"the focus is more on the sweets that you have with the tea rather than the tea itself" Multiple burns on the British and our tea in this video, I love it. (am going to try this Chinese method with some white tea I just ordered)
😉 No offense intended, just two very different approaches to tea. Generally, East Asian cultures approach tea as an artisanal product to be enjoyed pure, the same way we approach fine wine in the West. Because of its long history in the East, tea is placed in higher esteem than other beverages. Western tea cultures tend to approach tea more casually, with less emphasis on variety and terroir, and (as Alice mentions) more focus on the food served with it.
@@randomperson2187 Gongfu is a relatively modern thing in the grand scheme of tea history. Also, there are no set rules as to what is or is not gongfu. It simply means making tea with skill.
@MysticalSky Modern “standardized” gongfu cha (like the method we use) is a very recent (ca. 1980s) amalgamation of multiple regional customs within China and Taiwan, partly modeled on Chaozhou Gongfu Cha (ca. 1600s) with influence from other tea customs (like Japanese Chanoyu) as well. As with all things, tea culture is not a static historical artifact, but a continually evolving practice. Modern gongfu cha (in its various forms) is simply the current iteration of Chinese tea culture, in a long line of evolution dating back thousands of years.
@@teaformeplease also I would disagree, gong fu tea has been done for hundreds of years, and its not just a way of making tea, gong fu tea has rules and its not just a way to do it as you would say how you put on your shoes. And really tea is not about the taste, its about the experience. Even when determining how good a cup of tea is its still not about the taste.
Exactly what I was looking for thank you! I'm coming from a decade in the world of specialty coffee and getting into Tea has been very intimidating. Thanks for easy to digest simple videos like this.
Using a larger sized teapot is most suitable for communal settings. Though I prefer to drain out the tea once it has steeped long enough since it gets bitter. Worst when it comes to drinking tea at restaurants cause first off, you're being served with very low quality tea, second of all they use super hot water which is way beyond the appropriate temperature in brewing tea especially for TieGuanYin, third of all it just sits there and it becomes so bitter and gross... Overall, Gongfu method is the BEST way to truly enjoy your tea...! My family complains about me being so "yeem jeem" (picky) but like its for a reason though... LOL
I've been loving your content so much! I'm a coffee connoisseur and I've been flirting with tea for some time now, and I hate to ruin traditional beverages by adding sweeteners. You've given me the joy of appreciating great tea without adding sugar! Thank you so much 🍵❤️
It is so calming to watch you brew tea and speak about the elegance of the process. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I have some questions: what is the traditional way to heat the water and what kind of vessel was used to do this? I've been taught that certain teas are brewed at specific temperatures as well. How was the temperature controlled to avoid overheating the tea or is that a modern overcomplication of the process?
Thanks for the compliments, and great question! Before there were so many different tea styles as there are today, water and heating were actually two of the deepest points of tea appreciation and connoisseurship. There are many sources dating back to the Tang and Song Dynasties on which waters were best for brewing tea, and exactly how to heat the water for the optimal taste. The oldest source is “The Classic of Tea (Cha Jing)” by Lu Yü, the world’s oldest known book about tea (ca. 760 CE). Lu Yü offers a detailed list of China’s best water sources, and how to look for premium water. He also details how to heat the water, and how to determine optimal temperature based on the sound of the boil and the size of the bubbles. Included in the book is a breakdown of the tea equipage Lu Yü deemed essential for tea brewing in his day. “Record of Water for Brewing Tea (Jian Cha Shui Ji)”, a ca. 814 CE book by Tang Dynasty author Zhang Youxin, is dedicated entirely to the role of water in tea brewing. The method of preparing and appreciating tea has evolved many times throughout China’s history, and the gongfu cha style we use today was actually born in Chaozhou, Guangdong during the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912), roughly 1000 years after Lu Yü’s first descriptions of tea connoisseurship. By this point, the utensils used for tea preparation were very different from those used in the Tang Dynasty; for heating water, a small clay kettle was placed over an upright ceramic charcoal brazier, using a handheld fan to control heat. Of course, nowadays there are many more tea varieties than existed in the Tang and Song Dyansties, each with different optimal brewing temperatures, and we now have much more accurate ways of controlling temperature than a charcoal brazier. We recommend our range of Stagg EKG kettles for the best experience, and you can find our full brewing guide/temperature recommendations here: redblossomtea.com/pages/brewing-guide
@@redblossomtea Wow, thank you so much for the detailed response. Learning the history is so valuable. I am eagerly going to follow the trail you've left to help me learn more and find the best way in recreating an authentic brewing experience. I find that brewing tea gongfucha is an incredible way of reducing my anxiety as it encourages me to slow down and appreciate the process of something beautiful that of course, has a beautiful result as well. THANK YOU!
I'm still learning a lot about gongfu method and may I ask a few questions? I keep wondering why do you need to decanter the tea and then, pour it into a cup to taste? How do you make sure you don't lose "heat" by pouring into different content at different steps. Could I pour directly into a tasting cup from the gaiwan and not decanter the tea? And if I do this, would I lose any tasting notes? I've seen people drinking directly from the gaiwan as a drinking cup, when would you recommend this method of drinking versus the 3 steps method being brewing, decanting, and tasting?
Great questions Jessyca, we'll answer them in order: 1️⃣ WHAT IS THE POINT OF A SERVER? The decanter/server (known as 茶海 cha hai "sea of tea" or 公道杯 gongdao bei "equality cup" in Chinese) is used to ensure that everyone drinking the tea is served the same flavor profile and concentration. If you pour directly from the gaiwan into the drinking cups, the tea continues to brew in the gaiwan as you serve, and each cup of tea you pour gets stronger and stronger. This means the first person you pour for gets a tea that might be lighter than you intend, and the last person you pour for gets a tea that might be stronger than you intend. Especially when brewing at higher temperatures, the difference between a well-brewed cup of tea and one that is under-/over-brewed is often a matter of a few seconds, the same time that it takes to serve the tea. Pouring first into a server allows you to immediately stop the infusion and lock-in your desired flavor profile/concentration, as well as homogenizing the tea prior to serving. This ensures that everyone's cup of tea tastes the same, and that the tea is brewed to the exact concentration/balance that you intend. 2️⃣ HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN HEAT WHEN POURING BETWEEN TEA VESSELS? You don't, at least not 100%. When we talk about controlling heat in tea brewing, the most important aspect is the heat of the tea-brewing vessel (ie. gaiwan or teapot). This is where differences in heat will affect the tea's flavor most. Of course, the heat of the other vessels is still important (the same brewed tea will taste different when served at different temperatures). This is why it is customary to warm the gaiwan/teapot, server, and teacups with hot water prior to brewing/serving the tea: to ensure the smallest variation in temperature from pot to cup. 3️⃣ DO YOU HAVE TO USE A SERVER? No. There are plenty of versions of gongfu-style tea preparation (including its oldest form, developed in Chaozhou) that omit the use of a server. However, in these versions, there is usually some other method that ensures everyone gets a similar-tasting cup of tea. This said, a server is the easiest way to ensure that everyone's cup of tea tastes the same. 4️⃣ IF YOU DON'T USE A SERVER, WILL YOU "LOSE" TASTING NOTES? Yes and no. You won't necessarily "lose" tasting notes, but you will create a different balance of flavor in each cup you pour. Looking back at your first question, the first cup you pour might be lighter and sweeter, but lacking structure and finish; whereas the last cup may be richer and bolder, but also more bitter and tannic. Ideally, a good cup of tea should be a balance of these characteristics: smooth and sweet, with structure and finish, and minimal bitterness. Again, there are ways of brewing without a server that generally result in an even taste between cups, but nothing works as well as a server for this purpose. 5️⃣ CAN YOU DRINK DIRECTLY OUT OF A GAIWAN? Yes! This is actually how gaiwans were originally used. Teahouses in China would bring you a gaiwan filled with tea leaves and hot water, and you would hold the saucer and drink the tea from the bowl, using the lid to keep the leaves in the bowl (here's a picture illustrating this: www.teapoems.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/盖碗茶正确的喝法图解0.jpg). While this is a perfectly acceptable use for a gaiwan, if your main objective is controlling flavor extraction, it is better to use the three-part gongfu method instead. The reason is the same as in question 1: the first sip you take from the gaiwan will probably taste a bit too light, and by the time you reach the last sip the tea will almost certainly be over-extracted. Plus, it's really easy to burn your tongue drinking directly from the gaiwan, whereas small Chinese-style teacups help the tea cool to a "sippable" temperature much faster.
@@redblossomtea y'all are so thorough here in the comments section, it's fantastic! I feel like I'm getting schooled twice--once while watching the video, then a second time reading over Q&As like these.
Thanks Zola, we appreciate the support, and we’re happy you find this helpful! Please feel free to reach out with any questions, we’re always happy to talk tea!
I'm really liking your videos they're very helpful! I'm looking at your website too and I think I will try some of your teas. I have a question: I've noticed on many gong fu videos they seem to brew the tea for only like 15 seconds at a time. Do they just use more leaf in the gaiwan?
Hi Chris, thank you so much for the kind feedback and the great question! Fundamentally, gongfu-style brewing is a series of steps designed to give you the most control over the many variables at play when brewing tea, and therefore produce the best-tasting cup of tea possible. However, everyone's definition of "best-tasting" is subjective, and therefore different. Because of this, while all gongfu-style brewing follows essentially the same process, they way each step is performed varies from person to person. Short, 15-second infusions are what we would call "flash brewing", which is a beneficial method for some teas, particularly young sheng pu-erh, or other styles that commonly have higher levels of tannin or bitterness. For highly robust teas like these, high-temperature, short brews offer a way of extracting aroma and flavor before too much bitterness is released into the brew. Some people do brew other styles of tea using the "flash brewing" method, but in these cases (particularly with lighter teas like green, white, taiwanese oolong, and anxi oolong) more tea leaf would have to be used in order to extract sufficient flavor. However, while brewing the same tea either: A) flash-brewed with a lot of leaf, or B) more slowly with less leaf -- might produce the same concentration of flavor, the balance of the flavor compounds (including the textural richness and complexity of the finish) will be different. We tend to find that brewing most teas in style "A" highlights floral and vegetal aromatics, but at the expense of texture and finish. We prefer to brew most teas more in line with style "B". If carefully controlled, using less leaf but allowing the tea to brew slightly longer allows for more development of the texture and finish, while still extracting most of the bright aromatics of the tea. We actually have another video comparing the typical Chinese method (which is similar to style "A") with the "B" brewing method that we prefer, which talks more about the differences: th-cam.com/video/FqM4FEnNbnA/w-d-xo.html . Ultimately, neither style is wrong; it's all about experimenting and finding what works best for your palate and the tea you're brewing. We would encourage you to try different brewing methods with a single tea to experience how different variables (like amount of leaves, water temperature, and brew time) affect taste - it's fascinating! Thanks again for the question, feel free to reach out anytime!
@@redblossomtea Thank you so much for taking the time to explain it for me, I really appreciate that! I'm learning so much and your videos are really helping me. I've also completely converted to using my gaiwan instead of the big pot I used to use. It's actually making brewing fun for me :) Thanks again!
@@redblossomtea I’d like to thank you for this detailed reply. Your attention to nuance and education of the art of brewing tea is exceptional. Thank you!
I just purchased some Yixing teapots and before I use them my goal is to learn about tea. Your website is fantastic. Can I ask how many times would you reuse the tea leaves until they no longer give good flavour?
how long can you wait between infusions, can I leave tea in the Gaiwan and resteep in an hour? Thinking of drinking tea at work this way during the day
Yes, as long as you finish using the leaves within the day, you can absolutely let it rest for multiple hours between brews. When you’re ready to brew again, pour hot water in and decant within 5 seconds. This rinse refreshes the leaves. Then brew as normal. We do not recommend using leaves for more than one day, as moist leaves will begin to mold.
Great video. I'm new to tea and thought that gongfu style included a short initial brew of the tea to open up the dried leaves, then you toss the liquid out because it's weak. Have you heard of this/have thoughts on this? Might not be traditional.
Hi Ian, thanks for watching and for the question. We actually have another video all about this, which is often known as the "rinse" in English, or 醒茶 xingcha (waking the tea) / 潤茶 runcha (moistening the tea) in Chinese. You can take a look here: th-cam.com/video/bYu-onJ48kQ/w-d-xo.html Since you're just getting into tea, take a look at our Intro to Tea & Brewing Methods playlists as well: th-cam.com/play/PLV0EirXend0hs_L6ZEQcfyxDUhqMOuvsi.html th-cam.com/play/PLV0EirXend0haMq8FUeIFBAbFKWEetaq2.html
is it a good idea to accumulate tea in the server after multiple infusions in the gaiwan so you don't have to keep going back and infusing tea? and then putting the server on a tea light to keep it warm?
Hi @L A great question. One of the joys of drinking premium tea in the traditional gongfu method is the ability to appreciate how the flavor changes from infusion to infusion, something you loose out on when you combine infusions. Another advantage of enjoying infusions one at a time is that you’re getting the freshest flavor. Letting tea sit after it has been brewed will actually change the way it tastes, since the brewed tea begins oxidizing again. To see this for yourself, brew a light tea (ie. green tea) and allow it to sit for a few hours or overnight. The color will actually look more like a black tea after a day because the tea has oxidized. Uncontrolled oxidation like this doesn’t just change the color but also the flavor. So if your goal is to really appreciate the tea’s flavor to it’s fullest extent, we recommend drinking your infusions one at a time brewed fresh, rather than keeping them warm with a tea light. That said, we often combine infusions when we want to enjoy well-brewed tea, but don’t have the time to sit and drink through each brew one at a time. For example in the mornings, we love to take a gaiwan or teapot and pour multiple brews into a thermos or mug that we can take with us on our commutes. Hopefully this helps, let us know if you have any other questions. Happy sipping! ☺️🍵
Red Blossom Tea Company thank you for the quick response, one more question if i may, is it okay to leave the tea leaves (green, oolong or white) in the gaiwan for a good 30mins before resteeping or have you already lost a lot of flavour by then?
Yes, you can definitely let them sit for 30 mins or more! As long as you finish the tea within a day, you can take as many breaks between infusions as you want. We recommend a day because if the damp leaves sit for multiple days they risk molding. The flavor will change slightly as the leaves sit, but good tea will still taste good after a pause in brewing.
Every tea has a different ideal temperature. Our recommendations are available at redblossomtea.com/pages/brewing-guide and you can learn more about how temperature affects tea in our video here: th-cam.com/video/vRHB7uk-lJE/w-d-xo.html
I definitely enjoy English Breakfast Tea the Western way, being a Brit, that's what I was raised on. But I'm going to get into Going Fu brewing for sure.
Hello! I'm trying to learn about Chinese tea brewing and love your videos. I just received your summer gaiwan and have a question. A friend gifted me a package of green loose tea. The brewing instructions for 16 oz of tea are 1-2 tablespoons. What amount of leaves should I use for the gaiwan? I tried 2 (approx. 5 ounces) tablespoons but that seems like a lot.
Hi @baturro981, thanks for following the channel! For your tea, try 1-1.5 tablespoons in our gaiwan, brewed for 1-2 minutes @ ~165F. Green teas always respond best to lower temperatures, which bring out the sweetness and minimize bitterness from the leaves. 2 tablespoons of green tea in our gaiwans is a bit much. We generally recommend 1 gram of leaf per ounce of water for most teas (for green teas, a bit less than this is okay too.) Because some teas are fluffy and others are densely rolled, it’s always more accurate to go by weight rather than volume.
You mention that western style is ideal for some teas with a lot of flavor and that gongfu wouldn't be an ideal method for those. What sorts of teas is the western brewing method ideal for?
The Western method is fine for low quality loose teas and tea bags, since brewing these gongfu style won’t improve their flavor in any significant way. It would be like brewing instant coffee using the pour-over method - no matter your technique, it will still just taste like instant coffee. The Western method also works for herbal tisanes. True teas (ie. green, white, oolong, black, pu-erh), like wine, are carefully crafted (through processes like bruising, wilting, roasting, rolling, etc.) to achieve an intentional and complex flavor profile; the Gongfu method is an ideal way to preserve and highlight these flavors. On the other hand, herbal tisanes are typically just harvested and dried - they do not undergo the same “crafting” process as tea, and therefore usually just taste like what they are (ie. chamomile tastes like chamomile, whereas one premium black tea may taste like dark chocolate and spice, while another might taste like dried fruit and honey, all as a result of craft). Because tisanes have a more one-dimensional flavor profile in this sense, there is no need to brew them in the Gongfu style. Ultimately, the Gongfu brewing method is a tool to highlight and balance complexity in a tea’s flavor profile; it will offer the most noticeable benefits when used to prepare teas that possess this complexity in the first place, which generally means premium, whole leaf styles.
We typically prefer 1g of tea leaves per 1oz (30ml) of water for most teas, while green and white teas tend to taste best around 1g per 2oz. (60ml). You can find our brewing recommendations here: redblossomtea.com/pages/brewing-guide
Many! Typically 4-5, but sometimes 10 or more. There’s no set number of cups, it has more to do with how many times you re-infuse the leaves before they run out of flavor. We have another video all about that here: th-cam.com/video/ewomAhGWA8U/w-d-xo.html
@@redblossomtea Very interesting thank you. *Edit* Thank you your video link answered my next question! I was told 1g per 15 milliliters which seems extremely strong but I see you are recommending 1g per 30 milliliters, with respect to green tea. Love your channel btw thank you.
Thank you, we’re glad you’re enjoying the videos! Tea brewing is ultimately a balancing act between three parameters: leaf-to-water ratio, water temperature, and infusion time. When you increase one parameter, you need to decrease one (or both) of the other parameters to maintain a balanced flavor. For example, if you increase your brew ratio from 1:30 to 1:15, you would decrease infusion time or water temperature so the tea does not become too intense. It’s important to note that every combination of these three brewing parameters will produce a different balance of flavor. Tea brewed quickly at a 1:15 ratio will likely have more aromatic complexity but less body/texture compared to the same tea brewed for longer at a 1:30 ratio. Skillful tea brewing is all about understanding how ratio, temperature, and time influence taste, and then adjusting to suit your own preferences.
@@redblossomtea Thank you so much for responding so quickly!! For Green Tea as an example, I see 1g per oz of water. If I want to use 8 ounces of water, would I use 8g of green tea? Assuming multiple brewing!
@@TheSayd007 Our pleasure, thanks for the question! Yes that is correct, 1g of tea leaf for every ounce of water in your brewing vessel. And absolutely - all of our teas are supposed to be brewed multiple times. Often the second and third infusions are even more flavorful than the first.
@@redblossomtea I never made tea this way before! I bought my first Sencha Tea! I usually drink Green Tea from India or White Tea so I'm happy you made a chart. It's hard to find info, you did great with the brewing guide.
Honestly I don't like western/white people tea cause I find that it doesn't taste good at all. Like tea with chocolates inside or like dried bits of fruits in it?? Not my cuppa tea.... Especially all the weird tea mixes/concoctions they do.... Not a fan of that either, especially when you scoop those mixed teas, you don't get even amount of ingredients that you scoop up which makes different taste every time... I drink tea for its natural tea taste... Like I know we have our Chenpi Pu'erh (Siu Chang Gum) aka dried tangerine peel with pu'erh but its different. The dried tangerine blends with the earthy Pu'erh. I just find that Chinese tea overall is most enjoyable! :D
We believe there’s a tea for everyone - we definitely prefer natural, artisanal styles as well, but many people love the blended options. Ultimately tea is about enjoyment, so regardless of style, that is what you should be looking for from your tea ritual.
I’m from Europe and I always assumed that I just don’t like tea, because I really hated every cup I ever got here. Then I went to China and got my first cup of gong fu style brewed Oolong and I’ve been a tea lover ever since. All those sweeteners and extra ingredients and then these weird bags uh I hate it. Loose leaf tea is such a beautiful thing and it’s just wonderful to enjoy it in its purest form.
Well, tea just like anything else can get commercialized. The way British used to drink their tea, was probably just with loose tea that came from india. I don't think it used to be the way it is now. They put weird things in tea to try and appeal to more people. They try and make it taste like cake, to appeal to more people.
@@collecter3456 I totally agree! Which I personally don't really enjoy just cause I find it weird and overpowers the tea itself. But of course it's personal preference.
My brother knows I love tea and gifted me a gorgeous tea vessel that he thought was a gongfu tea set but it was actually a hohin tea set. How different is the preperation with a hohin versus a gongfu?
"the focus is more on the sweets that you have with the tea rather than the tea itself" Multiple burns on the British and our tea in this video, I love it. (am going to try this Chinese method with some white tea I just ordered)
😉 No offense intended, just two very different approaches to tea. Generally, East Asian cultures approach tea as an artisanal product to be enjoyed pure, the same way we approach fine wine in the West. Because of its long history in the East, tea is placed in higher esteem than other beverages. Western tea cultures tend to approach tea more casually, with less emphasis on variety and terroir, and (as Alice mentions) more focus on the food served with it.
@@redblossomtea yeah sorry for going on a bit of a rant but history of different gong fu tea approaches is one of my favorite tea topics.
oops wrong comment, I meant to put this one the one bellow.... whoooops!
This was so well explained, I really appreciate how much time you spend explaining WHY this method would be used.
Thank you for watching!
This method definitely taste better. I think I’m getting the hang of this style tea brewing.
We're thrilled to hear that! The gongfu method absolutely makes a difference. Happy sipping! 🍵🍵
@@redblossomtea 💟☮️
I bought a gaiwan from you earlier today. I learned so much from this video, thank you! I used my gaiwan and the result is very yummy.
Thank you Liz, we’re so glad you’re enjoying the gongfu brewing technique!
Great video! Once you get the hang of gongfu it is hard to go back to western style brewing :)
Thank you ☺️ we agree!! We love seeing people‘s first time drinking a well-brewed cup of gongfu tea. Not bitter or tannic, just pure delicious flavor!
I mean this is not really gong fu though, more of a modernized version
@@randomperson2187 Gongfu is a relatively modern thing in the grand scheme of tea history. Also, there are no set rules as to what is or is not gongfu. It simply means making tea with skill.
@MysticalSky Modern “standardized” gongfu cha (like the method we use) is a very recent (ca. 1980s) amalgamation of multiple regional customs within China and Taiwan, partly modeled on Chaozhou Gongfu Cha (ca. 1600s) with influence from other tea customs (like Japanese Chanoyu) as well. As with all things, tea culture is not a static historical artifact, but a continually evolving practice. Modern gongfu cha (in its various forms) is simply the current iteration of Chinese tea culture, in a long line of evolution dating back thousands of years.
@@teaformeplease also I would disagree, gong fu tea has been done for hundreds of years, and its not just a way of making tea, gong fu tea has rules and its not just a way to do it as you would say how you put on your shoes. And really tea is not about the taste, its about the experience. Even when determining how good a cup of tea is its still not about the taste.
Spectacular content. Thank you very much :D
Brocoli metaphor worked perfectly for me. I'm really lookig forward to learn gong fu cha!
Hi Jose, thank you so much! We’re glad this was helpful. Please let us know if you ever have questions and stay tuned for weekly videos! ☺️🍵
Exactly what I was looking for thank you! I'm coming from a decade in the world of specialty coffee and getting into Tea has been very intimidating. Thanks for easy to digest simple videos like this.
We’re glad they’re helpful, thank you for watching!
Using a larger sized teapot is most suitable for communal settings. Though I prefer to drain out the tea once it has steeped long enough since it gets bitter.
Worst when it comes to drinking tea at restaurants cause first off, you're being served with very low quality tea, second of all they use super hot water which is way beyond the appropriate temperature in brewing tea especially for TieGuanYin, third of all it just sits there and it becomes so bitter and gross...
Overall, Gongfu method is the BEST way to truly enjoy your tea...! My family complains about me being so "yeem jeem" (picky) but like its for a reason though... LOL
Yep, we agree - for experiencing flavor, no method surpasses gongfu cha 👌
I've been loving your content so much! I'm a coffee connoisseur and I've been flirting with tea for some time now, and I hate to ruin traditional beverages by adding sweeteners. You've given me the joy of appreciating great tea without adding sugar! Thank you so much 🍵❤️
Thank you so much Gabriel, we’re so glad you’re enjoying the channel! ☺️🙏
I love the amount of information you packed into your video! Thank you for the upload.
Thank you for watching, we appreciate the compliment! Let us know if you ever have questions ☺️
I love your presentations. The illustration using broccoli was a brilliant way to convey the different methods in tea brewing.
Thank you for watching!
Wonderful
Nice metaphor. Broccoli, I will use this.
It is so calming to watch you brew tea and speak about the elegance of the process. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I have some questions: what is the traditional way to heat the water and what kind of vessel was used to do this? I've been taught that certain teas are brewed at specific temperatures as well. How was the temperature controlled to avoid overheating the tea or is that a modern overcomplication of the process?
Thanks for the compliments, and great question! Before there were so many different tea styles as there are today, water and heating were actually two of the deepest points of tea appreciation and connoisseurship. There are many sources dating back to the Tang and Song Dynasties on which waters were best for brewing tea, and exactly how to heat the water for the optimal taste. The oldest source is “The Classic of Tea (Cha Jing)” by Lu Yü, the world’s oldest known book about tea (ca. 760 CE). Lu Yü offers a detailed list of China’s best water sources, and how to look for premium water. He also details how to heat the water, and how to determine optimal temperature based on the sound of the boil and the size of the bubbles. Included in the book is a breakdown of the tea equipage Lu Yü deemed essential for tea brewing in his day. “Record of Water for Brewing Tea (Jian Cha Shui Ji)”, a ca. 814 CE book by Tang Dynasty author Zhang Youxin, is dedicated entirely to the role of water in tea brewing. The method of preparing and appreciating tea has evolved many times throughout China’s history, and the gongfu cha style we use today was actually born in Chaozhou, Guangdong during the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912), roughly 1000 years after Lu Yü’s first descriptions of tea connoisseurship. By this point, the utensils used for tea preparation were very different from those used in the Tang Dynasty; for heating water, a small clay kettle was placed over an upright ceramic charcoal brazier, using a handheld fan to control heat. Of course, nowadays there are many more tea varieties than existed in the Tang and Song Dyansties, each with different optimal brewing temperatures, and we now have much more accurate ways of controlling temperature than a charcoal brazier. We recommend our range of Stagg EKG kettles for the best experience, and you can find our full brewing guide/temperature recommendations here:
redblossomtea.com/pages/brewing-guide
@@redblossomtea Wow, thank you so much for the detailed response. Learning the history is so valuable. I am eagerly going to follow the trail you've left to help me learn more and find the best way in recreating an authentic brewing experience. I find that brewing tea gongfucha is an incredible way of reducing my anxiety as it encourages me to slow down and appreciate the process of something beautiful that of course, has a beautiful result as well. THANK YOU!
It’s our pleasure! Gongfu is the best ☺️🍵
This was a wonderful video! Won’t be going back to western style brewing! Thank you ☺️
Thank you, Daniel! You won’t miss it 😉 Enjoy!
I'm still learning a lot about gongfu method and may I ask a few questions? I keep wondering why do you need to decanter the tea and then, pour it into a cup to taste? How do you make sure you don't lose "heat" by pouring into different content at different steps. Could I pour directly into a tasting cup from the gaiwan and not decanter the tea? And if I do this, would I lose any tasting notes? I've seen people drinking directly from the gaiwan as a drinking cup, when would you recommend this method of drinking versus the 3 steps method being brewing, decanting, and tasting?
Great questions Jessyca, we'll answer them in order:
1️⃣ WHAT IS THE POINT OF A SERVER? The decanter/server (known as 茶海 cha hai "sea of tea" or 公道杯 gongdao bei "equality cup" in Chinese) is used to ensure that everyone drinking the tea is served the same flavor profile and concentration. If you pour directly from the gaiwan into the drinking cups, the tea continues to brew in the gaiwan as you serve, and each cup of tea you pour gets stronger and stronger. This means the first person you pour for gets a tea that might be lighter than you intend, and the last person you pour for gets a tea that might be stronger than you intend. Especially when brewing at higher temperatures, the difference between a well-brewed cup of tea and one that is under-/over-brewed is often a matter of a few seconds, the same time that it takes to serve the tea. Pouring first into a server allows you to immediately stop the infusion and lock-in your desired flavor profile/concentration, as well as homogenizing the tea prior to serving. This ensures that everyone's cup of tea tastes the same, and that the tea is brewed to the exact concentration/balance that you intend.
2️⃣ HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN HEAT WHEN POURING BETWEEN TEA VESSELS? You don't, at least not 100%. When we talk about controlling heat in tea brewing, the most important aspect is the heat of the tea-brewing vessel (ie. gaiwan or teapot). This is where differences in heat will affect the tea's flavor most. Of course, the heat of the other vessels is still important (the same brewed tea will taste different when served at different temperatures). This is why it is customary to warm the gaiwan/teapot, server, and teacups with hot water prior to brewing/serving the tea: to ensure the smallest variation in temperature from pot to cup.
3️⃣ DO YOU HAVE TO USE A SERVER? No. There are plenty of versions of gongfu-style tea preparation (including its oldest form, developed in Chaozhou) that omit the use of a server. However, in these versions, there is usually some other method that ensures everyone gets a similar-tasting cup of tea. This said, a server is the easiest way to ensure that everyone's cup of tea tastes the same.
4️⃣ IF YOU DON'T USE A SERVER, WILL YOU "LOSE" TASTING NOTES? Yes and no. You won't necessarily "lose" tasting notes, but you will create a different balance of flavor in each cup you pour. Looking back at your first question, the first cup you pour might be lighter and sweeter, but lacking structure and finish; whereas the last cup may be richer and bolder, but also more bitter and tannic. Ideally, a good cup of tea should be a balance of these characteristics: smooth and sweet, with structure and finish, and minimal bitterness. Again, there are ways of brewing without a server that generally result in an even taste between cups, but nothing works as well as a server for this purpose.
5️⃣ CAN YOU DRINK DIRECTLY OUT OF A GAIWAN? Yes! This is actually how gaiwans were originally used. Teahouses in China would bring you a gaiwan filled with tea leaves and hot water, and you would hold the saucer and drink the tea from the bowl, using the lid to keep the leaves in the bowl (here's a picture illustrating this: www.teapoems.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/盖碗茶正确的喝法图解0.jpg). While this is a perfectly acceptable use for a gaiwan, if your main objective is controlling flavor extraction, it is better to use the three-part gongfu method instead. The reason is the same as in question 1: the first sip you take from the gaiwan will probably taste a bit too light, and by the time you reach the last sip the tea will almost certainly be over-extracted. Plus, it's really easy to burn your tongue drinking directly from the gaiwan, whereas small Chinese-style teacups help the tea cool to a "sippable" temperature much faster.
@@redblossomtea thank you for your answer, this is more than I expected and I understand so much better. 謝謝你們！ 🙏
@@jessyca9833 It's our pleasure, great questions!!
@@redblossomtea y'all are so thorough here in the comments section, it's fantastic! I feel like I'm getting schooled twice--once while watching the video, then a second time reading over Q&As like these.
Thanks Zola, we appreciate the support, and we’re happy you find this helpful! Please feel free to reach out with any questions, we’re always happy to talk tea!
Excellent video, thank you
Thank you for watching!
I'm really liking your videos they're very helpful! I'm looking at your website too and I think I will try some of your teas. I have a question: I've noticed on many gong fu videos they seem to brew the tea for only like 15 seconds at a time. Do they just use more leaf in the gaiwan?
Hi Chris, thank you so much for the kind feedback and the great question! Fundamentally, gongfu-style brewing is a series of steps designed to give you the most control over the many variables at play when brewing tea, and therefore produce the best-tasting cup of tea possible. However, everyone's definition of "best-tasting" is subjective, and therefore different. Because of this, while all gongfu-style brewing follows essentially the same process, they way each step is performed varies from person to person. Short, 15-second infusions are what we would call "flash brewing", which is a beneficial method for some teas, particularly young sheng pu-erh, or other styles that commonly have higher levels of tannin or bitterness. For highly robust teas like these, high-temperature, short brews offer a way of extracting aroma and flavor before too much bitterness is released into the brew. Some people do brew other styles of tea using the "flash brewing" method, but in these cases (particularly with lighter teas like green, white, taiwanese oolong, and anxi oolong) more tea leaf would have to be used in order to extract sufficient flavor. However, while brewing the same tea either: A) flash-brewed with a lot of leaf, or B) more slowly with less leaf -- might produce the same concentration of flavor, the balance of the flavor compounds (including the textural richness and complexity of the finish) will be different. We tend to find that brewing most teas in style "A" highlights floral and vegetal aromatics, but at the expense of texture and finish. We prefer to brew most teas more in line with style "B". If carefully controlled, using less leaf but allowing the tea to brew slightly longer allows for more development of the texture and finish, while still extracting most of the bright aromatics of the tea. We actually have another video comparing the typical Chinese method (which is similar to style "A") with the "B" brewing method that we prefer, which talks more about the differences: th-cam.com/video/FqM4FEnNbnA/w-d-xo.html . Ultimately, neither style is wrong; it's all about experimenting and finding what works best for your palate and the tea you're brewing. We would encourage you to try different brewing methods with a single tea to experience how different variables (like amount of leaves, water temperature, and brew time) affect taste - it's fascinating! Thanks again for the question, feel free to reach out anytime!
@@redblossomtea Thank you so much for taking the time to explain it for me, I really appreciate that! I'm learning so much and your videos are really helping me. I've also completely converted to using my gaiwan instead of the big pot I used to use. It's actually making brewing fun for me :) Thanks again!
Oh yay, we’re so happy to hear that!! That’s what tea is supposed to be ☺️🍵
@@redblossomtea I’d like to thank you for this detailed reply. Your attention to nuance and education of the art of brewing tea is exceptional. Thank you!
Thank you, Stephanie - it’s our pleasure! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you ever have questions.
Thank you for the thorough explanation.
Thanks for watching! ☺️🍵
Please make also a video for puer fossil tea. Thank you
I just purchased some Yixing teapots and before I use them my goal is to learn about tea. Your website is fantastic. Can I ask how many times would you reuse the tea leaves until they no longer give good flavour?
Thank you, Barbara! We have another video explaining that here: th-cam.com/video/ewomAhGWA8U/w-d-xo.html
how long can you wait between infusions, can I leave tea in the Gaiwan and resteep in an hour? Thinking of drinking tea at work this way during the day
Yes, as long as you finish using the leaves within the day, you can absolutely let it rest for multiple hours between brews. When you’re ready to brew again, pour hot water in and decant within 5 seconds. This rinse refreshes the leaves. Then brew as normal. We do not recommend using leaves for more than one day, as moist leaves will begin to mold.
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Great video. I'm new to tea and thought that gongfu style included a short initial brew of the tea to open up the dried leaves, then you toss the liquid out because it's weak. Have you heard of this/have thoughts on this? Might not be traditional.
Hi Ian, thanks for watching and for the question. We actually have another video all about this, which is often known as the "rinse" in English, or 醒茶 xingcha (waking the tea) / 潤茶 runcha (moistening the tea) in Chinese. You can take a look here: th-cam.com/video/bYu-onJ48kQ/w-d-xo.html
Since you're just getting into tea, take a look at our Intro to Tea & Brewing Methods playlists as well:
th-cam.com/play/PLV0EirXend0hs_L6ZEQcfyxDUhqMOuvsi.html
th-cam.com/play/PLV0EirXend0haMq8FUeIFBAbFKWEetaq2.html
is it a good idea to accumulate tea in the server after multiple infusions in the gaiwan so you don't have to keep going back and infusing tea? and then putting the server on a tea light to keep it warm?
Hi @L A great question. One of the joys of drinking premium tea in the traditional gongfu method is the ability to appreciate how the flavor changes from infusion to infusion, something you loose out on when you combine infusions. Another advantage of enjoying infusions one at a time is that you’re getting the freshest flavor. Letting tea sit after it has been brewed will actually change the way it tastes, since the brewed tea begins oxidizing again. To see this for yourself, brew a light tea (ie. green tea) and allow it to sit for a few hours or overnight. The color will actually look more like a black tea after a day because the tea has oxidized. Uncontrolled oxidation like this doesn’t just change the color but also the flavor. So if your goal is to really appreciate the tea’s flavor to it’s fullest extent, we recommend drinking your infusions one at a time brewed fresh, rather than keeping them warm with a tea light. That said, we often combine infusions when we want to enjoy well-brewed tea, but don’t have the time to sit and drink through each brew one at a time. For example in the mornings, we love to take a gaiwan or teapot and pour multiple brews into a thermos or mug that we can take with us on our commutes. Hopefully this helps, let us know if you have any other questions. Happy sipping! ☺️🍵
Red Blossom Tea Company thank you for the quick response, one more question if i may, is it okay to leave the tea leaves (green, oolong or white) in the gaiwan for a good 30mins before resteeping or have you already lost a lot of flavour by then?
Yes, you can definitely let them sit for 30 mins or more! As long as you finish the tea within a day, you can take as many breaks between infusions as you want. We recommend a day because if the damp leaves sit for multiple days they risk molding. The flavor will change slightly as the leaves sit, but good tea will still taste good after a pause in brewing.
Very helpful video, thank you. What temperature water are you using?
Every tea has a different ideal temperature. Our recommendations are available at redblossomtea.com/pages/brewing-guide and you can learn more about how temperature affects tea in our video here: th-cam.com/video/vRHB7uk-lJE/w-d-xo.html
I definitely enjoy English Breakfast Tea the Western way, being a Brit, that's what I was raised on.
But I'm going to get into Going Fu brewing for sure.
Hello! I'm trying to learn about Chinese tea brewing and love your videos. I just received your summer gaiwan and have a question. A friend gifted me a package of green loose tea. The brewing instructions for 16 oz of tea are 1-2 tablespoons. What amount of leaves should I use for the gaiwan? I tried 2 (approx. 5 ounces) tablespoons but that seems like a lot.
Hi @baturro981, thanks for following the channel! For your tea, try 1-1.5 tablespoons in our gaiwan, brewed for 1-2 minutes @ ~165F. Green teas always respond best to lower temperatures, which bring out the sweetness and minimize bitterness from the leaves. 2 tablespoons of green tea in our gaiwans is a bit much. We generally recommend 1 gram of leaf per ounce of water for most teas (for green teas, a bit less than this is okay too.) Because some teas are fluffy and others are densely rolled, it’s always more accurate to go by weight rather than volume.
@@redblossomtea Thank you so much for your quick reply. Its much appreciated.
You mention that western style is ideal for some teas with a lot of flavor and that gongfu wouldn't be an ideal method for those. What sorts of teas is the western brewing method ideal for?
The Western method is fine for low quality loose teas and tea bags, since brewing these gongfu style won’t improve their flavor in any significant way. It would be like brewing instant coffee using the pour-over method - no matter your technique, it will still just taste like instant coffee.
The Western method also works for herbal tisanes. True teas (ie. green, white, oolong, black, pu-erh), like wine, are carefully crafted (through processes like bruising, wilting, roasting, rolling, etc.) to achieve an intentional and complex flavor profile; the Gongfu method is an ideal way to preserve and highlight these flavors. On the other hand, herbal tisanes are typically just harvested and dried - they do not undergo the same “crafting” process as tea, and therefore usually just taste like what they are (ie. chamomile tastes like chamomile, whereas one premium black tea may taste like dark chocolate and spice, while another might taste like dried fruit and honey, all as a result of craft). Because tisanes have a more one-dimensional flavor profile in this sense, there is no need to brew them in the Gongfu style.
Ultimately, the Gongfu brewing method is a tool to highlight and balance complexity in a tea’s flavor profile; it will offer the most noticeable benefits when used to prepare teas that possess this complexity in the first place, which generally means premium, whole leaf styles.
Hi what is the usual ratio tea leaves to water?
We typically prefer 1g of tea leaves per 1oz (30ml) of water for most teas, while green and white teas tend to taste best around 1g per 2oz. (60ml). You can find our brewing recommendations here: redblossomtea.com/pages/brewing-guide
@@redblossomtea thank you
How many cups are traditionally drunk during a session?
Many! Typically 4-5, but sometimes 10 or more. There’s no set number of cups, it has more to do with how many times you re-infuse the leaves before they run out of flavor. We have another video all about that here: th-cam.com/video/ewomAhGWA8U/w-d-xo.html
@@redblossomtea Very interesting thank you. *Edit* Thank you your video link answered my next question! I was told 1g per 15 milliliters which seems extremely strong but I see you are recommending 1g per 30 milliliters, with respect to green tea. Love your channel btw thank you.
Thank you, we’re glad you’re enjoying the videos! Tea brewing is ultimately a balancing act between three parameters: leaf-to-water ratio, water temperature, and infusion time. When you increase one parameter, you need to decrease one (or both) of the other parameters to maintain a balanced flavor. For example, if you increase your brew ratio from 1:30 to 1:15, you would decrease infusion time or water temperature so the tea does not become too intense. It’s important to note that every combination of these three brewing parameters will produce a different balance of flavor. Tea brewed quickly at a 1:15 ratio will likely have more aromatic complexity but less body/texture compared to the same tea brewed for longer at a 1:30 ratio. Skillful tea brewing is all about understanding how ratio, temperature, and time influence taste, and then adjusting to suit your own preferences.
@@redblossomtea So much depth to brewing but your explanation was very clear. I am excited to begin the journey and discover what I enjoy most :)
What temperature of water are you using?
The best temperature is different for every tea. You can find our full brewing guide here:
redblossomtea.com/pages/brewing-guide
@@redblossomtea Thank you so much for responding so quickly!! For Green Tea as an example, I see 1g per oz of water. If I want to use 8 ounces of water, would I use 8g of green tea? Assuming multiple brewing!
@@TheSayd007 Our pleasure, thanks for the question! Yes that is correct, 1g of tea leaf for every ounce of water in your brewing vessel. And absolutely - all of our teas are supposed to be brewed multiple times. Often the second and third infusions are even more flavorful than the first.
@@redblossomtea I never made tea this way before! I bought my first Sencha Tea! I usually drink Green Tea from India or White Tea so I'm happy you made a chart. It's hard to find info, you did great with the brewing guide.
Thank you so much for the kind feedback! Let us know if you ever have questions ☺️🍵
Kung Fu Tea!
How to kill a tea, sugar
Honestly I don't like western/white people tea cause I find that it doesn't taste good at all. Like tea with chocolates inside or like dried bits of fruits in it?? Not my cuppa tea.... Especially all the weird tea mixes/concoctions they do.... Not a fan of that either, especially when you scoop those mixed teas, you don't get even amount of ingredients that you scoop up which makes different taste every time... I drink tea for its natural tea taste... Like I know we have our Chenpi Pu'erh (Siu Chang Gum) aka dried tangerine peel with pu'erh but its different. The dried tangerine blends with the earthy Pu'erh. I just find that Chinese tea overall is most enjoyable! :D
We believe there’s a tea for everyone - we definitely prefer natural, artisanal styles as well, but many people love the blended options. Ultimately tea is about enjoyment, so regardless of style, that is what you should be looking for from your tea ritual.
I’m from Europe and I always assumed that I just don’t like tea, because I really hated every cup I ever got here. Then I went to China and got my first cup of gong fu style brewed Oolong and I’ve been a tea lover ever since. All those sweeteners and extra ingredients and then these weird bags uh I hate it. Loose leaf tea is such a beautiful thing and it’s just wonderful to enjoy it in its purest form.
Well, tea just like anything else can get commercialized. The way British used to drink their tea, was probably just with loose tea that came from india. I don't think it used to be the way it is now. They put weird things in tea to try and appeal to more people. They try and make it taste like cake, to appeal to more people.
@@collecter3456 I totally agree! Which I personally don't really enjoy just cause I find it weird and overpowers the tea itself. But of course it's personal preference.
We’re definitely not fans of birthday cake tea either… 😉 Good tea should speak for itself, without having to be masked by artificial additives.
My brother knows I love tea and gifted me a gorgeous tea vessel that he thought was a gongfu tea set but it was actually a hohin tea set. How different is the preperation with a hohin versus a gongfu?
This exactly the info. I needed. 🩶🖤🩶🖤