Brewing tea is a skill.
And like many skills, learning how to brew tea is very simple to learn but can sometimes feel difficult to master.
Temperature, time, and even water quality matter more than most people realise, as of course does the quality of the tea leaf itself.
Our guide is just that – a guide. We're providing you with a place to start for each type of tea in the typical methods, but experimentation is part of the fun. You'll quickly learn that many aspects of tea, like taste and aroma, can change dramatically based on tweaking how you brew.
Western / Teapot
The everyday way and typical in most Australian households. A teapot (or tea strainer), a modest amount of leaf, and a single long infusion. Forgiving and practical, tea expresses the depth of its flavour when brewed this way. A method known as 'grandpa' style works similarly: hot water is added to loose tea leaves in the cup and drunk directly without removing the leaves - a great option for teas that don't brew bitter if steeped for too long.
No temperature-controlled kettle? After boiling, water drops to around 90°C in about five minutes, and to 80°C after about ten. Alternatively, pour water through room-temperature vessels to lose roughly 5–10°C with each pour; to use this method for a green tea, just pour your boiled water into a cup or jug first, then into your brewing vessel and that double pour should bring your water down to around 80°C.
| Tea | Temp | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Green | 75–80°C | 1–2 minutes |
| White | 80–85°C | 2–3 minutes |
| Oolong | 85–95°C | 2–3 minutes |
| Black | 95-100°C | 3–4 minutes |
Gongfu / Gaiwan
Gōngfū chá (功夫茶), or "making tea with skill," is the Chinese practice of brewing tea with care and attention. Unlike the highly structured, precisely choreographed tea ceremony of Japan, gongfu is typically a more relaxed affair and one designed to draw out different flavours from the leaves over multiple steeps.
A small lidded bowl known as a gaiwan, or a small clay teapot, and a high leaf-to-water ratio are typically used. Each steep reveals a different facet of the tea, and the first cup is rarely the best.
Most teas can be brewed at least 3 or 4 times with this method, and some oolongs going for 10 infusions or more! If one steep feels too long or too short, adjust as necessary for the next one.
| Tea | Temp | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Green | 75–80°C | 15s first infusion, +5s each additional steep |
| White | 80–85°C | 20s first infusion, +10s each additional steep |
| OolongRinse briefly if using ball oolongs. | 90–95°C | 20s first infusion, +5-15s each additional steep |
| Black | 95–100°C | 10s first infusion, +5-10s each additional steep |
Cold Brew
Cold brewing is an exceptionally simple method of brewing tea and one that is highly underrated. The slow extraction produces a naturally sweeter, smoother cup with less bitterness and lower caffeine than hot-brewed tea, as the cooler water draws out fewer tannins and less caffeine from the leaves.
Almost any tea can be cold brewed though green teas, white teas, and lighter oolongs tend to shine particularly well. The method is simple: add leaves to water, refrigerate, and strain when ready.
Brew your way.
Every tea we sell ships with the brewing parameters we think will give you the best cup, but experimentation is part of the fun.
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