The tea brewing guide
Brew your first cup of tea
Your first cup in three steps
- Measure Put 1–2 g of black or white loose-leaf tea in a cup.
- Pour Add 200–300 mL of water at the temperature suggested on the pack.
- Taste Try 3–5 minutes. Separate the leaves when the taste suits you.
Brew in a cup
1–2 g · 200–300 mL · 3–5 min for black or white tea
For a mug of black or white tea, add water at the temperature given on the package. Separate the leaves with a strainer or pour the liquor into another cup when the strength suits you.
As a starting point, put 2–4 g of green tea in a glass, add water at 85–90 °C and let the leaves unfurl for about 2–3 minutes. For a lighter cup, use less tea or shorten the steep. See the specific product’s brewing instructions for details.
For a milder cup of Longjing, try a shorter infusion of 1–2 minutes.
Use a filter cup
Start with 3–4 g of tea
Put the leaves in the removable filter. Add water at the temperature recommended for your tea. When it tastes right, lift the filter to separate the leaves.
Brew with a gaiwan
3–5 g · 120–150 mL gaiwan
For a small gaiwan, a traditional Chinese lidded bowl, start with 3–5 g of tea and water at 95–100 °C. Keep the first few infusions short, up to about 15 seconds each, and drain the tea completely after each pour. Adjust later infusions to taste. Follow the product’s brewing instructions for the best starting point for that tea and vessel.
For other teas in the same gaiwan, try these initial infusion times and water temperatures. Follow the product’s instructions when given.
- Green tea 15–20 seconds · about 85 °C
- Oolong tea 5–30 seconds · near boiling
- Pu-erh tea 10–30 seconds · near boiling
Cold brew in the fridge
Many of our teas can be cold-brewed. Add tea and drinking water to a clean, covered glass bottle or pitcher, then steep in the refrigerator. Keep it chilled. Check the specific product’s brewing instructions for the tea-to-water ratio and chilling time.
Adjust one thing at a time
- Tea amount Use a little less for a lighter cup or a little more for a fuller taste.
- Water Start with water that tastes clean and use the temperature recommended for the tea.
- Time Shorten the next steep if the cup tastes bitter or too strong. Give it a little longer if it tastes too light.
When the tea pack gives specific instructions, follow those first.
Watch how tea is brewed
Brew black tea in a gaiwan
Use a cup with a removable filter
Use a Yixing travel tea set
Brew green tea or floral tea
Watch a gongfu tea service
Make a pear and hawthorn tea blend
Longan and goji berries
Pair black tea with peeled, pitted longan and goji berries for a gently fruity cup.
Hawthorn and apple
Pair black tea with fresh hawthorn and chopped apple for a fruity, lightly tart cup.
Rose and jasmine
Pair black tea with dried rose and jasmine sold for food or tea use. Add them to taste for a floral note.
Red dates and ginger
Pair black tea with pitted dried red dates and sliced or shredded ginger for a gently spicy cup.
Pear and dried tangerine peel
Pair black tea with pieces of peeled pear and dried tangerine peel for a mellow, citrus-scented cup.
What to notice when tasting black tea
- Dry leaves Look at their shape and colour.
- Liquor Notice its clarity and shades of gold, orange or red.
- Aroma and taste Smell the cup, then sip for sweetness, body and any floral, fruity or honey-like notes.
- Infused leaves Look at how the leaves open and how their colour changes.
Easy Steeper filter cup
A cup with a removable filter for brewing tea at home or at your desk.
Yixing clay travel tea set
A compact 160 mL set for brewing tea while travelling or at the office.
Three Fish hand-painted teaware
Hand-painted teaware for brewing with a gaiwan and sharing tea.
