Tea Brewing Guide

Brewing tea is a matter of personal preference. Use these tips as suggestions and experiment with adjusting variables to taste. Bitterness is typically due to water being too hot, or over-steeping — especially for green teas.

For our Tuber Tonic lovers, view this special guide: How to Brew Tuber Tonic.

Water:

• Great tea begins with your water. It is recommended to use fresh, cold tap water (not hot!) and let it run for a few seconds before filling the kettle. Use filtered water if your tap water is heavily chlorinated, or let water sit in a pitcher or jar without a lid for the chlorine to evaporate.
• Only boil tea water once, and pour as soon as it reaches the desired temp. Re-heating your water, or over-boiling, can affect the oxygenation of the water and make tea taste flat. 

Amount:

• 2-3 grams is recommended per 8 oz of water for most teas.
• This usually measures at 1 teaspoon – 1 tablespoon depending on how fluffy the tea is in volume. Of course, the right amount depends on how strong you prefer your tea.

Water Temperature:

• Using a stovetop kettle —If you are old-school or using an electric kettle without temperature control you can simply allow hot or boiling water to cool to the desired temp before before brewing your tea. Or use a kitchen thermometer to check the temperature. See the chart below for tips on water temp.
  
  
• Using a temperature-controlled kettle — We recommend using a temperature-controlled kettle as you can automatically set and hold the precise water temperature, and you never have to worry if you left the stove on. These are available in a variety of styles and price ranges. Look for ones which have the capacity and settings you desire. We recommend selecting a kettle with glass or stainless steel walls.

Brew Time:

Tea Brewing Guide

Tea	Water Temperature	Fahrenheit	Celsius	Steep Time
Black	Full simmer to boiling; Bring to a boil and let cool for 30 seconds to a minute	200-212	93-100	2-5 minutes
Pu’erh	Full Boil	212	100	1-3 minutes
Rooibos	Full Boil	212	100	5-7 minutes
Herbal	Near boil to boiling	180-212	82-100	3-5 minutes+
Oolong	Near boil to boiling depending on green or dark oolong	190-212	88-100	2-5 minutes
Green	Sub-simmer, steaming hot; Allow boiling water to cool for approximately 2 minutes	176-185	78-85	1-3 mins
White	Sub-simmer, steaming hot	170-185	76-85	3-4 mins
Maté	Quiver to Sub-simmer, steaming hot	160-180	70-82	5 mins
Matcha	Quiver to Sub-simmer, steaming hot	160-176	70-80	Whisk/ stir in