Loose Leaf Tea Brewing Calculator
How much tea should you use? Choose your tea, brewing style, and vessel size to get a practical starting point—plus estimated brews and cost per cup.
Guidance
temperature: 212°F (100°C)
Output
did you brew it?
Cost
Brewing Details
Loose Leaf Tea Brewing FAQs
The ideal ratio depends on the type of tea, brewing method, vessel size, and how strong you like your tea. Use the ratios below as practical starting points for a balanced cup:
- Western Style
- Green Tea 1:100
- White Tea (Young Buds) 1:50
- White Tea (Older Leaves) 1:100
- Yellow Tea 1:100
- Oolong Tea 1.5:100
- Black Tea (Young Buds) 1:100
- Black Tea (Older Leaves) 1.5 :100
- Dark Tea 1:100
- Herbal Tea 1:100
2. Gongfu Style
- Green Tea 3:100 (1:33)
- White Tea (Young Buds) 1:20
- White Tea (Older Leaves) 1:20
- Yellow Tea 3:100 (1:33)
- Oolong Tea 1:20
- Black Tea (Young Buds) 1:25
- Black Tea (Older Leaves) 1:20
- Dark Tea 1:20
- Herbal Tea /
3. Cold Brew
All recommend 1:100
A ratio of 1:20, for example, means using 1 gram of tea for every 20 ml of water. A “/” means that the brewing method is not generally recommended for that type of tea.
These ratios are only starting points. Try using slightly more tea for a stronger cup or slightly less for a lighter one. Over time, you can experiment and find the tea-to-water ratio that works best for your own taste.
Gongfu brewing uses more tea and less water because it relies on short, repeated infusions in a small gaiwan or Yixing teapot, usually 80–150 ml. Western brewing uses less tea and more water because the leaves steep for longer—usually 1–3 minutes—in a larger mug or teapot. In short, Gongfu brewing uses a stronger tea-to-water ratio, while Western brewing uses a lighter one.
Not always. Delicate teas made from young buds, such as green tea, yellow tea, Silver Needle, and White Peony, generally taste better with cooler water. Boiling water may make them bitter and reduce their fresh, sweet character.
Use boiling water for oolong, dark tea, Pu-erh, aged white tea, and most mature-leaf teas to fully release their aroma and flavor. Most black teas also handle hot water well, although delicate bud-heavy black teas may benefit from a slightly lower temperature.
A simple rule: the younger and more delicate the leaves, the cooler the water; the more mature or heavily processed the leaves, the hotter the water. If your tea tastes bitter, also try whether you used too much tea or steeped it for too long.

