Tea timer
How long to steep tea
Over-steeped tea tastes bitter, and under-steeped tea tastes of nothing. These are good starting points; adjust by 30 seconds to taste.
Green tea – 2 minutes, water around 80 °C. White tea – 3 minutes, around 85 °C. Oolong – 3 minutes, around 90 °C. Black tea – 4 minutes, boiling water. Herbal and rooibos – 6 minutes, boiling water.
A quiet timer for your desk
The alarm is soft by default and you can turn it down further. Leave the tea timer in a tab while you work – it shows the time left in the tab title, so you can glance at it without switching.
Second and third infusions
Good loose-leaf green tea and oolong can be steeped several times. Add 30 seconds to 1 minute for each new infusion – press the +1 minute button and start again. Black tea bags are usually best used once.
Questions
How long should I steep green tea?
About 2 minutes in water that is hot but not boiling, around 80 °C. Longer steeping makes green tea bitter.
How long to steep black tea?
3 to 5 minutes in freshly boiled water. 4 minutes is a good middle that works with milk.
Can I time several cups at once?
Yes. Use the kitchen timer to run several named timers, for example one for green tea and one for herbal.