How to Brew Tea: Tea Bag

Use one bag (about 2-2.5g of tea) per 250ml of water. Steep black tea at 95-100°C (203-212°F) for 3-5 minutes, green at 75-80°C (167-176°F) for 2-3 minutes, and herbal at 100°C (212°F) for 5-7 minutes. Cover the mug, then lift the bag out without squeezing it.

A tea bag is a single portion of tea, usually 2-2.5g, sealed in filter paper, nylon or plant-based mesh, or a pyramid sachet. You steep it in a mug and throw it away. It is the most common way tea is brewed in the US and the UK. Tea bags were popularized in the early 20th century; a New York merchant's silk sample pouches are often credited, and heat-sealed paper bags followed in the 1930s-1950s. Bagged tea drove the shift toward CTC processing, which cuts leaf into small, uniform granules that brew dark and strong in 2-3 minutes. Most standard bags hold CTC black tea, fannings or dust; pyramid bags often hold broken or whole leaf. The small particle size means a tea bag extracts fast. You get color and strength quickly, but also tannins and astringency if you overdo time or temperature. Paper also restricts flow compared with a basket, so a bag that is never moved can brew unevenly. Tea bags suit strong breakfast blends taken with milk, everyday green tea, herbal blends and iced tea. Pyramid bags with whole leaf behave closer to an infuser mug and are worth the extra cost for oolong, Japanese green and whole-leaf black tea. Pay the most attention to water temperature for green tea, where boiling water does the most damage.