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Recipes

Tea recipes

14 traditional ways to brew, from a gongfu oolong to Turkish çay in a çaydanlık, with the numbers to start from. The same recipes as in the app.

Gongfu · Western · Grandpa · Kyusu · Matcha · Cold brew · Iced · Milk tea · Turkish çay

Gongfu

Gongfu rolled oolongThe classic way to drink a high-mountain or Tieguanyin: a hot pot, a quick rinse and a run of short steeps.6 g · 100 ml · 95°C · 20 s +5 s · 7 steeps Gongfu young shengFlash steeps tame a young pu-erh's bitterness; it opens up and sweetens as the session goes on.7 g · 100 ml · 100°C · 5, 5, 8, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90 s Gongfu shouDark, smooth and forgiving. Two rinses wake compressed leaf and clear any earthy dust.7 g · 100 ml · 100°C · 10 s +5 s · 10 steeps

Western

A pot of black teaOne good cup the everyday way: freshly boiled water and four minutes.3 g · 300 ml · 95°C · 4:00 Western greenCool water and a short steep keep a green sweet rather than grassy and harsh.3 g · 300 ml · 75°C · 2:00

Grandpa

Grandpa style greenLeaf in a glass, no strainer, topped up all day. Best with whole-leaf greens that sink.3 g · 400 ml · 80°C · 3:00

Kyusu

Sencha in a kyusuJapanese green the Japanese way: a long first steep, an almost instant second, then a longer third.5 g · 150 ml · 70°C · 60, 10, 30 s

Matcha

Usucha (thin matcha)Everyday matcha, whisked to a fine froth.2 g · 70 ml · 80°C · 20 s Koicha (thick matcha)Twice the matcha and half the water, kneaded rather than whisked. Use your best matcha.4 g · 30 ml · 80°C · 30 s

Cold brew

Cold brew greenSweet, soft and almost impossible to make bitter. Leave it overnight.10 g · 1000 ml · 5°C · 6 h

Iced

Flash-chilled blackBrewed double strength straight onto ice: fresh, clear iced tea in five minutes.6 g · 250 ml · 95°C · 4:00

Milk tea

Masala chaiStrong black tea simmered with spices and milk.6 g · 300 ml · 100°C · 5:00

Turkish çay

Turkish çay (çaydanlık)Türkiye's everyday tea: a strong concentrate brewed in the top of a two-tier pot, then let down with hot water in each glass.15 g · 500 ml · 100°C · 15:00 Turkish-style tea without a çaydanlıkThe same strong concentrate with a small teapot and a kettle, for when there's no two-tier pot to hand.9 g · 300 ml · 100°C · 15:00

Steepbook is a free app that remembers the steep that worked for each tea, teaware and brew style. Have a look if that sounds useful.