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Brewing loose leaf tea is simpler than most people think. You need leaves, hot water, something to strain with, and about five minutes. The results are noticeably better than tea bags — more flavor, more aroma, and more control over strength.
This guide covers the basics: equipment, measurements, water temperature, and steep times for every major tea type.
At minimum, you need a teapot or mug with an infuser. A glass teapot lets you watch the leaves unfurl, which is useful for judging when your tea is ready. A simple basket infuser that sits in your mug works just as well.
A kitchen thermometer helps with temperature, though it is not strictly necessary once you learn to read your water. Boiling water that has sat for 2-3 minutes drops to roughly 80°C — close enough for most green teas.
The standard ratio is 2-3 grams of tea per 200ml of water. That is roughly one teaspoon for most teas, though bulky teas like white peony or some oolongs need a heaping spoon.
If your tea tastes weak, add more leaf rather than steeping longer. Over-steeping causes bitterness. More leaf at the right time gives you stronger flavor without the harsh tannins.
Temperature matters more than most people realize. Using boiling water on a delicate green tea will scorch the leaves and produce a bitter, flat cup. Here is what works:
Green tea: 70-80°C. The lower end for Japanese greens like sencha, the higher end for Chinese greens like longjing.
White tea: 75-85°C. White peony does well at 80°C. Silver needle can handle slightly higher.
Oolong tea: 85-95°C. Lighter oolongs toward the lower end, roasted oolongs closer to boiling.
Black tea: 95-100°C. Full boil is fine for most black teas, including Darjeeling.
Pu-erh tea: 95-100°C. Full boil. Rinse the leaves with a quick first pour before your actual brew.
Herbal tea: 100°C. Herbal infusions need full boiling water and longer steep times to extract flavor from roots, flowers, and seeds.
Steep time is where most beginners go wrong. Too long and your tea turns bitter. Too short and you get tinted water.
Green tea: 1-3 minutes. Start at 2 minutes and adjust from there.
White tea: 3-5 minutes. White teas are forgiving and rarely go bitter.
Oolong tea: 2-4 minutes for Western style. 20-40 seconds for gongfu style with more leaf.
Black tea: 3-5 minutes. Most black teas hit their sweet spot at 4 minutes.
Pu-erh tea: 2-4 minutes Western style. Rinse first, then steep.
Herbal tea: 5-7 minutes minimum. Roots and seeds like burdock root need 10-15 minutes.
One of the biggest advantages of loose leaf tea is that most teas can be steeped multiple times. Oolong and pu-erh teas commonly give 4-6 good infusions. Green and white teas typically manage 2-3.
Add 30 seconds to a minute for each re-steep. The flavor profile shifts with each infusion — second and third steeps often reveal notes you missed in the first cup.
Using boiling water for green tea is the most common one. Water that is too hot destroys the amino acids that give green tea its sweetness and complexity.
Steeping too long is the second. Set a timer until you develop a feel for it. And use enough leaf — a half-teaspoon in a large mug will always taste thin, no matter how long you steep it.
The best way to learn is to experiment. Adjust one variable at a time — temperature, amount of leaf, or steep time — and pay attention to how the flavor changes. Within a few sessions, you will know exactly how you like your tea.
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