How to Brew Oatstraw Tea and Blend It With Herbal Teas
By Sourced. Blended. Shared. LMTC | Lake Missoula Tea Co. | Published: 2026-10-15
Category: How-to Guides
Oatstraw brews into a grassy, oaty, caffeine-free cup. Learn water temperature, steeping times, and how to blend it with other botanicals without wrecking the flavor.
Quick answer
Brew oatstraw with water just off a boil, about 200-205°F, using roughly 1 heaping teaspoon of dried oatstraw per 8 ounces of water. Steep 5-7 minutes for a grassy, oaty cup, or 10-15 minutes if you want the chewy, full-bodied character to come forward. It is caffeine-free, so it works at any hour, and it blends well with minty or spiced botanicals.
What oatstraw tastes like and why the steep time matters
Oatstraw from Lake Missoula Tea Company has a grassy, oaty character with a chewy, full flavor. That chewiness is the tell: the longer it steeps, the more the oat taste and body develop. A short steep gives you a lighter, greener cup; a long steep gives you something closer to a grain-forward infusion that stands up to milk or a second botanical.
Because oatstraw is caffeine-free, you are not chasing a bitterness curve the way you would with black or green tea. The main risk is over-steeping into a flat, hay-like cup, so taste at 5 minutes and decide whether to keep going.
Blending oatstraw with other botanicals
Oatstraw is a good base for an oatstraw herbal blend because its flavor is mild and slightly sweet rather than assertive. Pair it with mint for lift, with elderberry for tartness, or with a spiced blend when you want warmth. A practical ratio is 2 parts oatstraw to 1 part of the stronger botanical, then adjust after one cup.
If you are blending for digestion, keep the oatstraw as the background note and let the active botanical lead. If you are blending for flavor alone, oatstraw can take the larger share because it will not overwhelm the cup.
Equipment and water you actually need
A kettle, a mug, and a fine-mesh strainer are enough. Oatstraw is a cut botanical, so a strainer with small holes keeps the pieces out of your cup. If you use a basket infuser, leave room for the oatstraw to expand; packed too tightly, it steeps unevenly and tastes weak.
Use filtered water if your tap water tastes strongly of chlorine, because delicate grassy notes pick that up quickly. You do not need a thermometer if your kettle clicks off and you wait about a minute before pouring.
Step-by-step: brewing oatstraw tea
- 1. Measure the oatstraw: Use about 1 heaping teaspoon of dried oatstraw per 8 ounces of water. For a stronger, chewier cup, go to 1.5 teaspoons. Checkpoint: if your infuser looks packed solid, you have used too much and the water cannot circulate.
- 2. Heat water to just off a boil: Bring water to a boil, then let it sit for about a minute so it lands near 200-205°F. Pouring fully boiling water is not harmful, but it can flatten the grassy top notes. Checkpoint: no thermometer needed, just wait for the rolling boil to settle.
- 3. Pour and start timing: Pour over the oatstraw and start a timer. Steep 5-7 minutes for a lighter cup, or 10-15 minutes for the full chewy, oaty body. Checkpoint: taste at 5 minutes. If it already tastes like hay, strain immediately.
- 4. Strain and taste before adding anything: Remove the oatstraw completely so it does not keep steeping. Taste plain first, then decide whether you want honey, milk, or a second botanical. Mistake to avoid: leaving the botanicals in the mug while you drink, which turns the cup bitter and dull.
- 5. Re-steep if you want a second cup: Oatstraw can often handle a second steep. Add fresh hot water and steep 8-10 minutes, since the second infusion releases flavor more slowly. If the second cup tastes thin, use it as the base for an oatstraw herbal blend instead of drinking it alone.
Products used in this guide
- Oatstraw: Oatstraw is a caffeine-free botanical with a grassy, oaty flavor profile and a chewy, full-bodied mouthfeel, available in multiple sizes including 50g. Start with the smaller size if you are new to oatstraw, then size up once you know how strong you like your steep.
- Medicine Chest Tea Bundle: Medicine Chest Tea Bundle includes three potent botanical teas plus a steeper, and comes in Small or Large. The included steeper makes it a low-effort way to try oatstraw alongside other botanicals without buying equipment separately.
- Internal Bliss #2 Regular Move Blend: Internal Bliss #2 Regular Move Blend is minty sweet and a little spicy, with senna as the primary ingredient. Senna is a strong-acting botanical, so keep it as a separate cup rather than blending it freely with oatstraw for everyday drinking.
