The same spoonful gives a different strength every time

In short

Tea is extracted by mass and dosed by most people by volume, and the two track each other badly. Leaf density varies several times over between tea types and changes within a single packet as it settles, so a spoon is measuring something other than the amount of tea.

Likely causes, in order

Most likely first. Answer the question under each one before moving on — several of these look alike in the cup and are told apart only by what was done to the leaf.

1. 1. Density varies enormously between teas

   Leaf quantity

   Check: Are you using the same spoon measure for rolled oolong and for white tea?

   Fix: Weigh instead. A teaspoon of tightly rolled gunpowder and a teaspoon of open white tea differ several times over in mass, and a single volume rule cannot be right for both.

2. 2. The packet settles as it empties

   Leaf quantity

   Check: Is the tea from the bottom of the packet stronger?

   Fix: Fines migrate downward and pack more densely, so a late scoop holds more mass and more surface area than an early one. Weighing removes both effects at once.

3. 3. Different vessel volumes described as ‘a cup’

   Technique

   Check: Do you know how much your mug actually holds?

   Fix: Measure it once with a jug. Mugs vary from 200 to 400 ml, which is a factor of two applied to the same dose.

4. 4. Broken leaf mixed with whole leaf in the same packet

   Leaf qualityInferred by TeaHQ, not established

   Check: Is the leaf visibly mixed in size?

   Fix: Stir the packet before scooping, and weigh. Uneven grade makes volume dosing unreliable even within one tea.

Brewing methods this applies to

• Western brewing (teapot or mug) — A small amount of leaf in a large volume of water, steeped once for a few minutes and then strained off. The approach most English-speaking drinkers already know, and the one most teas sold in the West are made for.
• Mug infuser brewing — Loose leaf in a basket inside a mug — the most common way loose tea is actually made, and the method most often responsible for people concluding that loose leaf is not worth the trouble.

Related problems

Sharing a cause category, a tea type or a brewing method with this one.

• My tea came out too strong — can I just add water? — A cup or pot is far stronger than intended, and the obvious response is to dilute it.
• My tea is harsh and I cannot tell whether it is bitter or astringent — The cup is unpleasant in a way that is hard to name, and every piece of advice about it assumes you already know which of the two words applies.
• My tea tastes sour or acidic — A tart, sharp or faintly vinegary edge sits in the cup — closer to lemon or to wine than to the bitterness or dryness tea is usually criticised for.
• There is an oily film on the surface of my tea — An iridescent or dull skin sits on the surface of a cup or pot, breaking into patches when disturbed and clinging to the side as the level drops.
• I cannot taste the difference between my expensive tea and my cheap one — Two teas at very different prices taste much the same in the cup, and the tasting notes on both packets describe things you cannot find.

Sources