How long should you steep Assam tea?

3 to 5 minutes. Three to four minutes for drinking plain, four to five if you add milk. Broken-leaf and CTC Assam can be ready in 2–3.

What temperature should water be for Assam?

203–212°F (95–100°C), water at or just off a full boil.

Do you drink Assam with milk?

Usually, yes. Assam's malty, full body is one of the best matches for milk of any tea, and it's the base of most breakfast teas for that reason. It's also good plain.

How much caffeine is in Assam?

Assam is on the higher end for tea, usually about 50–90 mg per 8 oz cup, depending on the leaf and how long you steep it.

What's the difference between Assam and Darjeeling?

Both come from India. Assam is grown in hot, humid lowlands and tastes bold and malty. Darjeeling is grown in the cool Himalayan foothills and tastes lighter, more floral, and more delicate.

What's the difference between Assam and English Breakfast?

Assam is a single-origin tea from one region of India. English Breakfast is a blend, usually built on Assam with Ceylon or Kenyan tea added for brightness.

How to Brew Assam

Steep time: 3m – 5m
Water temperature: 95°C – 100°C

About Assam

Assam is black tea from the Brahmaputra valley in northeastern India, the largest tea-growing region in the world. It's made from Camellia sinensis var. assamica, a large-leaved variety of the tea plant native to the area, which grows in hot, humid lowlands. Assam is the backbone of most breakfast blends and much of the world's bagged tea.

What it tastes like

Malty, bold, and full-bodied, with notes of toasted bread, molasses, and sometimes dried fruit or cocoa. It has a brisk, bright astringency and a deep reddish-brown color. High-grade Assam with lots of golden tips is smoother and sweeter.

Step by step

Measure your tea Use about one teaspoon of Assam leaves per 8 oz cup.
Heat the water Bring fresh water to 95°C – 100°C. Water that is too hot will scorch the leaves.
Steep Pour the water over the leaves and steep for 3m – 5m. Start at the shorter time and taste as you go.
Strain and serve Remove the leaves as soon as the steep is done so the tea does not turn bitter.

Brewing tips

Assam is built for milk. Its malty strength comes through clearly where lighter teas would disappear.
Look for golden tips, the downy buds that turn gold during processing. More tips usually mean a smoother, sweeter tea.
Second flush Assam, picked in early summer, is the most prized: the maltiest and richest of the year.

Timer

Assam steeps for 3m – 5m — start the clock as you pour.

Assam

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Other ways to brew Assam

In a mug, with an infuser or a bag

Use one teaspoon (2–3 g) of loose Assam or one bag per 8 oz (240 ml) cup and pour water straight off the boil. Steep 3–4 minutes if you drink it plain and 4–5 minutes if you take milk. Take the leaves or bag out on time; Assam's tannins build quickly.

In a teapot

Warm the pot first with a splash of hot water. Use one teaspoon per cup, fill with boiling water, cover, and steep 4–5 minutes. Pour all of the tea off the leaves once it's done so the last cup isn't stewed.

Iced Assam

Brew double strength, about 5 g in 8 oz (240 ml) of boiling water for 4 minutes, and pour over ice. Strong Assam tends to cloud as it cools; it's harmless. Cold-brewing avoids it entirely.

Cold brew

Use about 5 g per 8 oz (240 ml) of cold water and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. Cold-brewed Assam is smooth and malty, with almost none of the hot-brewed bite.

Can you re-steep Assam?

Whole-leaf Assam gives a decent second cup if you steep it a minute or two longer with fresh boiling water. CTC Assam, the small, granular kind used in tea bags and chai, gives nearly everything the first time and isn't worth re-steeping.

If your Assam doesn't taste right

Too strong or bitter? Shorten the steep to 3 minutes or add milk. CTC and broken-leaf Assam extract very fast; with those, 2–3 minutes can be plenty.
Weak? Make sure the water is at a full boil. Assam needs it. If it's still weak, add more leaf rather than steeping longer.
Cloudy or scummy? Cloudiness as it cools is tea cream, which is harmless. A film on top comes from hard water. Filtered water helps with both.

Ways to drink Assam

With milk and sugar

The classic way to drink Assam. Steep 4–5 minutes, then add milk until the tea turns a warm caramel color.

Masala chai

Strong CTC Assam is the traditional tea for Indian chai. Simmer it with water, milk, sugar, and spices like cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon for several minutes, then strain.

Orthodox vs. CTC

Orthodox Assam is made from whole or large broken leaves and is smoother and more complex. CTC (crush, tear, curl) is rolled into small granules that brew fast, dark, and strong, which suits tea bags and chai.