Pouring

As the moon rises above the willows, the Qixi Festival arrives once more, with the Milky Way gently pouring down and starlight shimmering, illuminating a millennia-old love story.On this romantic night, tea is not just a beverage; it becomes a bridge connecting hearts, much like the magpie bridge in the ancient legend of the Cowherd and the Weaving Maid, allowing love to flow endlessly. White tea, elegant and refined, grows on mist-enveloped mountain peaks, drawing the essence of heaven and earth, carrying the spirit of the ages. It is not as fresh as green tea or as rich as black tea, but it has its own serenity and composure, much like the purest form of love—no need for grand words, only quiet companionship through the ordinary days, growing stronger with time. On the Qixi night, brew a pot of aged white tea, and in its amber-colored infusion lies the tenderness of time and the aroma of years gone by. Taking a sip, one can almost hear the gentle footsteps of time, leaving a subtle aftertaste in the mouth, much like the unspoken understanding and harmony between lovers. White tea tells its own story of how "companionship is the longest confession…

Slowly brew the years and gently cook the tea, enjoying half a day of casual family chat. In winter, sitting around a kettle, pouring your heart out in conversation, listening to the boiling water, and savoring the joy of cooking tea is an extremely poetic affair. Tea drinking methods are generally divided into two: cooking tea and brewing tea. Brewing offers rich flavors, pleasant broth colors, and allows one to experience the changing taste with each infusion, while cooking provides a stable flavor. Differences Between Cooking and Brewing Tea 01 Difference in Amount of Tea Used For brewing, about 3-6 grams of tea is usually sufficient; for aged dark teas or oolongs [aged Tieguanyin or aged Yancha], more can be used, approximately 7-10 grams. When cooking tea, the amount of tea should be reduced to about one-third of the usual brewing quantity. It's best not to use too much tea to achieve the optimal flavor. The specific ratio can be adjusted gradually based on the type of tea and the amount of water. The principle is to use less rather than more tea, as using too much can affect the taste. 02 Difference in Suitable Types of Tea Gaiwans are…

White tea, often referred to as "one-year tea, three-year medicine, seven-year treasure." It embodies the principle of moderation in taste, featuring the floral fragrance of oolong tea, the sweet richness of black tea, the fresh aroma of green tea, and the medicinal scent and jujube fragrance of aged white tea. How should you brew it? Here are four methods for brewing white tea. To brew white tea well, first master these three key factors: the grade, age, and form of the tea. For new loose leaf white tea and Silver Needle, start at 85°C; adjust the water temperature by 3-5 degrees based on the coarseness of the leaves. When brewing new tea or tea buds, avoid pouring the water directly onto the leaves; instead, pour along the sides of the cup. For aged teas, compressed cakes, and bricks, boiling water can be used for brewing or cooking the tea. The Brewing Methods for White Tea: 1. Gaiwan Brewing Method for White Tea Suitable for: Silver Needle, White Peony, and new white tea. Tea-to-Water Ratio: 1:30. Water Temperature: 85-90°C. Steps: Warm the cups and utensils, add the tea, pour hot water along the edges of the gaiwan, after 10 seconds, quickly…

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…

Pu'er tea cakes require the assistance of tools such as a "tea knife," "tea needle," or "tea cone" to break them apart before brewing. Pu'er tea cakes come in two types: raw and ripe, which are compressed to different degrees of tightness and therefore require appropriate tools for breaking them apart.The tea knife is primarily used for prying apart less tightly compressed raw Pu'er tea cakes with larger tea strands; while the tea cone and tea needle are mainly used for more tightly compressed ripe tea cakes, ripe tea bricks, and small compressed teas like tuo cha. However, in daily use, both can be used together according to the specific situation. Steps for Prizing Apart the Tea Cake: 1. Place the tea cake flat and slowly insert the tea knife along the side edge. 2. Gradually push the tea knife into the tea cake, once inserted to a certain depth, turn it clockwise or counterclockwise to prevent breaking the tea cake into too many small pieces. 3. Slowly apply upward force with the tea knife to pry off pieces of the tea cake. 4. Repeat steps 1-3 to gradually pry apart the tea cake layer by layer. The tea cake…

Let's start with a chart of the Longjing family relationships. The head of the family is Hang Jiahe, who has a daughter named Hang Pan with his former wife Fang Xiling. In the previous article, we mentioned the love at first sight between Hang Pan and Nationalist pilot Cao Jiayuan. Hang Pan is in charge of overseeing hundreds of acres of tea garden, including the famous Lion Peak Hu Gong Temple area. By "overseeing," it mainly means managing the garden rather than preventing others from stealing tea leaves. During the month or so when Longjing tea is picked and processed, there are many people bustling about on the mountain, making it difficult to steal tea. If it's not the picking and processing season, stealing tea would be pointless because the resulting tea would taste terrible and couldn't even be sold as vegetables. Hang Pan's oversight is essentially garden management. The People's Liberation Army took over ten days to capture Hangzhou, officially announcing its liberation on May 3, 1949. The first third of "Looking South of the River" describes the winter and spring before the liberation of Hangzhou. In her diary, Hang Pan wrote: "The fighting has started again, and everywhere…

Often when watching others brew tea, you'll see them first scald the pot with hot water before adding the tea leaves. There's a term for this action in the trade known as “warming the pot.” Scalding the tea utensils with boiling water not only ensures hygiene but also serves a practical purpose. Warming the cups and pots is a habitual action that most people perform before brewing tea – even after cleaning the utensils, they are rinsed again with boiling water. Many believe that this ceremonial gesture disinfects the tea ware, making it more hygienic to drink from, and raises the temperature of the utensils, which improves the taste of the tea. However, few delve deeper into the underlying reasons. What other significant effects does warming the cups and pots have? I. Public Cleaning, Demonstrating EtiquetteIf we say that warming the cups and pots is for cleaning the tea ware, it doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. Tea is clean by nature, and thus requires a clean and hygienic environment and utensils. Before the tea ware is placed on the table, it should naturally be cleaned beforehand; why would one need to clean it again? The action of warming the cups…

Why has Fuding white tea become so popular in recent years? Some say that the ultimate appeal of white tea is its "vitality"; it awakens your entire being when you drink it. It doesn't just pass through your mouth but permeates your whole body, awakening your soul. So, when drinking white tea, it's not just about tasting its flavor but also savoring its aroma. And how do you properly appreciate the aroma of white tea? The correct method is crucial! I. Understanding the Aroma In general, white tea has a rich and fragrant aroma. However, if processed properly or stored well, it can also exhibit a pure and intense scent. High-grade white teas like Silver Needle and premium White Peony have a characteristic downy aroma, which is a critical factor in aroma evaluation, and should be prominent. Due to their early picking and tenderness, they also have a noticeable fresh fragrance. 1. The "Aroma" of Silver Needle A well-aged, cleanly stored, and high-quality Silver Needle has a refined style with a lingering aftertaste. Its aroma is delicate yet varied and enduring, with a clean and sweet taste that lingers in the mouth, creating a lasting salivation effect with a pleasant…

Tea art is all about elegance and beauty, from large-scale elements like tea mat arrangements and tea room decor to finer details like the gestures used while brewing tea. In our daily lives, when we brew tea using a purple clay teapot, we tend to do so in whatever way feels most comfortable. However, if we can make the act of brewing tea more artistic, it adds an extra touch of joy to life. The correct way to hold your teapot not only protects your precious purple clay teapot but also prevents the lid from falling off when pouring tea. It also adds a sense of elegance and grace, ensuring that when you serve a cup of tea to guests, they feel respected. Depending on the type of handle, there are roughly several ways to hold your teapot: Ear Handle Teapot The ear handle is the most common type of handle, resembling a small ear attached to the side of the teapot. How to Hold: Circle the handle with your index and middle fingers while pressing the lid knob with your thumb. Alternatively, grip the handle firmly between your thumb and middle finger, pressing the lid knob with your index…

Black tea is a common type of tea in daily life, being a fully fermented tea. It has a dark brown and lustrous appearance with a rich, sweet fragrance, hence the name black tea. We recommend brewing black tea using a white porcelain gaiwan with water at 90 degrees Celsius, suitable for most types of black tea. Below, ChaYou Network introduces the brewing method. Steps for Brewing Black Tea 01 - Choice of Teaware White porcelain gaiwans can brew out the fresh and elegant flavor of black tea without overpowering its aroma. The white porcelain beautifully complements the red hue of the tea, making it easy to observe the color of the tea. It's simply beautiful. 02 - Tea-to-Water Ratio When brewing tea, it's important to get the right ratio of tea to water. Many tea enthusiasts rely on experience. Using too much tea is the main reason for overly bitter or astringent tea. When using a gaiwan to brew black tea, the amount of tea should be around 4 grams. If too little tea is used, even with less water, it will not fully bring out the fragrant and mellow flavor of the black tea. If you prefer a…

Mr. Liang Zhangju once praised the baking technique of rock tea: “The Wuyi baking method is truly the best in the world.” Here, the baking method refers to traditional charcoal baking. To this day, mid-to-high-end Wuyi rock teas are still largely processed using traditional ancient charcoal baking techniques. Among the baking techniques used for major tea varieties, there is indeed no other tea that surpasses the Wuyi rock tea from Fujian's Wuyi Mountains. The charcoal baking and processing technique for Dahongpao, a type of Wuyi rock tea, is unique to it and has been listed as one of China’s first batch of national intangible cultural heritages. The "Complement to Ben Cao Gang Mu" (Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica) comments on Wuyi rock tea: “All teas are cold in nature; those with weak stomachs often experience stagnation after drinking them. Only Wuyi tea is warm and does not harm the stomach. It is suitable for those who have stopped drinking tea due to addiction.” Charcoal baking, as its name suggests, involves continuously baking tea using the residual heat of high-quality charcoal. During charcoal baking, the temperature in the baking cage is approximately 120 degrees Celsius. Let’s take a look at…

Last time, we discussed the types of green tea. Today, let's talk about how to pick high-quality tea. After all, finding a great green tea is the goal. Here are four steps that will help you choose your ideal tea and quickly go from novice to expert. Step 1: Examine the Appearance Check if the tea leaves are intact and not broken. Observe if the color of the dry tea is bright, lustrous, and glossy. Severely broken dry tea can affect the taste of the tea infusion. Brightness, luster, and glossiness indicate the quality and freshness of the tea, as green tea is best enjoyed for its aroma, tenderness, and freshness. Generally, green tea harvested before the Qingming Festival is considered top-quality. Step 2: Smell the Aroma The aroma of tea includes both the dry tea and the infused tea. When shopping, focus on assessing the purity, type, intensity, and persistence of the aroma after brewing. In daily purchases, pouring a small amount of boiling water over the dry tea to release its aroma and then smelling it can be very effective. Step 3: Evaluate the Liquor Color and Taste Evaluate the color, brightness, and clarity of the tea liquor…

Wuyi Rock Tea is unique with its rock aroma, attributed to the "Ultimate Mountains and Rivers." In the tea world, it's often said that "water is the father of tea, and utensils are the mother of tea," highlighting the significant impact of tea utensils on the infusion and drinking experience beyond the tea itself. The correct brewing technique and suitable utensils are crucial in bringing out the "rock aroma." The development of local standards like the "Wuyi Rock Tea Brewing and Tasting Method" and group standards such as the "Wuyi Rock Tea Brewing and Tasting Utensils" further emphasize the importance of harmonizing "tea" with "utensils." Let's explore this together today. Brewing Utensil Selection 01 Selecting appropriate utensils based on the characteristics of rock tea primarily involves choosing a water heater, brewing tools, and tasting cups. 1. Choosing a Water Heater Brewing not only requires good water quality but also the right water heating equipment. Water heaters can be categorized by material into iron, copper, silver, stainless steel, glass, and clay pots, and by heating method into electric, alcohol lamp, and charcoal-based ones. Electric Water Heater From a material perspective, enthusiasts can choose clay, purple clay, or iron pots. Clay and…

When brewing tea, you may occasionally encounter a situation where the water taste is prominent. What causes this? It is mainly due to the impact of water on the tea brewing process. So what effects do water quality and water temperature have on tea brewing? Why does tea have a strong water taste when brewed? Here are some reasons: 1. Hard Water Quality The hardness of the water affects the solubility of compounds in the tea leaves. Soft water has a higher solubility, resulting in a stronger tea flavor. Hard water contains more calcium, magnesium ions, and minerals, leading to lower solubility and thus a weaker tea flavor. Therefore, we should try to choose soft water and avoid using high-hardness water like well water for tea brewing. 2. Low Water Temperature The solubility of tea is proportional to the water temperature. If the water temperature used for brewing is too low, the amount of compounds dissolved from the tea leaves will be small, leading to an insufficient tea flavor and a more pronounced water taste. There's no need to overly worry about high temperatures destroying vitamins in tea, as the stability of vitamins in tea is relatively high, and the…

Scented tea originated in the Song Dynasty, began to be produced in the Ming Dynasty and was perfected in the Qing Dynasty. In the late Qing Dynasty, Zhang Changyi established Zhang Yiyuan Tea Shop, which has been passed down through generations, specializing in the production and sale of jasmine tea. During the Republican era, Zhang Yiyuan jasmine tea became well-known throughout Beijing. Regulars at bathhouses and theaters almost always requested Zhang Yiyuan tea by name, and Peking Opera masters such as Qiu Shengrong, Ma Lianliang, Tan Fuying, and others were all regular customers of Zhang Yiyuan. Zhang Yiyuan jasmine tea is made using spring tea from Fujian oolong green tea as the base tea, which is scented multiple times with jasmine flowers. Zhang Yiyuan Teahouse bustling with customers Production Techniques 1. Raw Material Inspection (Tea Base and Flowers Inspection): Strictly inspect the tea base, and select jasmine flowers that are full-bodied, evenly sized, and have a lustrous white color. 2. Tea Base Processing: Process different grades of tea into piles for refined production, requiring the tea base moisture content to reach 8%, with an appearance that is clean, uniform, and free of foreign objects. 3. Flower Processing: The jasmine flowers…

In our daily lives, there are many techniques to brewing tea. You may notice that even with the same amount of tea leaves, water quality, and temperature, and identical brewing methods, the taste of the tea brewed each time is not exactly the same. Do you know why? First Pour Timing Generally speaking, the flavor of the tea increases with the extension of the brewing time. According to measurements, when boiling water is used to brew aged tea, vitamins, amino acids, caffeine, and other compounds are first released. Around the 3-minute mark, the concentration of substances extracted from the tea leaves reaches its optimal level. Therefore, for teas where the release of elements is slower, a pouring out point around 3 minutes for the first infusion is ideal, which can make the tea taste fresh, smooth, and mellow. However, there are exceptions, such as Oolong tea, where the first infusion should be around 1 minute. Second Pour Timing After making a comprehensive evaluation of the tea infused during the first pour, we can analyze the timing for the second pour. Since the tea leaves have already expanded somewhat after the first infusion, the second pour does not require much longer,…

1. Old pots are always better than new ones. This statement is incorrect. Firstly, old pots from the Ming and Qing dynasties, if not made by famous artists, are inferior to modern purple clay works in terms of both clay quality and craftsmanship. This is because the techniques for mining, refining clay, and the tools used for making pots were not as advanced at that time. Secondly, so-called 'First Factory' or 'Cultural Revolution' era pots, which were made using gas kilns, do not have particularly distinctive clays. Many of these clays are still available today. 2. Purple clay pots are unsuitable for brewing green tea; glass cups are definitely better. This is also incorrect. One of the reasons why purple clay pots are considered the best tea utensils is their versatility. The claim that they cannot be used for green tea is based on the idea that they would oversteep the tea. However, purple clay pots made from dun clay with good breathability, wide openings, and fast pouring shapes are very suitable for brewing green tea. For those who prefer to watch the tea leaves unfurl, a glass cup can be used, but it is certainly possible to brew green…

Black tea is the most consumed type of tea worldwide, known for its gentle, mellow flavor that warms from throat to stomach. However, brewing a high-quality cup of black tea can be challenging for many beginners. Many tea enthusiasts often encounter a bitter and astringent taste when brewing black tea. How can we avoid these pitfalls? Today, Chaye Dan (Tea Egg) will share some tips on how to brew a delicious cup of black tea. 1. **Choice of Teaware** A white porcelain gaiwan brings out the fresh and elegant flavors of black tea without overpowering its aroma. The translucent white porcelain complements the reddish hue of the tea, making it easy to observe the color of the liquor, which is truly a beautiful sight. 2. **Ratio of Tea to Water** When brewing tea, it's important to get the right ratio of tea to water. Many tea enthusiasts rely on experience, but using too much tea is the primary cause of overly bitter and astringent tea. When using a gaiwan to brew black tea, the recommended amount of tea is about 4 grams. If you use too little tea, even with less water, you won't fully bring out the rich flavor…

Pu'er tea brewing is very particular; even the same tea can taste different depending on who brews it. We emphasize "brewing according to the tea," which means choosing a brewing method based on understanding the nature of the tea, a process that involves continuous learning and practice. This process is long and challenging. However, during this journey, we can start by learning about common mistakes to make the tea more enjoyable. Six Mistakes in Brewing Pu'er Tea 1. High and Fast Water Pouring The high and fast water pouring technique is suitable for Oolong tea, as it enhances its aroma. However, this method is not suitable for Pu'er tea. The rich contents of Pu'er tea can lead to an overly bitter and astringent initial infusion if the water is poured too quickly, resulting in a light and thin later infusion. The desired taste for Pu'er tea is characterized by a stable fragrance, soft and full-bodied flavor, and strong layering. The correct method is to pour water slowly and precisely, ensuring better coordination between the flavors of the early and later infusions. 2. Brutal Tea Cake Breaking If the tea cake is broken into pieces that are too small, too large,…

There are many options for brewing Pu'er tea. You can use a lidded bowl, a purple clay pot, a leisure cup, and more. Among these, the leisure cup is the most convenient, but Pu'er tea brewed in a leisure cup isn't as good as that brewed in a purple clay pot; the taste may not be as harmonious. If you choose to brew with a purple clay pot, you can better control the entire brewing rhythm, and the taste and flavor will be richer. The steps to brew Pu'er tea with a purple clay pot: 1. Warm the pot (cup) and rinse the cups: First, scald the tea utensils with boiling water. This primarily serves to warm the pot and cups, and also cleans the utensils. 2. Add tea: Place the tea into the lidded bowl or purple clay pot. The amount of tea used depends on the size of the brewing utensil. Generally, for a 120cc lidded bowl, the amount of tea is 7-9 grams. 3. Awaken the tea: Place the tea in the cup and let it sit for a while so that its inner substances can contact the air. This makes the tea broth more mellow when…

I once saw a so-called "expert" on TV imparting his experience, saying that if you remove the lid of a purple clay teapot and place it upside down on the table, and the spout, rim, and handle are in line, then it's a good teapot (this has misled many enthusiasts; this is related to the height of the spout and handle, not directly related to the quality of the teapot). If we were to select purple clay teapots based on this criterion, many national-level artisans and masters would be out of work. Don't be misled by such so-called experts! Misguided Tip Two Regarding the alignment of the three points. Some people strictly adhere to this standard and use a ruler to measure, deeming the teapot faulty if there's even a half-millimeter difference. This is overly nitpicky and would drive the artisans making purple clay teapots to the brink of madness. Misguided Tip Three Believing that when pouring tea, not a single drop should flow down along the spout. A severe drip is unacceptable, but being too extreme is also nitpicking. Many teapots cannot prevent dripping due to their overall shape (for example, the Shipiao or Hengshui styles), so a comprehensive…

Many tea lovers may wonder when brewing tea, "Should I leave the lid on or off after pouring the infusion from a teapot or gaiwan?" In fact, whether it's a gaiwan or a teapot, whenever the question arises about leaving the lid off or on, there are typically two schools of thought: the "Lid-Off School" and the "Lid-On School." Members of each school often have strong opinions and can get into heated debates. 1. Reasons for Keeping the Lid On To Prevent Loss of Aroma Putting the lid on is to prevent the excessive dispersion of the tea's aroma. With the lid and gaiwan in a relatively closed state, it helps to gather the tea's aroma within the gaiwan, making it easier to appreciate the lid's aroma. 2. As the Saying Goes, "Good Tea Can Withstand Stewing" If the quality of the tea is good enough, covering it with a lid won't affect it. This can also be a way to test the quality of the tea. If the taste isn't affected, it suggests that it's a good tea. 3. Facilitates Faster Release of Inner Substances When brewing aged teas or coarser leaves, keeping the lid on helps maintain the…

Is it necessary to inaugurate a new purple clay teapot? A newly made purple clay teapot lacks luster. Inauguration is not mandatory, but it can help remove unwanted odors and clear any residual heat and dryness, so it is recommended. For good black tea, Pu'er tea, aged white tea, and oolong tea, one should pair them with a fine Yixing purple clay teapot, which enhances the ambiance and experience of tea drinking. Many newcomers to the world of teapots are often misled by various inauguration methods found online. In fact, a new purple clay teapot can be used directly after being cleaned with water; there is no need for a complicated inauguration process. Firstly, the master believes that whether inaugurating or nurturing the teapot, one should follow nature and use simple yet effective methods. There are two inauguration methods commonly found online: one involves using tofu placed inside the teapot and then simmered in a pot, while the other replaces tofu with sugarcane, both cooked in a similar manner. Neither method is advisable, in the master's opinion. How to properly inaugurate a teapot? The main purpose of inauguration is to address the residual earthy taste and kiln dust within the…

A teapot enthusiast asked: My zisha teapot dries almost instantly after pouring water on it, does this mean the clay is of high quality? Many people enjoy pouring boiling water over their teapots while brewing tea to judge the quality of the clay by how quickly the surface absorbs water. They believe that chemically treated teapots have a smooth, wax-like surface that doesn’t absorb water, whereas teapots made from original, pure clay can rapidly absorb moisture due to the superiority of the clay. Today, let’s discuss what the “water absorption” of zisha teapots is all about. Do Zisha Teapots Really Have “Water Absorption”? In fact, the speed at which a zisha teapot absorbs water is related to the crystallization degree of its firing, the shape of the teapot, and the fineness of the zisha clay, among other factors. Generally, new teapots are more absorbent than those that have been used. A zisha teapot cannot absorb as much water as you pour on it; this is fundamentally a flawed theory. For a qualified zisha teapot, we control the level of its “water absorption” within a very small range, typically around 1.5% to 2%. Why Do People Think Zisha Teapots Have “Water…