How long should you steep green tea?
05/12/25 5:19pm
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Steep most green teas for about 2-3 minutes, though varieties like sencha, hojicha, and Longjing may be steeped for longer. A shorter steep time gives a milder flavor, while a longer steep time, like more than 4-5 minutes, gives a deeper, stronger, more bitter flavor that many enjoy. Instead of boiling your water, heat it to about 80°C (176°F) for best results.
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Steep green teas anywhere from 3 to 7 minutes. Green tea is considered a lighter tea on the spectrum, so it generally needs a longer steep time, but it depends on the quality and the variety of the tea.
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Typically green teas are steeped for shorter periods of time and with lower temperature water than other tea types. This is to prevent bitterness and astringency, which is a drying mouthfeel sometimes described as feeling like sandpaper.
For unroasted Japanese green teas I would recommend a water temperature of 75-80C (approx 165-175F) and a steep time of 2-4 minutes, and for green tea from other origins or that has been roasted a water temperature of 80-85C (approx 175-185F) and a steep time of 3-5 minutes.
Keep in mind this is just a guideline, and you should feel free to adapt to your own tastes! If you find the tea too weak try slightly increasing the steep time or water temperature, and if it's bitter/astringent you can decrease the time or temperature.
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For unroasted Japanese green teas I would recommend a water temperature of 75-80C (approx 165-175F) and a steep time of 2-4 minutes, and for green tea from other origins or that has been roasted a water temperature of 80-85C (approx 175-185F) and a steep time of 3-5 minutes.
Keep in mind this is just a guideline, and you should feel free to adapt to your own tastes! If you find the tea too weak try slightly increasing the steep time or water temperature, and if it's bitter/astringent you can decrease the time or temperature.
If it's a Japanese green tea like a Sencha or Gyokuro, you steep it for less time and at a lower temperature than some other types of tea. The temperature range should be around 160 to 175 and the time should be about 3 minutes, because Japanese green tea is processed by gently steaming the leaves and then finished by a baking or heating process. You don't want too high of a temperature when you eventually steep the tea because of the steaming.
If it's a Chinese-style green tea, like a dragon well or garden powder, you'd also steep it for about three minutes. For Chinese green teas you use a temperature range of 175-185 because Chinese green tea has been baked or pan fired, depending on the style.
Finally, there are some other styles of Japanese green teas like Kabu Sencha. At my business, Art of Tea, we offer a type called Matcha Plus Sencha, which is ceremonial grade matcha dusted with high grade Sencha. I drink it almost every day and it's fantastic. For this type of tea, we recommend a 30-second steep time at a really low temperature because it's so delicate, creamy, vibrant, and grassy that it doesn't require a tremendous amount of steep time. Only giving it that delicate flush of hot water for 30 seconds prevents over-extraction and yields a really nice flavor profile. I mention this example to illustrate that it's always a good idea to look up any specific steeping instructions that the brand recommends for that particular type of tea.
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If it's a Chinese-style green tea, like a dragon well or garden powder, you'd also steep it for about three minutes. For Chinese green teas you use a temperature range of 175-185 because Chinese green tea has been baked or pan fired, depending on the style.
Finally, there are some other styles of Japanese green teas like Kabu Sencha. At my business, Art of Tea, we offer a type called Matcha Plus Sencha, which is ceremonial grade matcha dusted with high grade Sencha. I drink it almost every day and it's fantastic. For this type of tea, we recommend a 30-second steep time at a really low temperature because it's so delicate, creamy, vibrant, and grassy that it doesn't require a tremendous amount of steep time. Only giving it that delicate flush of hot water for 30 seconds prevents over-extraction and yields a really nice flavor profile. I mention this example to illustrate that it's always a good idea to look up any specific steeping instructions that the brand recommends for that particular type of tea.
You will often steep green tea for much less time than other categories of tea. It's often between 1-2 minutes depending on the type. The only green tea variation I tend to steep a little bit longer is a jasmine dragon pearl tea, because it takes a little bit more time for that jasmine pearl to fully open. I'll steep that type for 2.5-3 minutes. I also recommend steeping green tea at a lower temperature of hot water, usually between 165-175 degrees Fahrenheit.
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