How Much Tea Do I Use?
Regardless of the method, it would be best always to use weight instead of volume to measure loose leaf tea. By this, we mean measuring quantity using a scale instead of scooping with a teaspoon. Different teas have different shapes, and volume can be grossly inaccurate. We pre-measure our tea into the standard weight for Gong Fu brewing for each specific category, ranging from 4-8 grams of tea. So depending on the quantity of water, you may or may not use a complete packet when brewing in a teapot or mug.
We recommend a universal standard ratio of 2 grams of tea for every 8oz/237ml of water. From here, you can adjust to your liking, but we recommend starting here.
Does it Matter What Water I Use?
Yes! The majority of tea’s makeup is water. So your water choice will make a difference in the final tea you drink. Nestle Pure Life is our purchased water of choice. Fancy water does not work well with tea; it’s usually not balanced enough. We recommend avoiding alkaline water or water too pure. Or on the opposite spectrum, spring water with too much minerality is also not good as it will inhibit the aroma.
Recommended Brewing Temperatures
Take The Brewing Class-
About Temperature
When deciding what temperature to go with, it is important to know what kind of tea you're brewing. These examples outlines the recommended temperature and if you should cover your vessel or not. To brew “uncovered” in a teapot, leave the lid off.
Do I Do Anything Different For Green Tea?
Yes! Green and yellow teas are pretty different as we never want to cover them. If you’re using a teapot, just opt to leave the lid off. With other styles of tea, you can also choose to leave the lid off if astringency is a concern. Additionally, you’ll want to preserve some water with the tea in between brews with green teas to keep the leaves moist and prevent oxidation. Green and yellow teas are the only styles we do this for; you do not want to leave water steeping in any other type of tea.
Can I Use a Steeper?
Honestly, we don’t recommend it. It’s always best to filter the tea leaves while pouring the liquor out instead of putting tea leaves inside a filter. Flowing tea leaves are better than confined tea leaves.
How Long Do I Brew For?
This is a standard brew schedule for teapots or cups specifically. This is a good place to start, and you can adjust according to your desired taste.
1st Brew: 2 minutes
2nd Brew: 45 seconds
3rd Brew: 1 minute
4th Brew: 4 minutes
Want to Learn How to Gong Fu Brew?
This is the traditional Chinese style of brewing. It requires a certain set of brewing utensils and has its own instructions. Please find additional reading materials on Gong Fu Brewing below.
Learn Open Vessel Brewing for Green and Yellow Teas
What Teaware Do I Need For Gong Fu Brewing?
We are happy to answer any questions you may still have about brewing - just email us! hello@teadrunk.com.