Water Temperature
Tastes vary widely, as do teas, so it's hard to give exact water temperatures. Generally, less processed teas are steeped at lower temperatures. Also, for any type of tea, higher quality teas should be steeped at the lower end of the temperature range.
The Shu curing process is rather dirty and depends on mold to do the curing. To eliminate this mold, many people recommend rinsing the tea with boiling water for a full minute, replacing the water halfway through. After that, follow the recommended temperatures for drinking.
Further Information
- Green 65-85C (150-185F)
- White 75-85C (165-185F)
- Oolong 87-98C (190-208F)
- Red 90-100C (195-212F)
- Sheng 85-95C (185-203F)
- Shu 85-100C (185-212F)
The Shu curing process is rather dirty and depends on mold to do the curing. To eliminate this mold, many people recommend rinsing the tea with boiling water for a full minute, replacing the water halfway through. After that, follow the recommended temperatures for drinking.
Further Information
Long vs. Short Steep Times
You can brew tea anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes, or even longer in some cases, such as iced or cold-brew tea. A long steeping time extracts the full complexity of the tea leaves into a single cup, while short infusion times highlight different flavors at each infusion. There are no hard and fast rules dividing these two extremes, nor are there any hard and fast rules for any type of tea. Different social settings, taste, and experience with a particular tea might dictate a different brewing time or water temperature, which in turn is best handled by different equipment.
Some teas fare better with longer brewing times, while others reward shorter infusions. A tea that gives different flavors through several infusions might also be delicious or interesting brewed all at once. A particular aspect of the tea, such as astringency or a floral scent, might be highlighted by a different brewing time, technique, or water temperature. Often a particular tea and preparation is chosen to suit the social setting and to suit a particular taste. A tea will also change as it ages, and need to be handled differently as a result. This variety means that any simple advice for brewing a particular tea is best viewed as a starting guideline. The tea master should feel free to experiment (but never on unsuspecting guests).
The social setting is as important, if not more important, than taste. Long brew times allow a large quantity of tea to be prepared beforehand, leaving the partakers at leisure to enjoy their tea without the distraction of preparing it. Other people relish the act of preparing the tea as part of the social event. This has been elevated into an art form in "gong fu cha" style tea preparation and in tea ceremonies officiated by highly skilled tea masters.
Delicate and higher quality teas tend to be valued more for their fresher characteristics, and are kept green or lightly oxidized to preserve the gentle nature of their fragrance and flavors. These tend to benefit from shorter brew times. More robust teas are often processed into fully oxidized "black" tea to develop deep, caramel-like layers of complexity, which is best brought out in long brew times.
In China, where tea has been nurtured for centuries, preferences run towards unprocessed or lightly processed fresh tea. To preserve the delicate nature of fresh tea, and perhaps in keeping with typically shorter cooking times, infusion times are kept short and the infusion is served immediately. Even a few seconds delay is enough to lose the subtlety of the delicate aromas that vary through each infusion. This requires the tea to be steeped in small quantities and prepared at the table. Tea equipment has developed accordingly.
Oustide of China and nearby regions, high quality teas were unavailable in quantity for centuries, and fresh high quality tea was even rarer. Long travel times meant that only the more robust, highly processed teas were available--those that could withstand months of travel and long storage times between trading voyages. This meant "black", fully oxidized tea. Tastes developed accordingly. These lower quality, fully processed teas were often bitter, and so were tempered with milk and sugar. Over time, this became a taste preference. Even today, with the availablility of many fresh and high quality teas, tastes still lean towards fully oxidized black teas.
In these areas, tea tends to be brewed for a long time in large pots, and served in a large cup, often with sugar and either milk or lemon, and is often served with light snacks. Long brew times produce a robust, more complex cup able to stand up to sweet biscuits and other snacks. Fully oxidized "black" teas, spicy oolongs, and fragrant scented teas are robust enough for this purpose. While more delicate and subtle flavors are appreciated, particularly spice or fragrant flowers, grassy or other distinctive flavors are avoided as they don't pair as freely with sweets.
It can't be stressed enough that there are all kinds of exceptions to these guidelines. For example, Puerh is typically steeped for very short periods of time, but can be steeped longer than any other tea without getting bitter. Also, high quality assam teas often benefit from multiple, short infusions.
Some teas fare better with longer brewing times, while others reward shorter infusions. A tea that gives different flavors through several infusions might also be delicious or interesting brewed all at once. A particular aspect of the tea, such as astringency or a floral scent, might be highlighted by a different brewing time, technique, or water temperature. Often a particular tea and preparation is chosen to suit the social setting and to suit a particular taste. A tea will also change as it ages, and need to be handled differently as a result. This variety means that any simple advice for brewing a particular tea is best viewed as a starting guideline. The tea master should feel free to experiment (but never on unsuspecting guests).
The social setting is as important, if not more important, than taste. Long brew times allow a large quantity of tea to be prepared beforehand, leaving the partakers at leisure to enjoy their tea without the distraction of preparing it. Other people relish the act of preparing the tea as part of the social event. This has been elevated into an art form in "gong fu cha" style tea preparation and in tea ceremonies officiated by highly skilled tea masters.
Delicate and higher quality teas tend to be valued more for their fresher characteristics, and are kept green or lightly oxidized to preserve the gentle nature of their fragrance and flavors. These tend to benefit from shorter brew times. More robust teas are often processed into fully oxidized "black" tea to develop deep, caramel-like layers of complexity, which is best brought out in long brew times.
In China, where tea has been nurtured for centuries, preferences run towards unprocessed or lightly processed fresh tea. To preserve the delicate nature of fresh tea, and perhaps in keeping with typically shorter cooking times, infusion times are kept short and the infusion is served immediately. Even a few seconds delay is enough to lose the subtlety of the delicate aromas that vary through each infusion. This requires the tea to be steeped in small quantities and prepared at the table. Tea equipment has developed accordingly.
Oustide of China and nearby regions, high quality teas were unavailable in quantity for centuries, and fresh high quality tea was even rarer. Long travel times meant that only the more robust, highly processed teas were available--those that could withstand months of travel and long storage times between trading voyages. This meant "black", fully oxidized tea. Tastes developed accordingly. These lower quality, fully processed teas were often bitter, and so were tempered with milk and sugar. Over time, this became a taste preference. Even today, with the availablility of many fresh and high quality teas, tastes still lean towards fully oxidized black teas.
In these areas, tea tends to be brewed for a long time in large pots, and served in a large cup, often with sugar and either milk or lemon, and is often served with light snacks. Long brew times produce a robust, more complex cup able to stand up to sweet biscuits and other snacks. Fully oxidized "black" teas, spicy oolongs, and fragrant scented teas are robust enough for this purpose. While more delicate and subtle flavors are appreciated, particularly spice or fragrant flowers, grassy or other distinctive flavors are avoided as they don't pair as freely with sweets.
It can't be stressed enough that there are all kinds of exceptions to these guidelines. For example, Puerh is typically steeped for very short periods of time, but can be steeped longer than any other tea without getting bitter. Also, high quality assam teas often benefit from multiple, short infusions.
Specific Guidelines
- Pu-erh Infusion Guidelines
- White or Green Tea Preparation
- Oolong Tea Preparation
- Black Tea Preparation
Further Information
Gong Fu Cha
Gong Fu Cha (gongfu, kungfu, lit. preparing tea with great skill) is a venerable, almost ceremonial method of brewing tea that's been in use in China since the 8th Century.
Gong Fu Cha tea set with a gaiwan
Gong Fu Cha tea set with a Yixing pot
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Gong Fu Cha tea set with a gaiwan
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Gong Fu Cha tea set with a Yixing pot
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Further Information
