Have you ever stopped to think about what the leaf is feeling? As you pour scolding hot water on delicate oolong leaves, the leaf is actually screaming in pain. Boiling hot water is too harsh for its delicate skin. Black teas can handle it. Have you ever thought about how long brew the leaves? Sitting in too hot water, screaming in pain, the tea turns angry and bitter. Fortunately, there are tea brewing fundamentals, which respects the leaf, brewing better tea. Gong Fu tea brewing style emphasizes the skills to properly brew tea.

Gong fu tea brewing style originated in the Guangdong Province. This style is used for large leaf oolongs brewed in small yixing pots. Brewing tea is a personal routine, however there are a few skills to master. At Tranquil Resonance in San Francisco, we learned about the three ‘How’s’: How hot? How much? and How long?

How hot should the water be? Water temperature depends on the teas’ oxidation percentage. A good rule of thumb is the higher oxidation, the hotter the temperature. Brewing oolong teas in cooler water will slowly extract flavors. Remember to always ‘warm up’ your cup and tea pot with warm water. This step prepares the vessel to receive the hot tea.

How much tea should you use? This depends on your preference, the leaf style and the teapot. If you are using a small yixing teapot, think about how big your leaf will be after infusion. You want to allow room for the leaves to move around comfortable, during infusion. For strong robust teas fans, opt to add a few more leaves. Finally, how long should you steep the leaves?

Steeping time depends on, again, the tea, vessel, and you. Because your teapot is filled with oolong tea just right, try short infusions of 30-45 seconds. The floral aromas will be released first. With each additional infusion, brew the leaves for 45-60 seconds. You should start to taste the fruity notes. For a stronger cup of tea, brew the leaves 60-90 seconds. This is just enough time to extract more flavor, but not the bitterness. Now that you know the fundamentals, let’s move on to the routine.

Here are the basic steps to a Gong Fu brewing style:

1.       Place all your tea utensils on the brewing table

2.       Fill teapot and cups with hot water

3.        Scoop out the dry leaf and allow guest to see and smell. Discuss the tea’s origin, color and aroma

4.       Rinse cups and drain teapot

5.       Place dry leaf in teapot. Pour hot water into the teapot until overflowing. Cover the teapot and pour hot water over it. Let tea steep for about 30 seconds.

6.       Pour first steeping into teacups

7.       Discard the first infusion. The first rinse allows the leaves to open up, preparing for a longer steeping.

8.       Pour more hot water into teapot and allow to steep.

9.       Pour second steeping into teacups and the guests enjoy

There are several variations to this style. At Tranquil Resonance, the tea master pointed out the importance of shaking the teapot, while the tea is brewing. Gently, shaking the leaves ensures that the leaves will brew evenly and will have enough room to fully expand. It also unclogs the spout. All these steps take into account the feeling of the leaf.

Next time you brew a cup of tea remember: How hot?, How much? How long? Respect the leaf and practice Gong Fu!