Table of Contents
To brew OSULLOC tea: green tea bags go in 70°C (158°F) water for 1.5 minutes; black, oolong and post-fermented blends go in 90°C (194°F) water for 2 minutes (3 for Signature Earl Grey); loose leaf uses 2 tablespoons per cup at 90°C for 2 minutes; cold brew sticks go in 500 ml of cold water for 2 to 3 minutes; milk tea sticks dissolve in 140 ml of hot water, in cold water with ice, or in 160 ml of milk.
OSULLOC prints brewing directions on every box, but they differ by type, and the most common mistake with the brand is brewing its green tea with boiling water. This page collects the directions from OSULLOC's product pages into one table so you can check it from your kitchen. For which tea to buy, see the OSULLOC Tea Guide.
At Daebak, a Seoul-based Korean culture and product company, we sell OSULLOC's range through our shop, and these are the questions we get about it most. The directions are OSULLOC's; the general rules for Korean green tea come from the sources listed at the end.
Brewing table
| Type | Water | Temperature | Time | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green tea bag (unblended) | 150 to 250 ml | 70°C / 158°F | 1.5 min | Organic Pure Green Tea, Organic Sejak |
| Pyramid tea bag (blends, oolong, black) | 150 ml | 90°C / 194°F | 2 min | Cherry Blossom, Wedding Green Tea, Jeju Volcanic Rock Tea, Tangerine Blossom Oolong |
| Paper tea bag (fruit blends) | 250 ml | 90°C / 194°F | 2 min | Honey Pear, Fig Chocolat, Peach Black |
| Signature Earl Grey | 150 ml | 90°C / 194°F | 3 min | Signature Earl Grey |
| Loose leaf | 1 cup | 90°C / 194°F (70°C for green) | 2 min | Jeju Tangerine 30 g, Moon Walk 35 g, Sejak 40 g |
| Cold brew stick | 500 ml cold or iced | Cold | 2 to 3 min | Honey Pear Cold Brew, Sunshine Muscat Cold Brew |
| Milk tea stick, hot | 140 ml hot water | Hot | Stir | Jeju Matcha Milk Tea, Jeju Hojicha Milk Tea |
| Milk tea stick, iced | 20 ml hot water, then 100 ml cold water and ice | - | Stir | Same sticks |
| Milk tea stick, creamy | 160 ml milk | Hot or cold | Stir | Same sticks |
| Matcha powder | To taste | Hot or cold | Whisk or shake | Organic Premium Matcha |
When a box gives slightly different numbers from this table, follow the box; OSULLOC adjusts directions by product and region.
Green tea: cooler and shorter
Unblended Jeju green tea is the one type that needs care. Water at 70°C and 1.5 minutes gives a soft, nutty cup; boiling water for three minutes gives a bitter one, and that bitterness is usually why people decide they do not like green tea. Korean tea writers have said this for decades: a 2003 Korea JoongAng Daily guide advises that water for green tea should never go above 70°C and that a used leaf should be drained rather than left sitting, and the paper's 2004 guide adds that the earlier the harvest, the cooler the water should be, which is why OSULLOC's first-pick Sejak is brewed cooler than its blends. The leaf itself comes from the Jeju fields Amorepacific has farmed since 1979, now organic, per the group's brand page. If you have no thermometer, boil the kettle and let it stand for three to four minutes with the lid off. Why Jeju green tea tastes the way it does is explained in Jeju Green Tea: What Makes It Different.
OSULLOC Organic Pure Green Tea. See details.
Blends, black and oolong: hot and quick
Everything built on black tea, oolong or Jeju post-fermented tea takes 90°C water for two minutes, which is hotter and shorter than many Western black teas. The pyramid bags hold whole leaves and pieces of fruit or flower, so give the bag a gentle swirl at the end rather than squeezing it. Signature Earl Grey is the exception at three minutes.
OSULLOC Signature Earl Grey. See details.
Loose leaf
OSULLOC's tins (Jeju Tangerine 30 g, Moon Walk 35 g, Sejak 40 g) use about 2 tablespoons of leaf per cup, 90°C for blends and 70°C for green tea, two minutes. Loose leaf re-steeps well: pour again on the same leaves and add 30 seconds. The Jeju Tangerine tin can also be cold-brewed, which is the brand's suggestion for summer.
OSULLOC Moon Walk Tea 35 g. See details.
Iced tea, two ways
- Hot brew over ice: brew any tea bag as above, slightly stronger, and pour over a glass of ice. OSULLOC suggests this for Honey Pear and the other fruit blends.
- Cold brew sticks: drop one stick into a 500 ml bottle of cold water, wait two to three minutes, shake. Honey Pear Cold Brew and Sunshine Muscat Cold Brew are made for this and need no hot water at all.
Milk tea and matcha sticks
The stick milk teas are instant and already sweetened. Hot: one stick in 140 ml of hot water. Iced: dissolve the stick in 20 ml of hot water first, then add 100 ml of cold water and ice, otherwise the powder clumps. Creamier: one stick in 160 ml of milk. Organic Premium Matcha Powder is unsweetened; whisk a small spoon into a little hot water until smooth, then top up with water or milk, hot or iced.
Storing OSULLOC tea
- Room temperature, away from heat, light and humidity. Reseal the pouch or close the tin after each use; OSULLOC prints this on its pyramid-bag boxes.
- Keep tea away from coffee and spices; tea picks up smells.
- Green tea fades fastest. Drink it within a few months of opening; the blends and herbals keep longer.
OSULLOC products in our shop are brand-shipped. For a seasonal mix of Korean snacks, drinks and goods chosen for you, the Daebak Box is a separate, curated option.
FAQ
What temperature do you brew OSULLOC green tea at?
70°C (158°F) for 1.5 minutes. Boiling water makes it bitter.
How long do you steep OSULLOC Honey Pear Tea?
One bag in 250 ml of 90°C water for 2 minutes, hot or poured over ice.
Can OSULLOC tea be cold-brewed?
Yes. The cold brew sticks are designed for it (500 ml cold water, 2 to 3 minutes), and loose-leaf blends such as Jeju Tangerine can be cold-brewed too.
Can you re-steep OSULLOC tea bags?
Pyramid bags with whole leaves can usually take a second, longer steep. Paper bags and the fruit blends are best brewed once.
How do you make OSULLOC matcha milk tea iced?
Dissolve one stick in 20 ml of hot water, then add 100 ml of cold water and ice.
This guide is part of the OSULLOC hub, which lists every Daebak guide on OSULLOC.
