How Much Loose Tea Should You Use to Make a Cup of Tea?
Brewing loose tea is fairly simple once you get the hang of it, but it can seem a bit complicated for newcomers. One of the most common questions we get from customers is how much tea leaves they should use.
In general, we recommend using one teaspoon of loose tea per 200 ml cup of tea. However, it's good to follow some simple tips to enjoy your favorite teas to the fullest. Read on to learn more.
Correct proportion of tea leaves and water
In general, a good rule of thumb is to use one teaspoon of tea leaves for every 200 ml of water. However, this isn't a hard and fast rule. For some white teas and some large-leaf infusions, you may want to use a heaped teaspoon instead of a flat teaspoon, as their lower-density leaves take up more volume.
This rule is just a recommendation, if you like your tea a little stronger or more flavorful, you can add a few more tea leaves.
How to measure the amount of loose tea?
To measure your tea leaves, we recommend using one of our tea measuring scoops . This scoop measures the amount of tea leaves you need for each cup. Keep in mind that measuring tea leaves isn't an exact science; feel free to eyeball or use any scoop you have on hand. Once you've brewed loose tea a few times, you'll have a better idea of how much tea leaves you need depending on how strong you like your tea.
If you have an accurate kitchen scale, you can also weigh the tea leaves. To give you an idea, a teaspoon of tea typically weighs about 2 grams. This method of measuring tea is more accurate than using a spoon, but it takes considerably longer.
What if I use a larger mug or thermos?
As we've said, we use the one-teaspoon-per-cup rule as a guideline for preparing tea. But many tea lovers tend to drink it from larger cups or mugs, or from thermoses they take to work or the gym.
These mugs and thermoses typically have a capacity of 350 to 500 ml, which is twice as much as a cup of tea. Therefore, you'd only need to double the amount of tea leaves, i.e., 2 teaspoons of your chosen loose tea, or 4 grams if using a scale.
The case of the iced tea
If you're preparing iced or cold tea, keep in mind that the cold makes the flavors less intense, and that the ice we add, when it melts, increases the volume of water. When this happens, we usually say the tea is watery.
Therefore, when preparing iced tea, you usually use at least twice as many tea leaves. If you want to learn how to make iced tea like a pro, you can read our guide : How to Make Iced Tea.
How to prepare loose tea?
In addition to the amount of tea in loose tea leaves, the other components of the tea-making process are water temperature and steeping time. Depending on the type of tea, water temperature can range from 70 to 100 degrees, which is the boiling point of water. Steeping time also varies depending on the tea or infusion, ranging from one to ten minutes.
You can read our guide "How to Prepare Loose Leaf Tea" to get a more precise idea. For your information, you can find preparation instructions on the label for each of our teas and infusions , including the recommended amount, temperature, and steeping time.
In short, is it necessary to be so precise?
Yes and no. Although it's important to pay attention to the amount of tea you use, you can use more or less, depending on your preferences. It's a good idea to start with a teaspoon, regardless of the tea you're brewing, and adjust the amount if it seems too weak or too strong.
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