How Long Should You Steep Tea? Bigelow Settles the Debate

A steaming cup of well-brewed tea is an everyday pleasure enjoyed by people all over the world. In fact, tea is the most-consumed beverage globally after water, with a history that dates back thousands of years. It’s no wonder that tea is so popular—daily tea drinking may help support good health. But exactly how long should you steep tea to make a perfect cup? 

It’s an important question not only because steep time influences flavor but also because research indicates that steep time could be a factor in unlocking the health benefits of drinking “true” teas—those made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. To find out the proper amount of time to steep tea, we reached out to the experts at Bigelow Tea Company, a family-owned business that’s specialized in tea blends since it was founded in 1945. Here’s everything you need to know about steeping tea for optimal flavor and health benefits, plus tips for black, green and herbal teas. 

Type and Personal Preference Are Factors

The proper amount of time you should steep tea depends on the type of tea you’re brewing, according to Bigelow. They recommend the following steep times. 

• Black tea: 2–4 minutes
• Oolong tea: 2–4 minutes
• Green tea: 3 minutes
• Herbal tea: 4 minutes

Regardless of the brand or type of tea you drink, you can often find the maker’s recommended steep time on the package. However, you know what you like best, and it’s a good idea to experiment with steep time to create your ideal cup of tea. “Since each botanical and each person are unique, we recommend brewing to your own personal preference,” said a Bigelow spokesperson. “Longer brew times in black and green teas typically lead to stronger, more robust cups of tea, while shorter brew times lead to a more delicate cup.” 

Leave that tea bag in for too little time and you run the risk of a cup that tastes more like water than tea. More steep time means more flavor, yes—but it is possible to oversteep black, green or other true teas. Longer brew times and hotter water temperatures can draw out an excess of tannins. Along with other polyphenols, these natural compounds give black, green and other true teas their renowned antioxidant benefits, but they’re also quite bitter, so steeping tea too long can result in a potentially unpleasant-tasting cup. One study on steep times found that the majority of polyphenols were extracted from a variety of tea types after 5 minutes of steeping and that more polyphenols extracted during steeping didn’t necessarily correlate to greater antioxidant activity.

If you’re a stickler for accuracy, you may choose to set a timer to ensure you capture that cup of tea at the ideal time. “Some people find a timer to be helpful as they are steeping tea; others just look at the color of the brewed liquid and use that as their guide,” a Bigelow spokesperson says. While it’s not strictly necessary, using a timer can keep you from getting distracted while steeping your tea and coming back to a tepid, oversteeped cup.  

What About Iced Tea?

One exception to Bigelow’s guidelines is iced tea, which you may wish to steep longer, depending on your preference. To make iced tea, the company recommends using one tea bag for 1 cup of boiling water and four to six tea bags to make an 8-cup pitcher of iced tea. Steep batches of iced tea for 3 to 5 minutes—or longer, if that’s what you prefer. “Some people find that steeping the tea for a longer stretch of time helps when making a glass of iced tea, as the ice itself tends to dilute the brew a bit over time,” Bigelow says. Add any sweetener before cooling the tea and stir until it’s dissolved completely, then pour over ice and enjoy. 

What’s the Best Temperature for Steeping Tea?

Another key factor in brewing a perfect cup of tea is the temperature of the water. “We typically recommend using a fresh kettle of water at or just below boiling,” says Bigelow. As with steep times, the ideal temperature varies depending on the type of tea you’re brewing. For black tea, oolong tea and herbal tea, the company recommends using water at a full, rolling boil. For brewing green tea, use water that’s just under the boiling point.  

Tea Brewing Tips from Bigelow

In addition to dialing in steeping time and water temperature, Bigelow offers a few other best practices to use when you’re making your daily cup of tea. Use fresh, cold water to brew tea—never leftover water in the kettle. If possible, run the faucet for about 30 seconds before filling your kettle to properly aerate the water, which the company says can help your cup taste more flavorful and complex. For a single cup of tea, Bigelow recommends using one tea bag, while it’s best to use four to six tea bags for a pot of tea. Covering the cup during steeping will help you maintain as much heat as possible, promoting proper steeping and ensuring your tea is piping hot when it’s ready to drink. 

The Bottom Line

You can find recommended tea steeping times on the package. But some people like a lighter cup of tea and some prefer a stronger one, so experiment with steeping times to find your ideal cup. And remember that steeping too long can draw out tannins, which can make your tea taste bitter. You can still benefit from tea’s antioxidant benefits without oversteeping.