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Making the perfect cup of tea is all about getting the ratios right and using quality ingredients. If you are just switching from tea bags to loose leaf tea, this guide will help you make the best cup of ANY tea and tea-based drinks.

What are the different types of loose leaf tea?

Loose tea comes in different shapes and styles. Some teas will contain larger tea leaves, others will look similar to fannings that are used for tea bags. Black tea leaves are usually more often broken than green teas leaves. White teas are rarely broken, and pu’erh teas are often compressed into different shapes. That’s why one teaspoon per cup may not always be enough. If your tea has large leaves with or without stalks, it will also be lighter. That means that 1 teaspoon will weigh less than 1 teaspoon of broken tea.

Which type of loose tea is the best?

What is the best type of loose tea will ultimately depend on your preferences and how you want to brew it. For example:

• Breakfast blends always have smaller or broken tea leaves to give a stronger infusion.
• Very high-quality teas that should be served without condiments will usually have beautiful unbroken whole leaves that will taste more delicate.
• Best loose teas for making boba teas or other milk teas will have smaller broken leaves that will also give a stronger flavor.

How much loose tea do per cup do you need to use?

Black Tea

Black tea is the most forgiving type of tea to brew. Usually, you’ll need only a teaspoon of tea leaves to make a cup of tea. However, if the leaves are long and wiry, you may need to add a bit more. If you are making a stronger cup and want to re-steep the leaves, use 1 heaped teaspoon per 5 oz of water. To make a regular cup of tea, use 1 heaped teaspoon per 8 oz of water.

If you are using flavored black tea, use the same amounts as for pure black tea. However, depending on how many ingredients it contains, the caffeine content will be lower, and the flavor of black tea may be weaker. In that case, add about 50% more tea leaves per cup of water. Flavored teas are usually not re-steeped.

Green tea

For making a perfect cup of green tea, you’ll usually need a teaspoon of tea leaves if they are compact or smaller. Dragon Well is an exception. It has long flat leaves, and it will be more difficult to scoop it out than some other types, so use 2 teaspoons per 8 oz of water.

Flavored green tea is blended with smaller green tea leaves, especially gunpowder, zhen mei or similar teas. 1 teaspoon per cup of water is enough to give lots of flavor. However, just like with black tea, depending on other ingredients, it will contain less caffeine.

White tea

White teas, especially high-quality fluffy silver needle with large tea buds and bai mu dan (white peony) with large leaves and long twigs, are usually very light. You’ll need to use 2 teaspoons of tea leaves per 8 oz of water to fully enjoy the flavor. If your white tea has smaller leaf particles or broken leaves, 1 teaspoon may be enough.   

Oolong tea

There are two main types of oolong tea – ball-shaped oolong and oolong with twisted leaves. Ball-shaped oolong has very compact tea leaves and is often best when re-steeped multiple times. Oolong tea with twisted leaves often has very long beautiful leaves and is great for re-steeping too. For both types, use 2 teaspoons of tea leaves per 8 oz of water. If you are using a gaiwan, cover the bottom with ball shaped oolong leaves, or fill it 1/3 to ½ with twisted leaves.

Pu’erh tea

When making a cup of pu’erh tea, use 1 teaspoon per cup of water. Pu’erh is usually strong and can be re-steeped multiple times. If you want to make only one cup of pu’erh tea, you can use even less than a teaspoon if you are using ripe pu'erh with small tea leaves. However, if you plan to re-steep it, use 2 teaspoons of tea leaves per 5-6 oz of water. Raw pu'erh tea will usually have larger leaves, so use 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons per cup of water.

How much loose tea for making tea drinks?

When making tea-based drinks, you may need to use slightly different ratios than for making a cup of regular tea. Mixing tea with milk or other ingredients may weaken the flavor, thus using more tea is often a good idea. The following amounts are based on “regular “green and black teas that are commonly used for making tea drinks. If you want to use teas with large leaves, such as white peony white tea, add 50-100% more.

Chai tea

If you are making a cup of traditional chai from a scratch, simmering will reduce the liquid volume, leaving enough tea to fill only a small cup. Still, don’t use less than 1 teaspoon of tea leaves if you want a truly aromatic cup of chai. For example, 10 oz liquid (water + milk) can easily reduce to 6 oz if you are simmering it for 10 minutes.

If you are using a pre-made chai blend with whole spices or herbal tea base, use 1 tablespoon per cup of water, and 1 1/2-2 teaspoons if the blend contains crushed spices.  

Boba tea

Milky boba tea is mixed with milk and lots of ice that will somewhat dilute the flavor of tea. It’s also served from a larger cup/glass, so using more loose tea will intensify the flavor. Use 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons of loose tea per 12-16 oz serving.

Learn how to make boba tea at home.

Iced tea

Iced tea, just like boba tea, is served with lots of ice. The flavor of iced tea is often stronger than that of a traditionally brewed cup of tea. Use 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons of tea leaves when making a 12-16 oz serving of iced tea (with ice included).

Tea latte

To make a delicious tea latte, use 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons of tea leaves per 8-10 oz serving. The flavor of tea in a tea latte can easily be lost in milk. Making a stronger tea base will guarantee a better, more intense flavor.

Cold brew

For making a cold brew tea, use 1 tablespoon of tea leaves per 4 cups of water (1 quart). You can always use more, but 1 tablespoon will generally be enough to make a super tasty cold brew tea. Cold brew tea is different from iced tea, and it typically has a lighter, more refreshing flavor. If you find it too weak, steep it for a couple of hours longer.