A proper leaf-to-water ratio when making green tea is super important to get the right flavor and color while avoiding bitterness.
There are some simple rules that you need to follow. When you begin preparing green tea on a regular basis, measuring the tea leaves will become part of your routine.
Key Highlights
Use a minimum of 2 grams of green tea loose leaf for every 6 fl oz of hot water.
Using a digital tea scale is the best option, but an actual measuring teaspoon is more practical.
If you use tea bags, use 1 tea bag of green tea per 6.7 oz. cup. Pyramid-shaped bags are a better option than standard ones.
Green Tea Leaf to Water Ratio
When making green tea, use at least 2 grams of tea leaves per 6 fl oz (178 ml) of hot water. If you can’t weigh the tea leaves, use 1 teaspoon for every 6 fl oz of water.
Typically, one teaspoon of loose-leaf green tea is roughly 2 grams, but this might vary.
This is the general recommendation when it comes to the ratio of green tea leaves to water, but there are some exceptions.
Weighing your tea is the best approach to getting the ideal leaf-to-water ratio for any loose-leaf tea. Because this is not always practical and not everyone has a digital tea scale, we use a teaspoon as a measure.
When measuring tea leaves with a teaspoon, you’ll see that the leaves don’t fit very well. Depending on the variety of tea, tea leaves might vary. As a result, measuring by volume is more practical but less precise.
For example;
If the green tea you use has very large leaves that take up much more space, you need to use more than 1 teaspoon of leaves.
On the other hand, if it consists of smaller, tightly packed leaves, such as Gunpowder tea, for example, you’ll need to use less than a teaspoon for one cup of tea.
If you have a larger cup or want to brew more than the standard 6 fl oz of green tea, obviously you’ll need to use more tea leaves.
For instance;
In the Western world, a standard mug and teacup sizes are 8 oz, 12 oz, and 15-20 oz. So, how much green tea should you use for each of these mugs?
- 8 oz cup – 2.6 grams (1.5 teaspoons)
- 12 oz cup – 4 grams (2 teaspoons)
- 15 oz cup – 5 grams (2.5 teaspoons)
- 20 oz cup – 6.7 grams (3.5 teaspoons)
Additional Measuring Suggestions
Stronger or weaker brew
Simply adjust the amount of tea leaves used from the recommended amount if you prefer your green tea stronger or weaker.
Assume you prefer stronger green tea. If you steep it for any longer than the recommended time, it will become bitter. Bitter green tea is something that you need to avoid. Simply add a little extra leaf than suggested.
If you want a lighter drink, simply use fewer leaves than suggested.
Advice for you:
When brewing green tea for the first time, use the recommended amount of tea leaves. Try the tea. Adjust the amount of tea leaves for the next cup if you prefer a stronger or weaker brew.
When you find the desired flavor stick to that leaf-to-water ratio.
Know the capacity of your brewing equipment (pot or kettle)
Always know how much water fits in your vessel where you usually heat water for tea. The simplest way to determine this is to fill a regular cup (8 oz) with water and pour it into your pot or kettle.
Count how many cups of water you can pour until the container is full. If your teapot can hold up to four standard cups of water, that implies you can prepare four cups of green tea at once, and you’ll need to measure the amount of leaves for four cups.
Many people make mistakes here. It’s simple but when you buy a new teapot read the tag on how much water can fit in it or just measure with cups.
Re-steeping
Green tea can be re-steeped multiple times, usually 2-3 times. This is super important if you buy high-quality, expensive green tea (Gyokuro green tea). When re-steeping, you get different flavors with each infusion.
Don’t add extra leaves to already steeped leaves. Just drain all the tea and use the same amount of tea leaves as for the initial infusion.
Always try to make the 2nd and 3rd infusions as soon as possible. If you leave once-steeped green tea leaves for too long, they will start to degrade, and your second and third infusions will taste unpleasant.
If you’re not familiar with re-steeping, water temperature, and infusion time, here’s a helpful guide to brewing green tea properly without bitterness every time!
Know the Size of the Spoon You Use to Measure Tea
Eating utensils are commonly referred to as tablespoons or teaspoons. They might or might not be equal to a measured teaspoon or tablespoon (the ones you use for baking).
Always use an actual measuring teaspoon for precision when brewing green tea or any other type of tea to get the appropriate leaf-to-water ratio.
A proper measuring teaspoon is round like a bowl and comfortably fits all tea leaves (small or large). The oval form is designed to fit into the neck of narrow containers. Furthermore, many modern teaspoons include soft rubber grips on the handles. This aids in maintaining a strong grasp when measuring.
Tip:
Many tea brands offer measuring teaspoons that are particularly designed for their teas. If you have a favorite tea provider, buying actual measuring teaspoons from them will ensure that you always have the correct tea measurement.
Green Tea Bag to Water Ratio
Use at least 6.7 oz (200 ml) of water per tea bag of green tea. Your tea will be stronger if you use less water than 6 oz, however, this might result in unpleasant tones in your tea.
A normal tea bag contains 2 to 3 grams of tea. This might vary from brand to brand, so check the net weight label on the tea package.
Despite the fact that teabags are more convenient and a fine option if you don’t have the tools to prepare a cup of loose-leaf tea, they are not always the best option.
Most (but not all) of the tea bags contain low-quality tea.
Lower quality means that there isn’t enough space in a single tea bag to fill with whole tea leaves. The vast majority of teabags on the market include broken tea leaves and tea dust.
So, my recommendation is to use loose-leaf tea, but if you need to use tea bags (while traveling, at work, etc.), opt for pyramid tea bags.
Pyramid Tea Bags
Pyramid tea bags are wider than conventional tea bags (which are square in shape). They are wide and spacious, so whole tea leaves fit well within.
There is also plenty of space within the bag for the tea leaves to move around and interact with the hot water. As a result, the taste is fully extracted.
A good-quality pyramid tea bag contains 2 grams of whole-leaf tea, which is enough to make a 6-8 oz cup of tea.
Bit of advice:
When choosing between standard and pyramid tea bags, always go for the pyramids. They provide similar advantages as conventional tea bags (portability, ease of use), but they are almost always of superior quality.
The Takeaway
It’s essential to get the proper leaf-to-water ratio while preparing green tea. Otherwise, if you add too much green tea, the result would be a bitter beverage. Your tea will be flavorless if you use only a few leaves.
So, for every 6 ounces of hot water, add at least 2 grams of loose green tea leaf. If you use standard tea bags, use 1 tea bag of green tea per 6.7 oz of hot water. Pyramid tea bags are a superior alternative; switch to these from regular tea bags.
After the first cup, you’ll know whether more or fewer tea leaves are required based on your taste preferences. Begin with the suggested 2 grams per cup and then adjust to your taste.
Measuring and determining the leaf-to-water ratio will become part of the routine once you begin drinking tea daily. How much tea you need for one or more cups will be apparent to you “by eye.”
I hope you found this post useful and that you now have all the information you need on the leaf-to-water ratio of green tea. Make your green tea and enjoy!
