It’s easy to heat water and pour it over a teabag, but if you want an unforgettable cup of tea with a perfect buzz, it’s an art to get it right,

Steeping tea is a process that can significantly impact the overall flavor of your favorite tea, and you should know how to do it properly!

Each tea should be steeped differently, and the best way to find out the “perfect step” for you is to experiment with different teas and different steeping times.

Grab your favorite tea and we’ll teach you how to make it taste even better.

Steps for Steeping Tea

The process of steeping tea can vary depending on the type of tea you're preparing. Here are the essential steps involved:

Prepare Your Tea

Start by choosing your favorite tea leaves or tea bags. There are hundreds of types of green, black, and herbal teas you can choose from.

Yerba mate is known for its various health benefits and a great energy buzz, it’s best made from tea leaves, and it has a slightly different preparation method.

If you’re using loose tea leaves, make sure you have a tea infuser or strainer ready.

Heat Your Water

If you can, use filtered and purified water and boil it to the recommended temperature of the tea you’re steeping. 

No matter the kind of tea you’re brewing, you’ll have to bring the water to a full boil as a first step. You can do this either with a tea kettle, on the stove over high heat, or using a microwave to heat water.

Different teas require different steeping temperatures:

• Guayusa Tea -> 176°F - 185°F (80°C - 85°C)
• Yerba Mate -> 160°F - 180°F (71°C - 82°C)
• Black Tea -> 212°F (100°C)
• Green Tea -> 175°F - 180°F (80°C - 82°C)
• White Tea -> 175°F - 180°F  (80°C - 82°C)
• Oolong Tea -> 195°F (91°C)
• Herbal Tea -> 212°F (100°C)
• Yellow Tea -> 167°F - 176°F (75°C - 80°C)

Add Tea Leaves (or a bag)

If your tea comes in bags, you’re all set and can just place them into the water. For loose tea, you’ll need approximately 1-2 tablespoons per 8-ounce serving of water.

With stronger types of tea, like black tea, make sure to use a little less than the recommended amount to avoid making it too strong.

If you’re using a lighter tea, like green or herbal teas, and you like a stronger taste and buzz, you can use a little more than the recommended amount to make it taste better.

After your first few cups, you’ll know exactly what amount you need to put for each type of tea to make it perfect for you.

Steep The Tea

Black tea should be steeped for 3 to 5 minutes.

Green, white, and oolong tea should be steeped for 2 to 3 minutes.

Herbal teas should be steeped for 4 to 6 minutes.

Yerba mate should be steeped for 5 minutes.

Guayusa tea should be steeped for 3 to 5 minutes.

While you’re waiting for them to soak, check out our energy tea powders that come in two fruity flavors and give a buzz like you’ve never seen before.

Remove The Leaves

Once the tea has finished steeping, remove the tea leaves or tea bags from the water to avoid over-extraction and a bitter taste.

Your tea should also be cool enough to drink now, so enjoy your freshly brewed cup of tea!

The Steeping Process

Steeping tea means extracting the flavors and nutrients from the tea leaves or bags by soaking them in hot water.

This is how you get the taste and the health benefits of tea.

Here are some of the common questions about the steeping process.

Do You Steep Tea While Water is Boiling?

A common mistake is steeping the tea while the water is actively boiling. This doesn’t work because boiling water can actually burn and damage the tea leaves and leave a bitter taste.

It’s best to let the water sit for some time after boiling, to slightly cool down to the temperature you want it to be for your tea.

Only then pour it over the tea leaves or a tea bag to get the most out of your taste.

Is It Okay To Drink Leaves?

If you’re steeping loose tea leaves, you may wonder if it’s safe to drink the leaves that remain in your cup. In most cases, it absolutely is safe to consume them! 

However, if you find the leaves unpleasant to drink, it’s best to use a small strainer to catch any loose leaves while pouring your tea into a cup.

Some tea drinkers even enjoy eating the softened leaves!

Do you put the tea bag in first or water?

A common question everyone had at one point of steeping tea is if you should put the tea bag in first or the wate.?

The usual recommendation is to pour hot water over the tea bag instead of placing the tea bag in the cup first.

This is because water can circulate around the tea bag better and properly extract the flavor and nutrients. Plus, if you pour water over the tea bag, it won’t float on top of the water.

Tips For Better Tea

If you’re a real tea enjoyer, you’re always going to be on the lookout for ways and tricks to make your tea taste better. 

Some advanced strategies that can elevate the flavors and aromas of your tea are:

Multiple Infusions and Re-Steeping

Re-steeping the tea is the best way to get the most out of the flavor and nutrients. However, it won’t work on every type of tea, just the most high-quality loose-leaf teas.

When steeping fine teas like oolong or pu-erh, reduce the steeping time and increase the water temperature to extract more unique flavors.

Most black, green, and white teas can be re-steeped 2-3 times, while oolong and pu-erh can be re-steeped up to 10 times, depending on the quality.

Yerba mate can be re-infused and re-steeped up to 20 times.

Gongfu Brewing

Gongfu brewing is a traditional Chinese method that focuses on extracting all the flavors from tea using a higher leaf-to-water ratio and shorter steeping times.

To try this technique, you’ll need a kettle, a gaiwan or Yixing teapot, a small tea pitcher, and tea cups.

Start by cleaning your kettle and heating fresh spring water. Then, measure the right amount of tea leaves.

Now, you should rinse and pre-heat your teaware by pouring hot water into the teapot then from the teapot to the pitcher, and then into the cups.

Place tea leaves into the teapot and pour water over the leaves, steep them very shortly, and discard the infusion. This is called “awakening” the leaves and cleaning any potential dust or dirt from them.

Now it’s time for your first steep, which usually lasts about 10 seconds to a minute. Re-steep and increase the steeping time with each subsequent steep.

Congrats! Now enjoy your tea made in a traditional Chinese way.

Tea Accessories

If you’re a real tea enjoyer and want to take your tea to the next level, get ready to spend some money on real, high-quality teaware.

Teapots, infusers, and strainers can make a massive difference in how your tea tastes, and having a tea timer and a thermometer can make sure you make the perfect tea cup every single time.

Conclusion

Proper steeping is the key to experiencing the full potential of the tea. Every tea is different, and every tea drinker is different, so it’s best to play around and experiment for yourself and figure out which type of steeping makes the “perfect” teacup for you.