Good tea doesn’t need special skills. A few simple choices (how much leaf, how hot the water, how long to steep) make the biggest difference. Use the numbers below as starting points, then trust your taste.
Two Ways to Brew
Gongfu Style (Gaiwan or Small Teapot)
The traditional Chinese way: plenty of leaf, a small vessel and many short steeps. Each round tastes a little different, so you get to know a tea as it opens up.
- Warm your gaiwan (a lidded cup, about 100–120 ml / 3.5–4 oz) with hot water, then pour it out.
- Add the leaves: usually about 5–8 g per 100 ml. It looks like a lot; that’s normal.
- Rinse (optional): pour hot water over the leaves and discard it after a few seconds. This helps rolled, roasted and pressed teas open up.
- Steep briefly: start with 10–20 seconds, then pour every drop into a pitcher or cups.
- Repeat, adding 5–10 seconds each round. When the flavor fades, you’re done.
Western Style (Mug or Teapot)
Simple and relaxed: less leaf, more water, one longer steep.
- Use about 3 g of leaves (1 heaping teaspoon) per 8 oz / 240 ml of water.
- Steep 2–4 minutes (see the table below), then remove the leaves or strain.
- Most of our teas can be steeped again 1–3 times. Add a minute each time.
Water Tips
- Fresh, filtered water gives the cleanest taste.
- No thermometer? Boiling water is right for black tea, roasted oolong, Shoumei and pu-erh. For more delicate teas such as Jin Jun Mei, let it rest for 1–2 minutes off the boil.
- Too bitter? Use less leaf, cooler water or a shorter steep. Too weak? Do the opposite.
Tea by Tea
| Tea | Water | Gongfu (per 100 ml) | Mug (per 8 oz / 240 ml) | Re-steeps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Dancong oolong | 203–212 °F (95–100 °C) | 8 g (1 packet) in 100–120 ml · quick rinse, then 10 s, +5 s each round | 3 g · 2–3 min | 6–8 gongfu / 2 mug |
| Da Hong Pao (roasted oolong) | 212 °F (100 °C) | 7–8 g · quick rinse, then 10 s, +5 s | 3–4 g · 3 min | 6–8 gongfu / 2 mug |
| Chinese black tea (Ying Hong No. 9, Yunnan Dian Hong, Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong) | 195–205 °F (90–96 °C) | 5 g · 10–15 s, +5 s | 3 g · 3–4 min | 5–8 gongfu / 1–2 mug |
| Jin Jun Mei black tea | 185–195 °F (85–90 °C) | 4–5 g · 10–15 s, +5 s | 3 g · 3 min | 6–8 gongfu / 2 mug |
| Shoumei white tea cake | 205–212 °F (96–100 °C) | 5 g · 20 s, +10 s | 3–4 g · 3–4 min | 6–8 gongfu / 2–3 mug |
| Pu-erh mini tuocha and mini cakes | 212 °F (100 °C) | 1 piece (about 6 g) · rinse once or twice, then 10–15 s, +5–10 s | 1 piece per 10–12 oz · 3–5 min | 6–10 gongfu / 2 mug |
| Little green mandarin pu-erh (Xiao Qing Gan) | 212 °F (100 °C) | 1 mandarin in 150–200 ml · crack the top of the peel, quick rinse, then 15–20 s, +10 s | 1 mandarin per 12 oz / 350 ml · 3–5 min | 6–8 gongfu / 2 mug |
| Gift sets | Follow the brewing card for each tea | — | — | — |
Oolong Tea
Phoenix Dancong is an aromatic oolong from Chaozhou, Guangdong, generally described as floral and fruity. Our single-brew packets hold 8 g each: one packet, one gaiwan session. Keep the first steeps short; Dancong can turn bitter if left too long.
Da Hong Pao is a famous roasted oolong style from the Wuyi Mountains of Fujian, generally described as rich and toasty. Use boiling water and a quick rinse; it holds up well to many short steeps.
Black Tea
Chinese black tea is called hong cha (“red tea”) in Chinese, after the color of the cup. It is forgiving and works well in a mug. Ying Hong No. 9 and Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong also take a splash of milk well if you like. Jin Jun Mei, made from young buds, is more delicate: use slightly cooler water and keep the steeps short.
White Tea
Shoumei is a white tea made from larger leaves with some buds, pressed into a cake. Use a tea knife or pick to ease off a few grams at a time from the edge. You can also simmer it: about 5 g in 500 ml of water, gently for 3–5 minutes, for a rounder, sweeter pot.
Pu-erh
Pu-erh is a fermented tea from Yunnan. Ripe (shou) pu-erh is dark and smooth; raw (sheng) pu-erh is brighter and more bracing. Rinse pressed pieces once or twice before brewing. If a raw piece tastes too strong, use slightly cooler water (about 195 °F / 90 °C) or shorter steeps.
Little green mandarin (Xiao Qing Gan) is a small mandarin filled with ripe pu-erh and dried whole. Crack the top of the peel so water can reach the tea, and brew the whole thing: the peel and the tea steep together.
Gift Sets
Each tea in a gift set comes with its own brewing card. Follow the card, or find the tea in the table above.
Iced and Cold Brew
Cold brewing gives a smooth, naturally sweet cup. Add about 8–10 g of leaves (or 1 single-brew packet per 500 ml) to cold water, cover, and leave in the fridge for 6–8 hours. Strain and enjoy within a day. Oolong, black and white teas all work well.
Storing Your Tea
Keep tea sealed in a cool, dry place away from light, heat and strong smells (so not next to the spices or coffee). Pressed teas such as pu-erh and white tea cakes like a little air: keep them wrapped in their paper, in a dry cupboard.
A Note on Caffeine
All of our teas are made from the tea plant and contain caffeine. The amount varies with the tea, how much leaf you use and how long you steep it. Please take care with very hot water, especially around children.
Still Have Questions?
Email us at info@orienttealeaf.com. We’re always happy to talk tea.