Tea Brewing Calculator
Get optimal water temperature, steep time, and leaf amount for green, black, white, oolong, and herbal teas. Brew the perfect cup every time.
About this calculator
This calculator splits into two independent halves that never interact. Tea Type alone sets Water Temperature and Steep Time, pulled from commonly cited brewing guidance for each style: delicate green tea uses the coolest water (175°F) and shortest steep (2 minutes) to avoid scorching the leaf into bitterness, black and herbal teas tolerate full boiling water (212°F) since their leaves (or, for herbal, dried plant material) are more robust, and white and oolong sit in between at 185°F and 195°F respectively. Number of Cups and Leaf Ratio (g per cup), by contrast, have zero effect on Water Temperature or Steep Time -- brewing twice as much tea doesn't mean brewing it hotter or longer, it means using more leaf and more water in the same proportions.
Tea Leaves Needed is simply Number of Cups multiplied by Leaf Ratio, and Water Volume is Number of Cups multiplied by a fixed 240 mL per cup, so both scale up in exact proportion to how many cups you're making while Tea Type never enters either formula. The practical takeaway: get the temperature and time right by picking the correct Tea Type first, then use Number of Cups and Leaf Ratio purely to scale the batch size to however much you're brewing.
Inputs
Results
Water Temperature
212 °F
How to Use This Calculator
- Select the tea type (green, black, white, oolong, or herbal) to auto-fill the optimal water temperature and steep time.
- Enter the number of cups and your preferred leaf ratio (g per cup).
- The calculator shows water temperature in °F and °C, steep time in minutes, total leaf grams needed, and total water volume in mL.
- Heat water to the displayed temperature (avoid boiling for delicate teas), measure leaves, steep for the indicated minutes, and remove leaves promptly.
What each input means
- Tea Type
- Each tea type requires different temperatures and steep times.
- Number of Cups
- How many cups you want to brew (each ~240 mL / 8 oz).
- Leaf Ratio (g per cup)
- Grams of tea leaf per cup. Standard is 2g, use more for stronger tea.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input ParametersTea Type = 2, Number of Cups = 1, Leaf Ratio (g per cup) = 2 = 3 input(s) provided
- Calculate Water TemperatureWater Temperature212 = 212
- Calculate Water TemperatureWater Temperature100 = 100
- Calculate Steep TimeSteep Time4 = 4
Engine last updated . Checked against 3 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does brewing more cups change the water temperature or steep time?
No. Water Temperature and Steep Time are set entirely by Tea Type -- Number of Cups only scales Tea Leaves Needed and Water Volume. Whether you're brewing 1 cup or 20, the same tea type steeps at the same temperature for the same number of minutes; only the quantity of leaf and water changes.
Why does green tea use cooler water than black tea?
Green tea leaves are less processed and more delicate than fully oxidized black tea leaves, so water at a full boil (212°F) tends to scorch them and pull out excess bitterness. Using cooler water (175°F here) and a shorter steep extracts green tea's flavor without that bitterness, while black tea's sturdier leaf structure holds up to boiling water and a longer steep.
How is Tea Leaves Needed calculated from Leaf Ratio?
Tea Leaves Needed is Number of Cups multiplied directly by Leaf Ratio (g per cup). The default Leaf Ratio of 2g per cup is a common starting point; increasing it produces a proportionally stronger, more concentrated brew for the same number of cups, since every cup gets that same extra amount of leaf.
Is Water Volume affected by which tea type I select?
No -- Water Volume is calculated purely from Number of Cups at a fixed 240 mL (8 oz) per cup, regardless of Tea Type. Selecting a different tea style changes the recommended brewing temperature and steep time for that style, but not how much water the calculator recommends using per cup.
Related Calculators
The questions that sit next to this one — chosen by subject, including calculators filed under a different category.
Coffee Brew Ratio
Calculate the perfect coffee-to-water ratio for any brewing method. Get precise gram measurements for pour-over, espresso, French press, AeroPress, and cold brew.
Coffee & TeaCaffeine Content Estimator
Estimate total caffeine intake from coffee, tea, espresso, and energy drinks. See how your intake compares to the FDA daily maximum and how long it takes to metabolize.
FermentationKombucha Brewing Calculator
Calculate tea bags, sugar, starter liquid, and water for your kombucha batch. Supports black and green tea with customizable sugar and starter ratios.
Organic FarmingCompost Tea Brewer Calculator
Calculate compost tea brewing ratios, material quantities, coverage per brew, and seasonal application costs for actively aerated compost tea (AACT).
Coffee & TeaCoffee Cost Per Cup
Calculate the true cost of each cup of home-brewed coffee including beans, water, and filters. Compare to cafe prices and see your yearly savings.
More in Cooking, Food & Beverage.