Most bad cups are not bad tea — and that is what a tea brewing timer is for. They are good leaves steeped in water that was too hot, or left in the water too long. This timer fixes the second half of that problem, and the numbers below fix the first.
1. Choose your tea
2. Choose how you brew
3. How strong do you like it?
Or adjust the time yourself with the −30s / +30s buttons under the timer. The timer keeps running correctly even if you switch tabs.
Green tea turns bitter in boiling water. Let the kettle sit for about two minutes after boiling, or pour the water into a pitcher first to cool it.
Time to pour. Taste it before deciding whether the next steep needs longer.
Steeping times at a glance
These are starting points for a 250 ml mug. Your leaves, your water and your taste will move them a little, and that is normal. If a cup is too light, steep longer next time. If it is bitter, use cooler water or fewer leaves, not a longer steep.
- Green tea: 80°C / 175°F, about 2 g, 2 minutes.
- White tea: 85°C / 185°F, about 2 g, 3 minutes.
- Yellow tea: 80°C / 175°F, about 2 g, 2½ minutes.
- Oolong tea: 95°C / 200°F, about 3 g, 3 minutes.
- Black tea: 95°C / 200°F, about 2–3 g, 3 minutes.
- Pu-erh tea: 100°C / 212°F, about 3 g, 2 minutes. Rinse the leaves once with hot water first, and pour that rinse away.
Why timing matters more than technique
A tea brewing timer matters because tea keeps extracting as long as the leaves sit in water. A cup that tasted perfect at two minutes can turn harsh at ten. That is why the simplest habit in Chinese tea is also the most useful one: pour the tea out when the timer ends, and keep the leaves separate until the next infusion. Most Chinese teas can be steeped several times, and the second and third infusions are often the most interesting, because the leaves have fully opened. Add about 30 seconds for each later steep in a mug, or about 10 seconds in a small gongfu pot.
Questions beginners ask
How long should I steep green tea?
About 2 minutes in water around 80°C. Boiling water makes green tea bitter and flat, so let the kettle cool first.
Can I re-steep the same leaves?
Yes. Good loose-leaf tea is usually good for two to four infusions. Each later steep needs a little more time. When the flavour turns thin and flat, the leaves are done.
How much tea should I use?
About 2 grams per 250 ml mug — roughly one generous teaspoon. In a small gongfu pot, use more leaves and much shorter steeps: about 5 grams per 100 ml, starting at 20 to 45 seconds.
Do I need a special timer?
No. Any timer works. The point of this page is the numbers next to it: the right temperature and the right time for each kind of tea.