The independent tea reference

Every region. Every leaf.
One honest map.

Q: How long should I steep green tea?

1–3 minutes at 70–80°C. Oversteeping past a few minutes at high heat is what causes the bitterness most people associate with bad green tea.

Q: What's the difference between oolong and black tea?

Oxidation level. Oolong is partially oxidized (10–80%), while black tea is fully oxidized (about 100%).

Q: Is ceremonial-grade matcha worth the extra price?

Usually yes for drinking straight, but a lot of matcha labeled ceremonial grade in 2026 is mislabeled due to the ongoing tencha shortage — check authenticity before paying a premium.

SteepHQ is a free, ad-honest reference for tea: an interactive map of every growing region on earth, a plain-English encyclopedia of how tea actually becomes tea, and reviews we don't get paid to write.

WhiteGreenYellowOolongBlackPu-erh

Today's region: Darjeeling

Altitude600–2,000m

First flushMar – Apr

Signature noteMuscatel

ProcessingOrthodox, light oxidation

Why SteepHQ

Most tea sites are selling you tea.

Education hubs push certification courses. Review "blogs" are run by the shops shipping the product. We built the thing that was missing: a reference site with nothing to sell you but understanding.

Free encyclopedia

Every tea type, processing method, and grading system explained in plain English — no course paywall.

Interactive world map

Click any region — Darjeeling, Wuyi, Uji, Nuwara Eliya — for altitude, harvest windows, and what makes it distinct. No one else has built this.

Independent reviews

Scored on leaf grade, aroma, liquor clarity, and value — by people who don't own the shop.

FAQ

Common tea questions, answered straight

How long should I steep green tea?

1–3 minutes at 70–80°C. Green tea is the most forgiving-to-ruin category — oversteeping past a few minutes at high heat is what causes the bitterness most people associate with "bad" green tea. Use the steep timer to get it right every time.

Is pu-erh tea caffeinated?

Yes — pu-erh comes from the same Camellia sinensis plant as every other tea on this site, so it contains caffeine. Fermentation changes flavor, not caffeine content in any significant way.

What's the difference between oolong and black tea?

Oxidation level. Oolong is partially oxidized (10–80%, the widest range of any category), while black tea is fully oxidized (~100%). See the full breakdown on the tea encyclopedia.

Is ceremonial-grade matcha worth the extra price?

Usually yes for drinking straight, but the bigger issue in 2026 is mislabeling, not just price — a lot of "ceremonial grade" on shelves right now isn't genuine. Run our free matcha authenticity checker before you pay a premium.

What's the best tea for a beginner?

A mid-oxidation oolong or a straightforward black tea like Assam is the easiest entry point — more forgiving on brew time and temperature than delicate greens or whites. See our independent reviews for specific picks.

Still have a question, a correction, or something you need help with? Email steephq3311@gmail.com — a real person reads every message.

Interactive · 50 regions

The world's tea regions, at a glance

Every marker is a real tea-growing region. Click one for altitude, harvest season, and the teas it's known for.

click a marker

← Select a region on the map
to see its profile

The encyclopedia

All tea comes from one plant.

Camellia sinensis. Every tea type below — white, green, yellow, oolong, black, pu-erh — is the same leaf, taken through a different processing path. Click a card to go deep.

Independent · unsponsored

Reviews with nothing to sell you.

We buy every tea we review at retail price. Scores are on leaf grade, aroma, liquor, and value for money — not how nice the box is.

Disclosure: some "Shop this tea" links below are affiliate links — if you buy through them, SteepHQ earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. This never affects a review's score; scores are locked in before any link is added.

Free tool

Which tea should you actually buy?

Four questions. No email required, no upsell — just a straight recommendation based on what you actually like.

Reference

How much caffeine is in your tea?

Most charts online give one confident number per tea type. That's misleading — caffeine varies enormously with leaf, harvest, water temperature, steep time, and how much leaf you use. These are honest ranges per 8oz cup, not false precision.

Ranges are typical for an 8oz cup at standard brewing parameters. Your actual cup can fall outside them — a heavily-leafed gongfu session or a long steep will push higher, a quick rinse-and-pour lower.

Free tool · updated for the 2026 shortage

Is your matcha actually ceremonial grade?

A genuine tencha shortage has been squeezing Japan since late 2024, and prices are still elevated through 2026. When authentic supply runs short, relabeled sencha powder, aged stock, and non-Japanese matcha sold as "ceremonial" fill the gap. Answer these 5 questions honestly — this isn't a lab test, but it catches the most common red flags.

Last updated: July 2026

Free tool

Steep timer

Pick a tea type for the right water temp and steep time, then start the countdown — a sound plays when it's ready.

Practical

Brew it right, by tea type

Water temperature and steep time matter more than any other variable. Here's the reference.

Gear that actually matters

The equipment worth owning

We only list gear we'd buy ourselves. Contains affiliate links — see disclosure below.

Disclosure: links below are Amazon Associates affiliate links. SteepHQ earns a small commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

About

Built by tea drinkers, not tea sellers.

SteepHQ exists because the internet has plenty of places to buy tea and surprisingly few places to simply understand it. We're not affiliated with any tea estate, importer, or brand — the reviews section is funded by contextual affiliate links on gear (kettles, gaiwans, infusers), never by paid placement of tea itself.

This is where to reach us — a region we're missing, a correction, a tea you think deserves an honest review, or just a question about anything on the site. A real person reads every email and answers it.

steephq3311@gmail.com

Media Kit

Reach people actually researching tea.

SteepHQ visitors aren't scrolling — they're actively comparing regions, checking matcha authenticity, or reading reviews before a purchase. That's a buyer-intent audience, not a passive one.

Who's here

Loose-leaf and specialty tea buyers researching before purchase
Matcha buyers specifically checking authenticity amid the 2026 shortage
Home brewers using the steep timer and brew guides
Readers arriving via region and tea-type search, not social media scroll

Placement options

Reviewed product placement — full independent review with photos, scored honestly, "Shop this tea" link
Region page sponsorship — a relevant vendor note on a specific growing-region page (e.g. a Darjeeling importer on the Darjeeling page)
Newsletter mention — one line in the weekly region/review email
Footer resource link — listed alongside the tea companies and blogs we already link to

How pricing works

No fixed rate card yet.

SteepHQ is a new site — rates will be set once there's real traffic data to back them up, and early partners get founding-partner pricing. If you're a tea company or teaware brand interested in being featured, this inbox goes straight to a real person — reach out and we'll figure out the right fit together.