Starting Recipes by Tea Type
These are launchpads, not laws. Two teas in the same family may behave differently because of leaf size, tight rolling, compression, roast, age, storage, water, and teaware.
Start at the gentler end for fine, broken, very young, or unfamiliar leaf.
One or two longer infusions
| Tea | Leaf / 150 ml | Water | First steep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green | 3–4 g | 75–85°C | 45–90 sec |
| White | 4–5 g | 85–95°C | 1–2 min |
| Yellow | 3–4 g | 75–85°C | about 1 min |
| Light oolong | 5–6 g | 85–95°C | 30–60 sec |
| Roasted or dark oolong | 5–6 g | 95–100°C | 20–45 sec |
| Black | 3–4 g | 90–95°C | 2–3 min |
| Young raw pu-erh | 4–5 g | 90–95°C | 30–60 sec |
| Aged raw pu-erh | about 5 g | 95–100°C | 30–60 sec |
| Ripe pu-erh | 5–7 g | near 100°C | 1–2 min |
For repeated short infusions, use roughly that leaf mass per 100 ml and begin around 5–15 seconds.
A tight roll or pressed piece may appreciate a quick wetting rinse. A delicate aromatic tea may lose a lovely first cup if you rinse it. Rinsing is optional, not a ritual tax.
Let the cup answer back
- Weak but clean: add time.
- Bitter, rough, or drying: drain sooner.
- Empty first infusion: let dense leaf become wet before turning every dial up.
- Fragrant but hollow: add modest time or try another water.
- Harsh after a pause: drain completely and make smaller increases.
Note
A “10-second infusion” is not really 10 seconds if the pot takes another 15 seconds to empty. Count the pour and drain.
Write down what you actually used: working volume, leaf mass, temperature, time, and how long the vessel drained. Then fix the next cup with evidence instead of guesses.