Mug or teapot
The everyday way
- 01 Warm the pot, then pour the water away.
- 02 Weigh the leaf and add it.
- 03 Pour on water at the temperature above.
- 04 Steep for the time above, then lift the leaf out.
How to brew
Water, leaf, time.
The numbers below are the ones used when each batch is tasted before it ships.
| Tea | Leaf | Water | First steep | Re-steeps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dianhong | 4g | 100°C | 3 minutes | 2 to 3 |
| Tieguanyin | 5g | 90°C | 30 seconds | 5 rounds |
| Bai Mu Dan | 4g | 85°C | 4 minutes | 4 to 5 |
Gaiwan
The slower way
- 01 Warm the gaiwan, add the leaf, rinse for ten seconds and tip it away.
- 02 Steep thirty seconds, then pour every drop out.
- 03 Add ten seconds to each round after that.
- 04 Stop when the cup tastes thin, usually round five.
If it tastes wrong
- Bitter. Water too hot, or the leaf sat in the cup while you drank.
- Thin. Not enough leaf, or the water cooled too far before it went in.
- Flat. Hard or heavily chlorinated water. Filter it.
What you need
A kettle, something to brew in, scales that read to 1g and a timer. Water off the boil sits near 90°C after two minutes, and near 85°C after three.
Keeping it
Cool, dark and away from strong smells. Reseal the pouch after every cup, and keep it out of the fridge.