These days, there is no wrong time to have tea. With flavors and styles as varied as the people who drink it, there is always the perfect tea for the perfect setting. But, what isn’t always perfect is the preparation of the tea. So, Skinny Bunny Tea is here to help you understand how to steep tea the right way.
Step 1: Understand the type of tea you are drinking.
You have to steep tea according to its type, and the first step is to know what kind of tea you are about to make. The most popular varieties are:
green tea,
oolong tea,
black tea,
red tea,
herbal tea and
blooming tea. There is also
rooibos tea and
mate tea, but those aren’t ACTUALLY teas. The water temperature, steeping time and amount of tea per serving varies between every one of those styles of tea and proper preparation can be the difference between your tea cup hitting the spot and being unfulfilling.
Step 2: Follow the rules!
These simple tips will help improve the quality of every cup of tea you make.
- When boiling water, always start with cold water. NEVER re-boil water that has already been prepared.
- Put the tea in the cup FIRST, and pour the hot water onto the tea leaves or tea bag. Don’t put tea into a cup of hot water.
- Cover your cup for the whole time you let it steep
- Remove tea leaves or tea bag when you’re done steeping. That’s why most tea cups are served on top of a saucer!
- Do not squeeze the tea bag
- Drink the tea as soon as you’re done steeping. Letting tea cool effects the flavor.
Step 3: Details are key
This next step is for the tea snobs who prepare their water to the perfect temperature.
| Type of tea |
Teaspoons sugar per cup of water |
Water temperature (°F) |
Water temperature (°C) |
Minutes |
| Green tea |
0.5 |
205 |
96 |
3 |
| Oolong tea |
1 |
165 |
73 |
3 to 4 |
| White tea |
1 |
175-185 |
65-80 |
7 to 9 |
| Red tea (Pu-erh) |
0.5 |
205 |
96 |
3 to 7 |
| Yellow tea |
1 |
195 |
90 |
3 |
| Rooibos tea |
1 |
205 |
96 |
3 to 5 |
Now that you know how to steep the perfect cup of tea, impress your friends, stump the barista or treat yourself to the most amazing cup of tea you've ever brewed.
