Loose leaf
Green
Numi Organic Gunpowder Green
Tight little pellets. Hot water finds them. They unfurl.
Timer / Green
Not boiling.Never boiling.
The temperature is the whole game, and the window is short. Set the kettle, set the clock, then walk away.
Green tea timer
Style
Steep 1
2:00
Ready.
- Water
- 175°F / 79°C
- Leaf
- 1 tsp / 8oz
Two minutes, then thirty seconds more on each re-steep.
Keep it by the kettle: add this page to your home screen and it opens like an app, offline.
The schedule
Green steep times, by style.
Japanese sencha
175°F / 79°C · 1 tsp / 8oz
Two minutes, then thirty seconds more on each re-steep.
| Steep 1 | 2 min |
| Steep 2 | 2 min 30 sec |
| Steep 3 | 3 min |
Chinese green
180°F / 82°C · 1 tsp / 8oz
Dragonwell, jade cloud, jasmine pearls. Three minutes, then add thirty.
| Steep 1 | 3 min |
| Steep 2 | 3 min 30 sec |
| Steep 3 | 4 min |
Gyokuro
140°F / 60°C · 1 tsp / 8oz
The shaded leaf. Cool water, ninety seconds, almost a cold brew.
| Steep 1 | 1 min 30 sec |
Hojicha & genmaicha
195°F / 91°C · 1 tsp / 8oz
The roasted greens handle near-boil water and three minutes.
| Steep 1 | 3 min |
Worth timing
Green we've reviewed.
Loose leaf
Green
Rishi Jade Cloud Organic Loose Leaf
Cool the water first. The leaves don't respond well to pressure.
Paper bags
Green
Ito En Oi Ocha Green Tea Bags
Japan's most-sold green tea. In a bag. No ritual required.
FAQ
Green timing, answered.
How long do you steep green tea?+
Two minutes for Japanese greens like sencha at 175°F, and about three minutes for Chinese greens like dragonwell at 180°F. Past three minutes green tea turns bitter and drying.
What temperature should water be for green tea?+
Around 175°F for Japanese greens and 180°F for Chinese. Gyokuro wants 140°F. Without a variable-temperature kettle, boil the water and let it rest two and a half minutes off the heat.
How many times can you steep green tea?+
Most quality loose-leaf greens give two to three good infusions. Add thirty seconds to each re-steep. The second infusion is often the best of the three.
Other leaves