The preparation of Chinese tea is referred to as ‘Cha’ and is an ancient culture that brings out the exquisite taste of this drink. With many types and numerous brewing styles, one has to be careful as making the ideal brew takes time. This manual outlines the steps of how to make Chinese tea in a professional way.
Basics of Chinese Tea
Every Chinese tea has unique brewing instructions. There are other determinants too; time, temperature, and equipment come into play.
Procedures for Making Chinese Tea
Choose Quality Tea: Make sure to use quality sourced Chinese tea leaves or loose-leaf tea.
Use Fresh Water: Tea should not be watered down. Only use filtered or spring water, as it brings out the taste of the essence as well.
Optimal Temperature: Black tea is brewed between 90–95 degrees. Green tea between 75-80 degrees. Oolong and pu-erh tend to work well with a temperature between 85 and 95.
Steeping Time: In terms of how long different teas should be brewed, green tea needs two to three minutes. Black tea is within 3 to 5 minutes while oolong tea comes with multiple steeps of about two minutes each.
Traditional Tools: It is important to brew teas using a gaiwan or a Yixing clay teapot for an authentic experience.
Suggestions on the Best Way to Drink Chinese Tea
When it comes to flavor composition, try different ratios of tea and water.
When possible, use several infusions since the flavors of oolong and pu-erh change and develop.