How to Brew Tea

The following is a basic guide on how to brew tea. There are many ways to brew tea and this page serves as an overview for making great tea with relative ease.

Proportions
Water Temperatures
Infusion methods
Brew Times
Other Things Worth Noting

Proportions (how much water and tea to use)

MOST teas are brewed with one teaspoon of tea per cup of water. A cup means a measuring cup (8 oz.), not a tiny Yi Xing cup, your favorite oversize mug, or anything in between besides 8 oz. Don’t know how many cups are in your pot? Fill it up with water, then pour the water into a measuring cup. Easy, right? Sort of. There are some exceptions to this rule. The major ones are for herbal teas (which range in density quite a bit) and voluminous white, yellow, and oolong teas (which may need up to 2 teaspoons per cup). I suggest buying your tea from a reputable tea merchant with either a competent salesperson or a detailed set of instructions on the packaging (or--gasp!--both).

That said, there are other ways to brew tea. Some tea traditions, like gong fu cha, use different proportions. Iced tea is a completely different story as well. Then, there’s always personal taste. If you find that you like your tea brewed with more or less water or tea, then by all means make it that way!

Water Temperatures

Not all teas require water at a full boil! Many tea sites are by British tea enthusiasts who will have you believe that all tea is black tea. Most of the world’s teas are scorched by water at a full boil. So how do you know when the water is the right temperature for the tea? First you need to know what temperature the tea requires, then you need to know how to tell what temperature your water is.

Generally speaking:
WHITE TEA-- 158-180deg F (70-82deg C)
Some say that you should use water at 158deg F (70deg C) and that higher temperatures will scald your more delicate teas, but generally people brew white tea at 180deg F (82deg C) without problems.
GREEN/ YELLOW TEA-- 158-180deg F (70-82deg C)
There’s a lot of debate on the "best" temperature at which to brew green tea. If the tea is bitter, your water is too hot. Trust your taste buds.
SCENTED GREEN TEA--190-212deg F (88-100deg C)
Scented green teas require a somewhat higher temperature than regular green teas. Certain shapes require higher temperatures than others, as well. For example, a flat-leaf jasmine will need a lower temperature than jasmine pearls.
OOLONG TEA--190-200deg F (88-93deg C)
Some say you should use fully boiling (212deg F, or 100deg C) water, some say it will destroy the tea. Some even say that 176deg F (80deg C) is plenty hot. They can fight it out.
BLACK TEA--190-200deg F (88-91deg C)
First Flush Darjeelings should be brewed at a lower temperature, about 180deg F (82deg C). British and Indian tea traditions also vary on this point. Many brew at a full boil (212deg F, or 100deg C) without complaint.
MASALA CHAI/ HEAVILY SPICED BLACK TEA--200-212deg F (93-100deg C)
Some heavily spiced black teas require higher temperatures to unlock their full flavor. This is because most herbal teas require a full boil and the higher your ration of herbs to tea is, the closer your tea is to a tisane. Also, if you’re adding milk or sweetener to your drink, you want it to be very strong and, in some cases, even a little bitter beforehand.
PU-ERH TEA--200-212deg F (93-100deg C)
Once again, some advise against fully boiling water, some insist on it.
TISANES (HERBAL TEAS)--212deg F (100deg C)
There are exceptions to this. Check for each type you want to brew.

For more specific instructions, read Brewing Instructions.

Now you know what temperature your water SHOULD be. How do you know when it has reached that temperature? There are a few methods for this. The easiest way is to buy either a cooking thermometer or a water heater with different temperature settings, but where’s the fun in that?! Here’s my favorite way to get your water to the right temperature without cheating (see above method). For more ways to get your water "just right," read Water Temperatures.

Warm It Up

As the water’s temperature increases, it goes through several major stages. A visual recognition of these stages has been used in China since ancient times, mostly to debunk the Western myth that "a watched pot never boils." Since it has been around so long, there is regional and chronological variance in the naming and in the corresponding temperature ranges for each name, but generally speaking the guidelines are as follows:

Shrimp Eyes: 158-176deg F (70-80deg C) This stage is marked by the appearance of tiny bubbles on the edges and bottom of the pot. They are, obviously, the size of shrimp eyes. (For those of you who haven’t looked a crustacean in the eyes lately, it’s under 3mm.) These bubbles are not from the breaking of the chemical bonds in the water itself, but from the escape of the dissolved gases in it.
Crab Eyes: 176-194deg F (80-90deg C) The transition from shrimp eyes to crab eyes occurs when the tiny bubbles begin to rise. It will have a gentle steam rising from it and it makes rapid, high-pitched sizzling sounds with the rise of the bubbles, which are around 3mm in size. This stage is also referred to as the "first boiling."
Fish Eyes: 195-203deg F (90-95deg C) Just like the name says, the bubbles are larger than crab eyes (around 8mm). There is much more steam, and the steam will rise faster than it did in the crab eyes stage. The sound of the hiss will lower in pitch. This stage is also called the "second boiling."
Dragon Eyes: 212deg F (100deg C) This stage is commonly referred to as a "full boil" or "rolling boil," and less commonly as "Old Man Water" or the "third boiling." It is marked by the absence of any small bubbles (as the dissolved gases have all escaped) and the presence of large bubbles (the size of dragon eyes, right?) formed by the evaporation of the water itself.

I know what you’re thinking, right? "No Snake Eyes?!? Come on!" Sorry, no dice. (Wah-wah.)

Those of you at very high altitudes already know the deal about boiling water by now. I don’t need to explain to you how things work in your neighborhood.


Infusion Methods

The goal of infusion is to let your leaves expand fully (which may be up to 5 times their original size) so that the full flavor and nutrients of the tea can infuse into the water. The methods of infusing tea are many and varied. Here’s a quick overview, in order from my least to most preferred. More information is coming soon--so check back often!

Teabags--Easy, cheap, disposable. They usually produce a positively dismal tea, but there are a few exceptions.

Tea balls--Most tea balls are easy to use and clean, but don’t provide enough room for the tea to infuse properly and fall apart easily.

Strainers--The Indian method of tea-making is to brew the tea in a saucepan and strain the leaves with a medium to large wire strainer as you pour it into the cup. I like this method, but I love in-cup strainers, a.k.a. "basket strainers," which are convenient enough for the office and exponentially better than most teabags and tea balls on the market. When I’m brewing for one, in-cup strainers are my favorite method.

Teapots--Teapots use a variety of straining methods. Japanese cast iron pots usually have a wire basket strainer you can place inside. Yi Xing clay pots often have small holes that strain the tea at the base of the spout. Other methods include a teaball, teabag, a very narrow spout (though that can cause clogging), or (in the case of glass pots) a glass basket infuser with cut slats or small perforations. Teapots are generally the best option when you’re brewing more than one cup of tea.

French presses--A noteworthy variation on the teapot, the French press is similar to a teapot, but has a plunger that stops the tea from brewing when pressed. I love the Bodum Assam Line III pot because it allows for a full infusion, it’s easy to use and to clean, it’s modern-looking, and you can reheat your tea by removing the metal basket and popping the glass part in the microwave. When I’m brewing for more than one, the French press is my favorite infusion method. You coffee drinkers can use your French presses for double duty--just be sure to take the press apart and clean it well when switching between tea and coffee.

Pick the method that’s best for you and you’re ready to brew!


Brew Times

Below are general brew times.

WHITE TEA--2-3 minutes
GREEN/ YELLOW TEA--2-3 minutes
OOLONG TEA003-7 minutes
I know what you’re thinking. "That’s a typo, right?" Nope. Lighter oolongs should be brewed 3-5 minutes at a lower temperature, while dark oolongs should be brewed for up to 7 minutes at a higher temperature.
BLACK TEA--3-5 minutes
Milder black teas, like a good First Flush Darjeeling, should be steeped for only 3 minutes. Most black teas are best with a good 5-minute infusion.
MASALA CHAI/ HEAVILY SPICED TEA--3-15 minutes
This is a huge range, yes. If you’re using water that is at a full boil, 3-5 minutes (with a skew toward 5) should suffice. If you’re brewing on the heat source (the traditional Indian method LINK), you can simmer the leaves for up to 15 minutes.
PU-ERH--2-7 minutes
Pu-erh is an acquired taste. If you have yet to acquire it, start at 2 minutes and work up from there.
TISANES (HERBAL TEAS)--no guideline
Since herbal teas come from many kinds of plants, and many parts of the plants, the brew time depends entirely on what kind of herbal tea you are making.

You can time your brewing with a clock, an egg timer, or even (with the use of applications like this Tea Timer for Mac and this one for Windows ) a computer.


Other Things Worth Noting

Your water must be good or your tea won’t be.

Some people recommend quickly rinsing your leaves with warm water immediately before brewing them to remove any unwanted residue and to "wake the leaves up." I usually do this with oolongs and Chinese/ Taiwanese greens, as it is rooted in the gong fu tradition.

Last but not least, enjoy your tea!