The correct seven steps of Tea brewing: boiling water, washing cups, placing tea, infusing, pouring tea, serving tea, savoring tea, Drinking Tea. The first step is to boil the water for brewing tea. The second step is to rinse the teaware with boiling water. The third step is to place the tea in the cup. The fourth step is to pour water into the cup to infuse the tea…
1. Warming the Cups
First, boil a pot of water and then use the boiling water to rinse the teaware once. This not only serves the purpose of hygiene and cleanliness but also preheats the teaware so that the tea flavor is enhanced. Pour the boiling water into the fairness cup, tea cups, and aroma cups, and then discard it.
2. Placing the Tea
Tea is divided into six categories, and there are even more varieties of tea. However, the amount of tea used varies greatly between each type. (Using an example of a 110ml gaiwan):
To brew white tea, use 5 grams;
To brew Black Tea, use 5 grams;
To brew rock tea, use 8 grams;
To brew raw pu-erh, use 8 grams.
Place the tea you wish to brew into the vessel (gaiwan, glass cup, teapot). The process is simple, and during performances, you can add different styles to enhance the tea's charm.
3. Washing the Tea
Before brewing, some compressed teas require a rinse, or what is also called awakening the tea. The purpose is to ensure proper contact between water and tea. Rinse quickly and then quickly pour out the water. For black tea, Green Tea, new white tea, and yellow tea, this rinsing step is optional.
4. Infusing
Pour the water in a continuous up-and-down motion three times, a technique known as the “Three Nods of the Phoenix,” which helps the water mix easily, bringing out the flavor and aroma, while also showing hospitality to guests. When pouring water, make sure the stream does not break. Alternatively, you can use a counter-clockwise swirling method or a quiet single-sided pour. This will help retain the tea's aroma and enrich its character.
5. Pouring Out the Tea
The moment of pouring should be like an athlete leaping into the air. You can first release the lid of the teapot, tilt it at a certain angle, then tighten it, and finally turn your wrist at a 90-degree angle while relaxing your arm. Once most of the tea has been poured, do a final movement to completely empty the teapot, avoiding bitterness from prolonged steeping.
6. Distributing the Tea
After brewing the tea in the teapot, pour it into small cups for drinking. In Chinese culture, the saying goes “fill wine glasses full, tea cups shallow.” Typically, tea is poured only about seven-tenths full, leaving room for politeness. Pour the tea low into the cup to prevent it from cooling too quickly and to prevent the loss of aroma and the formation of foam. When pouring the tea, make sure to filter out all the liquid after each infusion, otherwise, the remaining tea can make the next infusion bitter and astringent.
7. Savoring the Tea
Start by smelling the aroma from a distance, moving closer, and repeating several times. Smell the “aroma before the tea, the aroma on the surface of the cup, and the aroma left in the cup,” then taste it, taking three sips per “taste.” Let the tea linger in your mouth, savoring it slowly. A well-brewed tea will leave a lingering fragrance and a sweet aftertaste. The art of savoring tea requires practice and cultivation, and cannot be mastered overnight. There are four realms of tea tasting: “fragrance, clarity, sweetness, and liveliness.” Beginners can easily taste the floral and fruity flavors on the surface of the tea. As they progress, they will sense the unique freshness of the tea. More advanced tasters will feel the tea's sweetness, while the highest realm, “liveliness,” is elusive and requires not only a keen sense but also good tea, good water, good vessels, and a good atmosphere.