The right tea to water ratio
In general, a good rule of thumb is to use one teaspoon of tea leaves for every six ounces of water. One cup of water is eight ounces, so you should use slightly more than one teaspoon of tea leaves per cup. However, that’s not a hard and fast rule. For some especially “fluffy” herbal or white teas, you might want to use a heaping teaspoon instead of a flat teaspoon. If you like your tea a little stronger, you may also want to use more tea leaves.
How to measure loose leaf tea
To measure tea leaves, we recommend using one of our perfect cup tea measuring spoons. This spoon measures exactly how many tea leaves you need per six ounces of water. Keep in mind that measuring tea leaves isn’t an exact science; feel free to eyeball it or use whatever spoon you have on hand. Once you’ve been making loose leaf tea for a little while, you’ll get a better sense of the amount of tea leaves you need depending on how strong you like your tea.
What if I have a bigger cup?
We measure the correct amount of tea leaves based on a six ounce cup of tea, which is roughly the size of a teacup. But many people enjoy tea in larger cups or mugs - or even in tea pots or pitchers. It’s easy to scale up this ratio to accommodate bigger sizes. For instance, if you have a large twelve ounce mug, you should use about two teaspoons of tea. If you’re making tea in a sixty ounce pitcher, you should use about ten teaspoons of tea. It’s important to remember that this is just a guideline - if you’re not sure how many ounces are in a particular mug or pot, it’s okay to estimate.
Measuring your tea
How much tea they should use per cup is one of the most common questions we get from customers who are new to loose leaf tea. Luckily, we include preparation instructions, including how much loose tea you should use, on the back of every package. If you ever have any questions about tea preparation or recommendations, we’re always happy to help!
How to make tea
Besides how much loose leaf tea to use, the other components of the tea preparation process are the water temperature and the steep time. Depending on the type of tea, you may want a water temperature anywhere from 140 degrees to a full boil. Steep time also varies by tea, with a range of anywhere from one to ten minutes. Here’s a good guide to use when preparing tea:
| Tea Type | Amount of Tea Leaves | Water Temperature | Steep Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 1 level tsp. per 6oz. | full boil (212°) | 3-5 minutes |
| Green | 1 level tsp. per 6oz. | steaming briskly (175-180°) | 1-2 minutes |
| White | 2 level tsp. per 6oz. | steaming briskly (175-180°) | 2-3 minutes |
| Oolong | 1 level tsp. per 6oz. | almost boiling (195°) | 2-3 minutes |
| Pu-erh | 1 heaping tsp. per 6oz. | full boil (212°) | 5 minutes |
| Purple | 1 heaping tsp. per 6oz. | steaming briskly (175-180°) | 3 minutes |
| Mate | 1 level tsp. per 6oz. | steaming (150-160°) | 3-5 minutes |
| Herbal | 1 heaping tsp. per 6oz. | full boil (212°) | 5-10 minutes |
| Rooibos | 1 level tsp. per 6oz. | full boil (212°) | 5-10 minutes |
FAQs
How much loose leaf black tea should I use per cup?
You should use approximately one teaspoon of black tea leaves for every six ounces of water in your pot or cup. If you like an especially strong black tea, feel free to use slightly more tea leaves.
How much loose leaf green tea should I use per cup?
You should use about one teaspoon of green tea leaves for every six ounces of water. However, you can use up to one tablespoon of tea leaves per six ounces when preparing some specialty Japanese green teas, like Gyokuro.
How much tea should I use in a teapot?
How much tea to use in a teapot depends on your teapot’s size. In general, you should use one teaspoon of. tea leaves for every six ounces of water in your pot. For example, if you have a teapot with a capacity of twenty-four ounces, you should use about four teaspoons of tea leaves.
