When to Drink Which Tea, and How Much to Use

For a lot of people, tea splits into "morning" and "evening" almost at random. The choice is actually simple and logical: it's about energy, the richness of the flavour and your mood, not about any magic of the clock.

At TeaCha we often hear two questions: "Which tea should I drink when?" and "How much leaf do I even use?" This guide answers both, without the snobbery.

First, Honestly, About Caffeine

There's caffeine in every real tea: green, oolong and puer alike. An "evening" tea isn't a caffeine-free tea, it's one that's gentler and calmer in character. How much caffeine ends up in the cup depends more on the amount of leaf, the water temperature and the steeping time than on the "colour" of the tea.

If you're sensitive to caffeine, drink it earlier and use less. If you're pregnant or on medication, follow your doctor's advice.

Morning

In the morning you want energy and a warm, easy flavour.

Shu puer — dark, mellow, warming, a good alternative to coffee after breakfast.

Red tea — familiar and warming, great with food.

Roasted oolong (Da Hong Pao, nongxiang Tieguanyin) — rich and warming.

Daytime and After Food

During the day you want a tea that doesn't tire you and sits well after a meal.

Puer — both shu and sheng are often drunk after eating.

Oolongs (Tieguanyin, Dan Cong) — versatile and good for an unhurried cup in the day.

Hei cha — dark teas traditionally drunk after a hearty meal.

Afternoon

When you want freshness and aroma rather than weight.

Green tea — light and fresh, the classic afternoon cup.

Light oolong (qingxiang Tieguanyin, Dan Cong) — aromatic, good for a gongfu session.

White tea — soft and delicate.

Evening

In the evening, go for something gentler and calmer in character.

Aged shu puer — rounded, without sharpness.

GABA — often called an "evening" tea.

White tea — light and unobtrusive.

Remember the caffeine: even a gentle tea contains it. If you're sensitive, move tea to earlier in the day.

For Mood and Weather

Need to focus on work — green or light oolong: energising, but without a sharp spike.

Cold and you want comfort — shu, roasted oolong, red tea, aged sheng.

Hot weather — green, white, light oolong, and you can cold-brew them.

Tea with friends — oolongs and sheng: they give many infusions and change beautifully from cup to cup.

Don't Drink Strong Tea on an Empty Stomach

Strong tea on an empty stomach, especially young sheng or a rich green, can cause "tea drunkenness": mild nausea, the shakes, light-headedness. Nothing dangerous, but unpleasant. Just eat something first.

Dosages

There are two simple methods.

In a mug. 1 teaspoon (about 3 g) per 200 ml, 2–3 minutes. Temperature: green, white and light oolong around 85–90°C; red, roasted oolong and puer at 90–95°C.

Gongfu (a 100–120 ml gaiwan), short infusions. Guidelines by leaf and temperature:

Green and white: 3–4 g, 80–90°C.

Light oolong (Tieguanyin, Dan Cong): 5 g, 90°C.

Roasted oolong (Da Hong Pao): 6 g, 95–100°C.

Red tea: 4 g, 90°C.

Sheng puer: 5–6 g, 90–95°C (young sheng a touch cooler, so it doesn't turn bitter).

Shu puer and hei cha: 6–8 g, 95–100°C, rinse the leaf briefly first.

The general rule: more leaf and shorter time gives a rich cup and many infusions; less leaf and longer time is the mug approach. Rinse compressed and aged teas. After that, adjust to your own taste.

FAQ

Which tea has the least caffeine?
All real teas contain caffeine. How much ends up in the cup depends more on the dose of leaf, the temperature and the steeping time than on the type of tea.

Can you drink puer in the evening?
Yes, if you're not too sensitive to caffeine. A gentle aged shu suits the evening better than a young sheng.

How much leaf should I use?
For a mug, about 1 teaspoon per 200 ml. For a gaiwan, around 5 g per 100 ml, a little more for puer.

Why does tea on an empty stomach make me feel off?
That's "tea drunkenness" from strong tea on an empty stomach. Eat before your tea and you'll be fine.

---

TeaCha is based in Riga and ships across the Baltics, to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

Find the tea for your moment in the catalogue: TeaCha catalogue