Water Temperature & Leaf Ratio: A Tea Brewing Cheat Sheet
Three things decide how your cup tastes: water temperature, amount of leaf and steeping time. Use this table as a starting point and adjust to taste.
| Tea | Water | Leaf (per 100–150 ml) | First steep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green tea | 75–85°C | 3 g | 1–2 min (glass) / 30 s (gaiwan) |
| White tea | 85–90°C (aged: 95–100°C) | 4–5 g | 30–60 s |
| Light oolong | 95°C | 6–7 g | 15–20 s |
| Roasted oolong | 100°C | 7–8 g | 10–15 s |
| Black tea | 90–95°C | 4–5 g | 15–30 s (gaiwan) / 2–3 min (pot) |
| Pu-erh | 95–100°C | 6–8 g | 10–20 s after a quick rinse |
Water matters too
Use fresh, filtered water and avoid re-boiling it many times. Without a temperature-controlled kettle, let boiled water rest with the lid open: it cools to roughly 80–85°C after a few minutes.
