Grams In A Teaspoon

Made from leaves that have not been oxidized.


Feb 27th, '13, 18:53
Posts: 264
Joined: Oct 7th, '10, 11:22

Grams In A Teaspoon

by beforewisdom » Feb 27th, '13, 18:53

I mentioned in this thread that I bought a green tea starter kit from O-Cha.com that included a 100 gram ( 3.5 ounces ) bag of Sakura Sencha.

The directions on the bag called for a Leaf/Water Ratio of 0.6 grams per ounce of water.

Eight ounces is "1 cup", no problem there.

However, Googling around I couldn't find anything about how many grams of tea would be in a teaspoon.

I have a very nice Cuisanart stainless steel electric food scale at home and I have a very nice stainless steel measuring spoon set.

So, I thought I would post my results here for future Googlers with the understanding that different types of tea will have different weights.

On my food scale, with packing my O-Cha.com Sakura Sencha down, a tiny bit and letting it heap in the teaspoon, a little bit I got

1 teaspoon of O-Cha.com Sakura Sencha == 1 gram

So, according to the directions on the bag, if I want 1 cup of tea ( 8 fluid ounces ) I will need 4.8 grams of their Sakura Sencha tea. About 5 teaspoons.

The directions gave steeping times for 1st infusions ( 1 minute ), 2nd infusions ( 0.5 minutes ) and 3rd infusions ( 2.0 minutes ) at 175 F/79C.

So, though 5 teaspoons per cup is a lot for one cup of tea, that 5 teaspoons will let me have 3 cups.
Last edited by beforewisdom on Feb 27th, '13, 20:03, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
Feb 27th, '13, 19:04
Posts: 5896
Joined: Jan 10th, '10, 16:04
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact: debunix

Re: Grams In A Teaspoon

by debunix » Feb 27th, '13, 19:04

Different types of tea definitely have different weights. This was a little thing I put together to demonstrate why I use a scale, when I am doing a formal review or working with an unfamiliar tea (each little pile is 1 gram of that particular tea):

Image
Why I prefer a scale by debunix, on Flickr

User avatar
Feb 27th, '13, 19:59
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Grams In A Teaspoon

by Chip » Feb 27th, '13, 19:59

beforewisdom wrote:I mentioned in this thread that I bought a green tea starter kit from O-Cha.com that included a 100 gram ( 3.5 ounces ) bag of Sakura Sencha.

The directions on the bag called for a Leaf/Water Ration of 0.6 grams per ounce of water.

Eight ounces is "1 cup", no problem there.

However, Googling around I couldn't find anything about how grams of tea would be in a teaspoon.

I have a very nice Cuisanart stainless steel electric food scale at home and I have a very nice stainless steel measuring spoon set.

So, I thought I would post my results here for future Googlers with the understanding that different types of tea will have different weights.

On my food scale, with packing my O-Cha.com Sakura Sencha down, a tiny bit and letting it heap in the teaspoon, a little bit I got

1 teaspoon of O-Cha.com Sakura Sencha == 1 gram

So, according to the directions on the bag, if I want 1 cup of tea ( 8 fluid ounces ) I will need 4.8 grams of their Sakura Sencha tea. About 5 teaspoons.

The directions gave steeping times for 1st infusions ( 1 minute ), 2nd infusions ( 0.5 minutes ) and 3rd infusions ( 2.0 minutes ) at 175 F/79C.

So, though 5 teaspoons per cup is a lot for one cup of tea, that 5 teaspoons will let me have 3 cups.
Kitchen food scales can have a pretty high +/- for such small amounts of tea. I recently found a small amount of this tea. I will try to remember to weigh it and see what I get.

Also, you are likely seeing why TC member steep sizes get smaller and smaller over time. Smaller steeps + less tea used. 8 ounce steeps can burn through a bag really fast! :mrgreen:

Feb 27th, '13, 20:06
Posts: 264
Joined: Oct 7th, '10, 11:22

Re: Grams In A Teaspoon

by beforewisdom » Feb 27th, '13, 20:06

True, but 8 ounces isn't a lot for a drink.

User avatar
Feb 27th, '13, 20:12
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Grams In A Teaspoon

by Chip » Feb 27th, '13, 20:12

:mrgreen:

Fortunately Sakura Sencha is a good casual drinker that is also relatively inexpensive. As you move up the cost scale and begin brewing at 1:1 ratio ... you may begin to think, hmmmm, 5 ounces is perfect. :wink:

Feb 27th, '13, 20:27
Posts: 264
Joined: Oct 7th, '10, 11:22

Re: Grams In A Teaspoon

by beforewisdom » Feb 27th, '13, 20:27

Possibly Chip.

I don't have a very discerning sense of taste so I may be perfectly happy with cheaper teas.

A few years ago I had a diet soda habit. I loved the buzz that was provided by a 20 ounce bottle from the soda machine in the office. The cost got up to $1.30 before I stopped. I view things as a "cost per drink" perspective with that.....and the prices at Star Bucks as benchmarks.

Last week I went to O-Cha and priced one of their most expensive teas at a cost of about $3 a cup. A Star Buck's coffee drinker would be grateful for that price :)

User avatar
Feb 28th, '13, 02:05
Vendor Member
Posts: 267
Joined: Jul 13th, '09, 11:43
Location: Japan
Contact: Kevangogh

Re: Grams In A Teaspoon

by Kevangogh » Feb 28th, '13, 02:05

beforewisdom wrote: I have a very nice Cuisanart stainless steel electric food scale at home and I have a very nice stainless steel measuring spoon set.

So, I thought I would post my results here for future Googlers with the understanding that different types of tea will have different weights.

On my food scale, with packing my O-Cha.com Sakura Sencha down, a tiny bit and letting it heap in the teaspoon, a little bit I got

1 teaspoon of O-Cha.com Sakura Sencha == 1 gram

So, according to the directions on the bag, if I want 1 cup of tea ( 8 fluid ounces ) I will need 4.8 grams of their Sakura Sencha tea. About 5 teaspoons.

The directions gave steeping times for 1st infusions ( 1 minute ), 2nd infusions ( 0.5 minutes ) and 3rd infusions ( 2.0 minutes ) at 175 F/79C.

So, though 5 teaspoons per cup is a lot for one cup of tea, that 5 teaspoons will let me have 3 cups.
You are not measuring something correctly there, a typical teaspoon weighs about 4-5 grams. You would only need one heaping teaspoon to make that pot of tea. A regular kitchen scale is not accurate enough for this, you need something that will measure tenth of a gram. You can find those cheaply on Ebay.

User avatar
Feb 28th, '13, 09:04
Posts: 21
Joined: Jan 24th, '13, 10:19

Re: Grams In A Teaspoon

by Vermont Cathy » Feb 28th, '13, 09:04

Kevangogh wrote:
beforewisdom wrote:
You are not measuring something correctly there, a typical teaspoon weighs about 4-5 grams.
A teaspoon of what? A teaspoon is a volume measurement. Grams are weight (mass, actually). A teaspoon of gold weighs more than a teaspoon of baking soda. Granted, we're talking about tea here, but there's going to be a huge range.

Feb 28th, '13, 09:49
Posts: 264
Joined: Oct 7th, '10, 11:22

Re: Grams In A Teaspoon

by beforewisdom » Feb 28th, '13, 09:49

Kevangogh wrote:
beforewisdom wrote:
On my food scale, with packing my O-Cha.com Sakura Sencha down, a tiny bit and letting it heap in the teaspoon, a little bit I got

1 teaspoon of O-Cha.com Sakura Sencha == 1 gram

You are not measuring something correctly there, a typical teaspoon weighs about 4-5 grams. You would only need one heaping teaspoon to make that pot of tea. A regular kitchen scale is not accurate enough for this, you need something that will measure tenth of a gram. You can find those cheaply on Ebay.
Hi Kevangogh,

Thank you for posting. Your measurement seems to make more sense to me and I will be happier if you are proven right. More cups of tea for the same money spent.

I am using the Cuisanart PrecisionChef™ Bowl Digital Kitchen Scale Model KML-K03B

Going to Google I learned that the weight of a US quarter is 5.67 grams

I put a quarter on my scale and it weighed in at 5 grams, no decimal places given. I think with something as small and light as a teaspoon of whole tea leaves, those decimal places will likely matter.

I am going to contact O-Cha.com and ask them how much a western teaspoon of their Sakura Sencha is supposed to weigh. I will post their answer here.

User avatar
Feb 28th, '13, 10:19
Posts: 2228
Joined: Jul 22nd, '09, 10:55
Location: Capital of the Mitten
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact: AdamMY

Re: Grams In A Teaspoon

by AdamMY » Feb 28th, '13, 10:19

beforewisdom wrote:
Kevangogh wrote:
beforewisdom wrote:
On my food scale, with packing my O-Cha.com Sakura Sencha down, a tiny bit and letting it heap in the teaspoon, a little bit I got

1 teaspoon of O-Cha.com Sakura Sencha == 1 gram

You are not measuring something correctly there, a typical teaspoon weighs about 4-5 grams. You would only need one heaping teaspoon to make that pot of tea. A regular kitchen scale is not accurate enough for this, you need something that will measure tenth of a gram. You can find those cheaply on Ebay.
Hi Kevangogh,

I am going to contact O-Cha.com and ask them how much a western teaspoon of their Sakura Sencha is supposed to weigh. I will post their answer here.

No need, already happened, Kevangogh is O-cha!

User avatar
Feb 28th, '13, 10:23
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Grams In A Teaspoon

by Chip » Feb 28th, '13, 10:23

You beat me to it, Adam. :lol:

Using a .05 gram resolution digital scale, I weighed the little Sakura Sencha I have here from O-Cha using what I consider typical Western teaspoon (pretty old silver teaspoon that I actually use each time I measure tea).

level teaspoon 1.75 grams
rounded teaspoon 2.25 grams
Fairly heaping 2.75 grams

The scale is accurate as I also just weighed a dime to 2.3 grams.

User avatar
Feb 28th, '13, 10:31
Posts: 2228
Joined: Jul 22nd, '09, 10:55
Location: Capital of the Mitten
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact: AdamMY

Re: Grams In A Teaspoon

by AdamMY » Feb 28th, '13, 10:31

In a related note, I think I know why there seems to be so many differing measurements of grams per teaspoon of sakura sencha. It likely has to do with the shape of the teaspoon. Sencha tends to have long twisted leaves, which if you have a very round and deep teaspoon ( similar to quite a few measuring teaspoons), the leaves might not fit in there very nice, so less leaves seem to "fill" the space. While a teaspoon that is in just about every single western house hold would be flatter and wider, which would give a lot of room for the leaves to lay down and fill the volume better.

User avatar
Feb 28th, '13, 10:48
Vendor Member
Posts: 267
Joined: Jul 13th, '09, 11:43
Location: Japan
Contact: Kevangogh

Re: Grams In A Teaspoon

by Kevangogh » Feb 28th, '13, 10:48

I measured out Yutaka Midori and it's about 3.5 grams her full teaspoon. I used a Japanese teapoon which is very slightly smaller than an American teaspoon. Also, Yutaka Midori will be more dense that Sakura Sencha so my guess is that will be close to 3.0 grams (I don't have any open at the moment).

3.5 grams or 3.0 grams, it's not going to make that much of a difference. Let's say it's 3.0 grams.

You figure out how much liquid your teacup(s) hold. Let's say 6 ounces ( 180 ml).

Then you use the reference for that tea. That said, it's also not going to make a huge difference but in this case let's say .6 grams per ounce (180 ml).

6 x .6 = 3.6 grams.

Since a teaspoon is close to 3.0 grams, just take one teaspoon and make sure it's heaping and you should be good to go. Error on the side of too much tea over too little. Your brew temperature and how long you brew it will make it or break it.

Feb 28th, '13, 12:29
Posts: 264
Joined: Oct 7th, '10, 11:22

Re: Grams In A Teaspoon

by beforewisdom » Feb 28th, '13, 12:29

AdamMY wrote:In a related note, I think I know why there seems to be so many differing measurements of grams per teaspoon of sakura sencha. It likely has to do with the shape of the teaspoon. Sencha tends to have long twisted leaves, which if you have a very round and deep teaspoon ( similar to quite a few measuring teaspoons), the leaves might not fit in there very nice, so less leaves seem to "fill" the space. While a teaspoon that is in just about every single western house hold would be flatter and wider, which would give a lot of room for the leaves to lay down and fill the volume better.
I had a similar thought when I did my weighing. I passed up my circular teaspoon in favor of an oval shallow one.

Feb 28th, '13, 12:33
Posts: 264
Joined: Oct 7th, '10, 11:22

Re: Grams In A Teaspoon

by beforewisdom » Feb 28th, '13, 12:33

Chip wrote:You beat me to it, Adam. :lol:

Using a .05 gram resolution digital scale, I weighed the little Sakura Sencha I have here from O-Cha using what I consider typical Western teaspoon (pretty old silver teaspoon that I actually use each time I measure tea).

level teaspoon 1.75 grams
rounded teaspoon 2.25 grams
Fairly heaping 2.75 grams

The scale is accurate as I also just weighed a dime to 2.3 grams.
Thanks for the useful post Chip.

I think I will run with your results as
- it is closer to what I have
- you also checked your scale against a standard weight like I did
- you measured the same kind of tea I did.

I just got back from the dentist. When my novocaine clears up I will give my new O-cha stuff a spin. I have a food thermometer and a measuring cup all ready to go.

+ Post Reply