Tea Brewing Calculator
Plan precise tea infusions with tailored water, leaf, and steep recommendations for your favorite tea type.
Use cooler water to preserve delicate flavors.
One cup equals about 240 ml or 8 fluid ounces.
Strength adjusts both leaf quantity and steep time recommendations.
Tea Leaves
4.0 g
≈ 2.0 tsp loose leaf
Water
473 ml
Heat to 80°C (176°F)
Steep Time
2.0 – 3.0 min
70 mg total caffeine
How to Use This Calculator
Select your tea type
Each tea has unique leaf density, ideal temperatures, and caffeine content.
Enter the number of cups
Scale up for teapots, guests, or meal prep by entering multiple cups.
Adjust brew strength
Choose light or strong infusions to fine-tune flavor without guesswork.
Formula
grams = cups × gramsPerCup × strengthFactor
steepTime = baseSteep × strengthFactor
caffeine = caffeinePerCup × cups
Example: 3 cups black tea (standard) → grams = 3 × 2.5 = 7.5 g → steep 3–5 min. Caffeine ≈ 141 mg.
Note: Multiple infusions split caffeine and steep times. Adjust accordingly for gongfu-style brewing.
Full Description
Tea brewing is a balance of water temperature, leaf quantity, and steep time. This calculator eliminates guesswork by providing scientifically grounded recommendations for popular tea categories. Whether you’re brewing a single cup or a large pot, you can scale ingredients precisely.
Each tea type behaves differently. Green and white teas require cooler water to prevent bitterness. Black tea benefits from near-boiling water for full extraction. Oolong can be steeped multiple times. Herbal infusions often need more leaf and longer steeping to release aromatic compounds.
Best practices
- Use filtered water for cleaner flavor and better clarity.
- Preheat your teapot or mug to maintain brewing temperature.
- Measure loose leaf tea with a scale for consistent results.
- Experiment with the strength selector to find your ideal profile.
For convenience, bagged tea typically contains 2 g per bag. Adjust the number of bags and you’ll approximate the grams listed in the calculator. Always note the tea vendor’s suggestions; they know their leaves best.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reuse tea leaves?
Yes. Oolong and some green teas perform well with multiple infusions. Increase steep time slightly with each reuse.
How do I brew iced tea?
Double the tea leaves, steep hot, then pour over ice or chill. You can also cold brew using double-strength ratios.
What about matcha?
Matcha is whisked powdered tea. Use 1–2 grams per 60–80 ml water. This calculator focuses on steeped loose leaf teas.
How accurate are caffeine values?
Caffeine varies with leaf grade, steep time, and infusion count. Use these numbers as approximations.