How long to steep tea?
As a general rule, we recommend steeping your tea for between one and five minutes, although this depends on the type of tea. Steeping time is one of the most important aspects when preparing a flavorful and balanced cup of tea. Steeping tea for too long results in a strong, bitter cup. Steeping too short results in a weak, flavorless cup of tea. Furthermore, each tea requires a different steeping time to achieve its best flavor.
Luckily, all our teas come with brewing instructions that tell you how long to steep them to ensure a delicious infusion. If you're interested in learning the steeping times for different teas, here are our recommendations for making the perfect cup of tea.
How long to steep tea?
- Black tea: 3 to 5 minutes
- Green tea: 1 to 3 minutes
- White tea: 2 to 3 minutes
- Blue tea or oolong tea: 2 to 5 minutes
- Red tea or Pu erh: 3 to 5 minutes
- Rooibos tea: 5 to 10 minutes
- Infusions 5 to 10 minutes
Tea preparation table
| Type of tea | Temperature | Time |
| Black tea | 90 to 100 ºC | 3 to 5 minutes |
| Green tea | 75 to 90 ºC | 1 to 3 minutes |
| White tea | 75 to 85 ºC | 2 to 3 minutes |
| Oolong tea | 80 to 90 ºC | 3 to 5 minutes |
| Red tea or pu erh | 85 to 95 ºC | 3 to 5 minutes |
| Infusions | 100 ºC | 5 to 10 minutes |
How to prepare loose tea?
Different types of tea can have very different steeping time recommendations, so the steeping time for loose tea leaves depends on the specific type of tea you're making. To get the steeping time just right for your cup of tea, we recommend timing your steeping time. You can use your phone's timer or a kitchen clock.
To prepare loose tea, we recommend using a teapot, tea infuser, or tea filter. These brewing methods give the tea leaves enough room to expand while the tea steeps, allowing the flavors and aromas to be better extracted. Water temperature is another important factor when preparing tea: while black teas and herbal teas should be brewed with boiling water, other teas, such as green, white, and oolong, should be brewed with slightly cooler water.
RELATED INFORMATION
How long to infuse each type of tea?
How long to steep black tea?
The typical steeping time for black tea is three to five minutes. Black teas are typically steeped longer than most other teas, which increases their caffeine content and results in a dark, full-bodied cup. If you plan to drink your black tea with milk, you may want to consider an even longer steeping time.
How long to steep green tea?
We recommend steeping most green teas for one to three minutes. Knowing how long to steep green tea is especially important, as green tea can easily become bitter if oversteeped. If you've never brewed a particular green tea before, it's often better to err on the side of caution and opt for a shorter steeping time.
How long to steep white tea?
The typical steeping time for white tea is two to three minutes. White tea can be made from the first buds and leaves of the tea plant, or from more mature dried leaves. White teas undergo minimal oxidation and have a light body and a delicate, smooth flavor.
How long to steep oolong tea?
The typical steeping time for oolong tea is two to five minutes. Typically produced in China and Taiwan, oolongs are unique teas that are partially oxidized, placing them somewhere between black and green teas. Oolong teas can be steeped multiple times, allowing for different flavor nuances with each steep.
How long to steep red or pu erh tea?
Pu-erh teas are recommended to be steeped for three to five minutes, similar to black teas. Pu-erh teas can also be prepared using the Chinese Gongfu method, in which the tea is steeped successively over several short infusions. These rich, full-bodied teas are very digestive and can speed up the digestion of heavy meals.
How long to steep rooibos tea?
Rooibos teas can be steeped for five to ten minutes without becoming bitter. Originating in South Africa, rooibos teas are packed with antioxidants and are a satisfying, full-bodied alternative to black teas if you want to avoid caffeine.
How long to infuse infusions?
The recommended steeping time is five to ten minutes. Like black teas, herbal teas should be prepared with boiling water. Unlike many caffeine-containing teas, herbal teas do not typically become bitter if steeped for longer. Some teas, especially those containing potent spices like ginger and turmeric, can be steeped longer for a more flavorful cup.
Why is time important?
The longer you let the tea steep, the stronger it will be. While this can sometimes be a good thing, as in the case of robust, hearty black teas or some herbal teas, steeping the tea for too long can also result in an unpleasantly bitter, overly strong taste. This is especially the case with more delicate teas, such as green tea, which can quickly become bitter if steeped longer than the recommended time.
If the steeping time is too short, the cup of tea will be weaker and more mellow. While some people enjoy drinking mild-flavored teas, steeping your tea for too short a time can prevent you from experiencing the full depth of the loose tea's flavor.
These instructions are only recommendations. Ultimately, it's best for each person to experiment with the steeping time to find the right fit.
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