Brewing Basics

Most disappointing tea is not bad tea — it is good tea brewed with boiling water for too long. This collection covers the variables that actually decide how a cup tastes: water temperature by tea type, steeping time, leaf-to-water ratio, and when to resteep. Every guide gives concrete numbers you can use today and explains why they work, so you can adjust confidently instead of guessing. Our brewing figures follow long-established practice among tea producers and specialty brewers: cooler water and shorter steeps for delicate green and white teas, hotter water and longer steeps for black and herbal infusions. We present them as honest starting ranges, not laws — your leaves, your water, and your taste get the final word, and we tell you how to dial each one in.