Research note
Heat retention while brewing tea: practical lessons
A small TeaDB experiment suggests that preheating and matching the vessel to the water volume can matter more than assuming one material always retains heat best.
Brew with confidence
Western Brewing
西式泡茶
Suitable for: Green tea, White tea, Yellow tea, Oolong tea, Red tea
Western brewing uses a larger vessel (typically 350–500 ml) and a much lower leaf-to-water ratio (2–3 g per 200 ml) for a single, longer steep of 2–4 minutes. The result is a more dilute, milder cup, suited to casual drinking and to teas with broad, forgiving flavour profiles.
Steps
- Heat your teapot or mug with hot water; discard.
- Add 2–3 g of leaves per 200 ml of water.
- Pour water at the recommended temperature for the tea (80–95°C for most non-pu-erh).
- Steep 2–4 minutes; longer for darker teas, shorter for delicate greens.
- Strain or pour off the leaves; a second infusion is often workable but weaker.
Plan your next steep
Use the calculator to tune leaf, water, and temperature for this brewing style, browse tea families that suit the method, or compare current shop offers by style.
Teaware
Accessories
Sources and review
External references used to review this entry.