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Techniquebeginnerdraft

Brewing tea properly

Also searched as: steeping tea, green tea temperature, bitter tea

In short: Temperature and time decide whether tea is fragrant or bitter: green tea wants it cooler and shorter than black tea.

Picture it

Like an hourglass: once the time is up, the flavour tips over.

What happens

Hot water dissolves the aroma compounds and caffeine first, then the astringent . The hotter and longer, the more tannins join in. Green tea is not oxidised and contains delicate compounds that quickly taste bitter in boiling water.

Why it matters

The same tea can taste mild or bitter. The fault lies not with the tea but with the water and the clock.

How it’s done

Sequence · Step 1 of 4
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Green tea: let the water cool to about 70–80 °C, steep for 2–3 minutes (as a guide).

All steps as a list
  1. Green tea: let the water cool to about 70–80 °C, steep for 2–3 minutes (as a guide).
  2. Black tea: water at a rolling boil, steep for 3–5 minutes (as a guide).
  3. Herbal tea: boiling water, 5–10 minutes, covered so the aromas stay in.
  4. Then remove the leaves or bag, do not leave them in the water.

Rules of thumb

  1. For mild green tea: no boiling water, or it turns bitter.
  2. Tea too bitter? Steep it for less time rather than using less tea.
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Sources · 1
  • Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004), Kapitel Tee