General Brewing Guidelines (Follow Loosely)

FAQ

That chart is confusing, just tell me how to make a good cup!

In general, our definition of a "full steep" is 2 minutes for green tea, and 3 minutes for all other teas. 

How much tea should I use?

4 grams per cup is a good starting point. Vary the cup size from 4 to 8 ounces depending on your preference for strength. 4 grams is roughly the following equivalents in volume:

• 1 level Tbsp Rolled Oolong 
• 1 Tbsp Black Tea or Green Tea
• 2-3 Tbsp "Bud" Tea or loosely packed tea  

My tea is too strong / too weak

If your tea is too strong, have no fear, you can still save the brew. Just take hot water and dilute the tea until it tastes right. The next few times, use a little bit less leaf and/or a shorter brewing time until you find your sweet spot. If the tea is too weak on the other hand, increase the amount of leaf and/or the brewing time in your subsequent tries.

Do I need to wash the tea to get rid of any toxins? 

Many people are often concerned with chemicals in the tea. Washing the tea is unfortunately not effective in removing poisons or pesticides. Safe tea is dependent upon good farming practices. You will also hear many tea drinkers say, if you don't drink the 1st press, then why even drink tea? "不喝第一炮那喝什麼茶呢？!" 

I'm getting this funky, stale smell, what is it?

Wash your tea ware with boiling water before use. Depending on how you washed your wares, they will have some remnant smells of your tap water. You may consider trying filtered water because chemicals like chlorine might be present in high concentration. If you live in San Francisco you're most likely fine with tap water, but I can't speak for any other city!