REFERENCE LIBRARY · 173+ TEAS

The SteepLog Tea Library

173+ teas from every major category with brew temperature, steep time, leaf-to-water ratio, gongfu parameters, and tasting notes. Browse by type below. Full-text search lives in the app.

FULL TEA SEARCH IN THE FREE STEEPLOG APP

BY CATEGORY

Teas organized by processing

Each category requires different brew parameters. Temperature, steep time, and leaf ratio all shift between types.

Green Tea

38 TEAS

Includes: Dragon Well (Longjing), Gyokuro, Sencha, Genmaicha, Bi Luo Chun

The most temperature-sensitive category in the database. Green teas need 160 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Boiling water burns the leaves and produces harsh bitterness that no steep time adjustment can fix. Japanese greens (Gyokuro, Sencha) sit at the lower end of that range. Chinese greens (Longjing, Bi Luo Chun) tolerate up to 180 degrees. Every entry in SteepLog includes a recommended temperature window, not a single target.

White Tea

14 TEAS

Includes: Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yinzhen), White Peony (Bai Mu Dan), Shou Mei, Gong Mei, Darjeeling White

The least processed tea category. Young leaves and buds dried with minimal oxidation. White teas steep low and slow: 160 to 170 degrees for 4 to 6 minutes. Silver Needle, made only from the unopened bud, produces a honey-melon sweetness that disappears at higher temperatures. Aged white teas (3+ years) tolerate higher temperatures and develop earthier, more complex notes worth logging separately.

Oolong

28 TEAS

Includes: Tie Guan Yin, Da Hong Pao, Phoenix Dan Cong, Li Shan, Dong Ding

The most diverse category by oxidation level. From 15 percent (nearly green) to 85 percent (nearly black). Lightly oxidized oolongs like Tie Guan Yin brew like green teas: 185 to 190 degrees. Heavily oxidized rock oolongs like Da Hong Pao use near-boiling water: 205 to 210 degrees. All major oolongs in SteepLog include gongfu parameters alongside western brew times. Most oolongs are better suited to gongfu.

Black Tea

42 TEAS

Includes: Darjeeling First Flush, Assam TGFOP, Ceylon Orange Pekoe, Keemun, Yunnan Gold

Fully oxidized teas that tolerate high temperatures: 195 to 212 degrees depending on origin. Darjeeling First Flush is the exception. Its delicate muscatel character benefits from 195 degrees rather than boiling. Assam and Ceylon entries include milk and steep time guidance. Yunnan Gold, made from golden-tip buds, notes its smooth low-astringency character compared to typical black tea at the same temperature.

Pu-erh

22 TEAS

Includes: Yunnan Ripe Shou Pu-erh, 2015 Menghai Raw Sheng, Tuo Cha, Pu-erh Brick, Mini Tuo

A fermented and aged category divided into shou (cooked, earthy, immediate) and sheng (raw, aged for years, complex and variable). Pu-erh brews at full boiling: 212 degrees. Shou entries are approachable from day one. Sheng entries include estimated peak drinking windows. A 2015 sheng is still young. SteepLog's gongfu steep counter is especially useful for tracking how many steeps a compressed cake yields.

Herbal & Tisane

29 TEAS

Includes: Chamomile, Rooibos, Peppermint, Hibiscus, Lavender

Caffeine-free infusions of herbs, flowers, roots, and fruit. Technically not tea (no Camellia sinensis), but brewed identically. Most herbals brew at 200 to 210 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes. Hibiscus brews tart and vivid at any temperature. Rooibos is nearly impossible to over-steep. Every entry notes caffeine content (all zero) and any known interactions with common medications for medicinal herbs.

Single-estate teas, regional varieties, and widely available brands all covered. Custom entries can be added in the app.

ON TEMPERATURE

Temperature is the most common mistake.

Most bitter tea is not over-steeped. It is over-temperatured. Delicate greens at boiling water produce harsh, irreversible bitterness. Every entry in SteepLog includes the correct temperature range so the kettle is set right before the leaves go in.

BREWING METHODS

Four methods, the same leaf

All four are valid. All four produce different results from the same leaf. SteepLog's session log tracks which method you used alongside your parameters and rating.

Method	Vessel	Leaf ratio	Steep time	Notes
Western	Mug or teapot	2 to 3g per 8 oz	2 to 5 min	The most common method. Forgiving, low-effort, good for everyday drinking.
Gongfu	Gaiwan or small teapot (100 to 150ml)	5 to 8g per 100ml	10 to 30 sec	Short, fast, repeated steeps reveal layers. Best for oolongs and pu-erh.
Cold Brew	Pitcher or mason jar	4 to 5g per 8 oz	8 to 12 hrs in fridge	Lower extraction means natural sweetness, minimal bitterness. Works well with green tea and oolongs.
Grandpa Style	Tall glass or travel mug	3 to 4g	Continuous, leaves stay in	Common in China. No strainer. Works best with full-leaf teas that sink to the bottom.

Search 173+ teas. Log every session.

The SteepLog app holds all 173+ teas with full-text search, plus a session log with brew parameters, tasting notes, and a gongfu steep counter. Track your collection. Discover what you actually like. Free to download. $6.99 one-time for the full log.

App Store Google Play

Free. No subscription. No credit card. Or download the printable reference first.