole leaves sit in between.

Neither is wrong. Loose leaf often gives more flavour and can usually be brewed more than once.

Multiple infusions

Good loose-leaf tea, especially oolong, pu-erh and many green and white teas, can be brewed several times. This is the idea behind gongfu-style brewing, popular in China and Taiwan: a small pot or gaiwan, a generous amount of leaf, and many short steeps of seconds rather than minutes, increasing a little each time. The flavour changes from one infusion to the next, which is half the pleasure. Even with Western brewing, a second steep that is a minute longer than the first is often excellent.

Water and other details

Use fresh, cold water for each boil. Re-boiled water can taste flat.
Very hard water can dull tea and leave a film on the surface. If your tap water is hard, filtered water often tastes noticeably better.
Warm the pot or cup with hot water first, especially for teas brewed at high temperatures.
Pour off all the tea when the steep is done. Leaving it sitting on the leaves keeps extracting bitterness.
Milk and sugar suit strong black teas; most green, white and oolong teas are best plain.

Fixing common problems

Bitter or astringent: cooler water, shorter steep or less leaf.
Weak: more leaf rather than a much longer steep.
Flat or dull: fresher tea, fresher water or slightly hotter water.

What is your go-to brewing method, and which tea took you a while to get right? Share your tips or ask a question in the comments.