How to brew Chinese tea in a mug

Your first mug, step by step

Measure your water

Measure how much water your mug holds. Choose a heat-safe mug and a roomy basket strainer.

Follow the product recipe

Measure the leaves and use the temperature suggested for your tea. A profile recipe is only a starting point.

Time, then remove the leaves

Start a timer when you add water. Remove the strainer at the suggested time; let the tea cool before tasting.

Write one change for next time

Record leaf weight, water volume, temperature and time. If bitter, try a shorter steep; change one variable at a time.

Know your mug

A travel mug may hold twice as much water as a small teacup. Measure the water once. A recipe for 250 ml often tastes weak when stretched to 500 ml with the same leaf.

Make one controlled cup

Put leaves in a roomy strainer and add measured water. Start with the instructions for your specific product. Start a timer, taste near the suggested time and remove the strainer. Profile recipes are a starting point, not a universal prescription.

Match the method to the leaf

Green teas often benefit from a gentler starting temperature. A dark tea may be more forgiving with hot water. These defaults do not replace instructions for a specific batch. A fixed number of cooling minutes cannot produce the same temperature in every kettle.

Adjust one thing

For a bitter cup, try a shorter steep or gentler temperature. For a thin cup, check the ratio. Change one variable, make another cup and keep the improvement. An ordinary mug keeps your learning routine simple.