What this is
Tea Types is a visual guide to 20 teas and tea drinks for people new to tea: green, white, yellow, oolong, black and pu-erh, plus milk teas such as masala chai, matcha latte and bubble tea. Every tea is drawn in its typical cup, with water temperature, steeping time, how much leaf to use and how many times you can steep it. Any two teas can be compared side by side. The site is available in 18 languages and is made by Data Clerk.
Method
- Brewing values are Western-style starting points for one 250 ml cup or teapot serving, based on common tea-merchant guidance and the ISO 3103 standard method for black tea (boiling water, about 2 g per 100 ml, several minutes).
- Gongfu-style brewing (more leaf, a small gaiwan or teapot, many short steeps) uses different numbers. Re-steep counts here assume Western brewing; add 30–60 seconds for each new steep.
- Oxidation is approximate. Green tea is heated soon after picking to stop oxidation, black tea is fully oxidised, and oolong sits in between. Pu-erh (dark tea) is also fermented by microbes and aged.
- Caffeine values are rough estimates per typical serving. Real values depend on leaf, water temperature and time, and vary widely; matcha is higher because you drink the whole leaf, hojicha and many herbal blends are much lower.
- Body (1–5) is how full and strong the cup tastes. Milk drink illustrations show each ingredient's share, not exact physics.
- Leaves differ by harvest and maker. Treat the numbers as a guide and adjust to taste.
Translations
Texts are drafted in English and translated into 18 languages, then reviewed by native speakers over time. Spotted a mistake? Write to [email protected].
Data and reuse
The dataset behind the site is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Please credit “Tea Types by Data Clerk” with a link to this site.
Also by us
Coffee Types: the same visual guide for coffee drinks, from espresso to flat white.
Last updated: 2026-10-18