How much caffeine is in Assam Masala Spiced Chai?

Each 8 oz (240ml) cup with milk serving contains approximately 60 mg of caffeine. For comparison, a standard 8 oz cup of brewed drip coffee contains around 95 mg. Actual content varies with dose, water temperature, and contact time.

What temperature should I use for Assam Masala Spiced Chai?

Target 100°C (212°F). Below this range the cup tends toward sourness and thinness from under-extraction; above it, bitterness rises faster than sweetness.

How long should Assam Masala Spiced Chai be extracted?

Extract for 5–6 minutes simmered (not steeped) using Steel Saucepan Simmer & Strainer, at a ratio of 2 tsp CTC tea + spices to 300ml water, add 150ml milk, prepared at CTC Pellet or Crushed Leaf. Time and ratio move together: a heavier dose generally wants a shorter contact time.

Why does my Assam Masala Spiced Chai taste bitter?

Bitterness almost always indicates over-extraction. Shorten the contact time, lower the water temperature slightly, or use less leaf. Change one variable at a time so you can tell which one was responsible.

Who should avoid Assam Masala Spiced Chai?

CTC Assam tea is high tannin — avoid drinking on an empty stomach as it can cause nausea. Adding sugar raises glycemic load; diabetics should use stevia or monk fruit sweeteners. Large amounts of ginger can interact with blood-thinning medications (Warfarin). This is general educational information, not medical advice — consult a qualified healthcare professional about your own circumstances.

Reviewed Aug 2026

Orthodox Black Tea · Assam, India

Assam Masala Spiced Chai

Name: How to Brew Assam Masala Spiced Chai
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 6 min
Yield: 8 oz (240ml) cup with milk
Cuisine: Assam, India
Ingredients: Base and proportions as specified: 2 tsp CTC tea + spices to 300ml water, add 150ml milk; Whole milk, or an oat milk formulated for steaming; Filtered water for the base

मसाला चाय (Masala Chai)

India's beloved warming elixir: bold CTC black tea boiled with cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, clove, and full-fat milk.

Masala Chai ("spiced tea") combines robust Assam CTC black tea steeped in a boiling blend of aromatic spices and whole milk or plant milk. Each household, city, and chai wallah has a unique spice recipe passed down through generations.

Sensory profile

Comparative scale

sweetnessHigh

acidityModerate

bitternessModerate

bodyVery high

aromaVery high

You should taste

How it unfolds

Aroma → Palate → Finish

AromaBefore and as you sip

No distinct note recorded here — the aroma reads as pronounced rather than carrying a nameable character of its own.

pronounced aroma

PalateWhile it is in the mouth

No distinct note recorded here — the palate reads as clear rather than carrying a nameable character of its own.

clear sweetness

FinishAfter you swallow

pronounced body

Where it sits

Stronger than 210 of the 345 other drinks in the catalogue, and weaker than 133.

That is 60 mg in a 8 oz (240ml) cup with milk serving — a concentration of 25 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.

CupCura editorial estimate. No public food database has measured this preparation, so this figure is our own and is not independently sourced.

Compare it against

High-Grown English Breakfast Black Tea

What people say

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Gear for this drink

Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2

Direct-drive motor with 64mm stainless steel flat burrs engineered specifically for pour-over, drip, and cold brew clarity.

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Assam Masala Spiced Chai

Sensory profile

You should taste

How it unfolds

Where it sits

Compare it against

What people say

Fellow Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2

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