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Enjoying Tea Gong Fu Style, Without a Yixing Pot
Oolong are best enjoyed Gong Fu style, but you can achieve similar results without the Yixing (purple clay) pot.
The thinking behind Gong Fu style is "pushing" out the flavor rather than "pulling" out the flavor, because when you "push" it out, the flavor is usually richer. But this requires that you know the teas because if you "push" too hard, that is, let it steep too long, you're allowing the multilayered flavor to mix and you'll miss out on all the subtleties and complexities of the tea.
Making a tea Gong Fu style basically means putting a large amount of tea in a small teapot or cup, using hot boiling water, and making a very, very short steep -- 5 to 10 seconds. So, take a small (4- to 8-ounce) teapot or covered cup, fill with leaves to about a third -- yes, a third -- use good water that has just boiled, give yourself one good long blink, then pour. Enjoy, and repeat as many times as you feel you can push out more flavor. At which point, remove the top layer of leaves, shake the pot, bring up the leaves that have been held back, and go at it again.
Gaiwan Brewing Guide
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White Tea |
Green Tea |
Less-Oxidized Oolong Tea |
Oxidized Oolong Tea |
Black Tea |
Pu-erh Tea |
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Leaf
Quantity |
One half of a gaiwan |
One quarter of a gaiwan |
One third of a gaiwan or a Yixing teapot |
One half of a gaiwan or a Yixing teapot |
One quarter of a gaiwan |
One third of a gaiwan or a Yixing teapot |
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Water Temperature |
180 degrees F |
170 to 185 degrees F |
180 to 210 degrees F |
190 to 210 degrees F |
210 degrees F, near boiling |
212 degrees F, full, rolling boil |
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Infusion Time |
30 seconds; add 5 seconds to subsequent infusions |
30 seconds; add 5 seconds to subsequent infusions |
30 seconds; add 5 seconds to subsequent infusions |
30 seconds; add 5 seconds to subsequent infusions |
30 seconds; add 5 seconds to subsequent infusions |
After rinsing once infuse 30 seconds; add 5 seconds to subsequent infusions |
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Examples |
Yinzhen Silver Needle, White Peony |
Dragon Well, Sencha |
Wen Shan Bao Chong, Tieguanyin |
Oriental
Beauty, Twelve Trees Oolong |
Keemun, Darjeeling, Ceylon Orange Pekoe |
Tuocha, Beencha |
One-Minute Tea Tip, 2002
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