Brewing
How Long Should Tea Steep?
Steeping time depends on the tea, leaf size, water temperature, and the strength you want. Use the maker’s directions as a first test, then time your next cup so you can adjust deliberately.
Time changes extraction
At first, water lifts aroma and many pleasant flavors from the leaf. As steeping continues, a cup may become fuller but also more astringent. Small broken leaves often brew more quickly than large intact leaves. Herbal infusions have their own timing.
A phone timer is more useful than guessing. Start with the suggested range on the tea label. Taste near the early end, then let it continue if you want more body.
Remove the leaves when you are done
Leaving a bag or basket in the cup keeps extraction going. If your first sip is good but the last is harsh, the tea may simply be oversteeping as you drink. Lift the leaves out, or decant a pot completely into another vessel.
If you plan a second infusion, keep the wet leaves aside and brew them again promptly. Expect the second cup to differ rather than duplicate the first.