Water Pouring is the only step in Tea brewing that requires complete manual control. The speed of pouring, the intensity of the water flow, the direction, height, and thickness of the water stream are all manually controlled but have a significant impact on the quality of the tea. Common methods of water pouring include: spiral pouring, circular pouring, single-point pouring on one side, and central point pouring. Common techniques for pouring water include: high pouring, high suspension, low pouring, and low suspension. Let's take a look at these four methods and techniques to see how they work and what their characteristics are.
The Four Methods of Water Pouring in Tea Brewing
01. Spiral Pouring
This method ensures that the edges and the surface of the tea leaves in the gaiwan come into direct contact with the poured water, increasing the blend of tea and water at the moment of pouring.
This pouring technique is suitable for Black Tea, green tea, and white tea. Or, when brewing later infusions where the flavor has become lighter, using spiral pouring can help the tea essence to release more quickly.
02. Circular Pouring
As the name suggests, this involves pouring water in a circle around the lid or surface of the gaiwan, returning to the starting point when finished. Adjust the speed of rotation according to the speed of pouring; pour slowly for a finer stream, and faster for a thicker one.
This method ensures that the edges of the tea come into contact with the water first, while the center part relies on the rising water level to make contact. This results in lower initial blending of tea and water. This pouring technique is suitable for high-quality green teas.
03. Single-Sided Pointed Pouring
This involves pouring water onto a fixed point, which means that only part of the tea comes into contact with the water at the start of pouring, resulting in poorer initial blending of tea and water.
A small reminder: if the pouring point is on the wall of the gaiwan rather than between the wall and the tea leaves, the blending will be better. This pouring technique is suitable for teas that require quick extraction, or for broken tea.
04. Central Pointed Pouring
This is an extreme method, typically paired with a fine water stream and slow pouring. Only a small part of the tea leaves will come into direct contact with the water, while the rest dissolve at a very slow pace, minimizing the initial blending of tea and water and making the layers of the tea soup most distinct. Many fermented teas may result in flavors that are overly concentrated and separate from the tea soup. This pouring technique is suitable for teas with high fragrance.
Four Techniques of Water Pouring in Tea Brewing
High Pour: Long, thick water line. Minimal contact with air, minimal cooling, short time required to fill the gaiwan, and strong impact on the tea.
Low Pour: Short, thick water line. Minimal contact with air, least cooling, shortest time required to fill the gaiwan, and stronger impact on the tea.
Low Suspension: Short, thin water line. Less contact with air, moderate cooling, longer time required to fill the gaiwan, and minimal impact on the tea.
High Suspension: Long, thin water line. Minimal contact with air, maximum cooling, longest time required to fill the gaiwan, and less impact on the tea.
In general, each tea brewing form corresponds to a specific tea brewing method. Although there is a saying “aroma depends on pouring, taste depends on suspension,” it is not accurate to believe that the pouring method has a large effect on the aroma and taste of the tea soup. In reality, its influence is limited.
In fact, regardless of the type of tea, the quality of the tea leaves is the most important factor. In other words, “good tea will always taste good as long as it is brewed properly, while bad tea will never taste good no matter how it is brewed!”