Tea Brewing Calculator

Get the right amount of loose tea, water temperature, and steep time for any batch size and tea type.

Quick Facts

Method
Standard 2g per 8 fl oz (240 ml) ratio, adjusted per tea type
Based on common specialty-tea brewing guidance; adjust to taste once you know your preference.

Your Results

Calculated
Loose tea needed
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Grams of dry leaf
Loose tea (approx.)
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Teaspoons (approx., varies by leaf density)
Water temperature
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Recommended steeping temperature
Steep time
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Recommended range

Ready

Enter your water amount and tea type, then calculate.

How the tea brewing calculator works

This calculator uses the standard specialty-tea brewing ratio of 2 grams of loose tea per 8 fl oz (240 ml) of water — the ratio most commonly recommended by tea merchants and the Tea Association — and then adjusts that base dose for the tea type you pick, since delicate leaves and robust or herbal blends are typically dosed a little differently. It also looks up the recommended water temperature and steep time for that tea type, since over-hot water and over-long steeping are the two most common causes of bitter, astringent tea.

The formula

grams of tea = (water in ml / 240) × 2 × dose factor

The dose factor is 1.0 for black, white, and oolong tea (the "standard" case), slightly lower (0.9) for green tea — whose more delicate, often unoxidized leaf turns bitter faster if overdosed or oversteeped — slightly higher (1.1) for pu-erh, whose compressed, aged leaf is denser and benefits from a bit more leaf per cup, and highest (1.25) for herbal tisanes, which contain no actual Camellia sinensis and are usually steeped stronger since they have no caffeine or tannin ceiling to worry about.

Reference brewing parameters by tea type

  • Green tea: 160–180°F (71–82°C), steep 2–3 minutes
  • White tea: 170–185°F (77–85°C), steep 2–4 minutes
  • Oolong tea: 185–200°F (85–93°C), steep 3–5 minutes
  • Black tea: 200–212°F (93–100°C), steep 3–5 minutes
  • Pu-erh tea: 200–212°F (93–100°C), steep 3–5 minutes (many drinkers also do a quick 5–10 second "rinse" pour-off first to wake up compressed leaf)
  • Herbal / tisane: 212°F (100°C, a full boil), steep 5–7 minutes

These are starting points, not laws of physics — tea strength is genuinely a matter of taste, and the right dose for a bright, delicate first-flush green tea is different from a punchy, oxidized Assam. Use the calculator's output as your baseline, then nudge leaf amount or steep time up or down by about 10–20% until it matches how you like to drink it.

Why temperature and dose both matter

Hotter water and longer steep times extract more of everything from the leaf — including the tannins and catechins that taste bitter and astringent — not just more flavor. That's why delicate teas (green, white) use cooler water and shorter steeps: near-boiling water pulls bitterness out of them quickly. Black tea and herbal tisanes are more forgiving of near-boiling water and long steeps because their leaf structure (fully oxidized, or non-tea plant matter) releases those harsh compounds more slowly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much loose tea do I need per cup?
The standard starting ratio is about 2 grams of loose tea per 8 fl oz (240 ml) of water — roughly 1 rounded teaspoon for most whole-leaf teas, since 1 teaspoon of loose tea is typically around 2–3 grams depending on leaf size and density. Fluffy, low-density teas (like some white teas or herbal blends) need more volume for the same weight; tightly rolled or compressed teas (like gunpowder green or pu-erh cakes) need less.
What water temperature should I use if I don't have a thermometer?
As a rough guide without a thermometer: water at a bare simmer with small bubbles just starting to rise is close to 160–180°F (green/white tea range); a rolling boil is 212°F/100°C at sea level (right for black tea and herbal tisane). Letting boiling water sit off the heat for 30–60 seconds typically drops it to around 190–200°F, which suits oolong. Water boils at a lower temperature at high altitude, so if you're above roughly 5,000 ft (1,500 m), your "boiling" water is already several degrees cooler than 212°F.
Why does my tea taste bitter?
Bitterness almost always comes from too much leaf, water that's too hot for that tea type, or steeping too long — all three increase extraction of tannins and caffeine. Green and white teas are the most sensitive to this; if your green tea tastes bitter, try dropping the water temperature by 10–20°F and cutting the steep time by 30–60 seconds before you reduce the leaf amount.
Can I re-steep the same tea leaves?
Yes — whole-leaf teas, especially oolong and pu-erh, are often brewed for multiple infusions from the same leaves. Each subsequent steep generally needs a slightly longer steep time (add 10–30 seconds per infusion) since the leaf has less to give up each time; 2–4 additional infusions is common for good-quality whole-leaf tea.

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