#steeping

Gongfu brewing is one of the oldest methods of preparing high quality loose leaf teas. It is believed to have originated in China around the 18th century. Where exactly it began has been up for debate by scholars for some time. Some believe it originated in the Fujian province of China while others believe it originated in Guangdong, China.

This method of brewing is an art form that many tea masters have studied for years to perfect. The goal with gongfu cha is to extract the best and purest flavor possible. This method of brewing not only allows you to properly taste the full essence of the tea but also to taste it over a number of infusion. This allows you to get a sense of how the flavor of the tea changes over each infusion. One of the biggest differences between western brewing and gongfu brewing lies in the amount of tea used. Western brewing goes by the rule of using less tea, and steeping it longer over a single infusion. Gongfu on the other hand goes by the rule of using more tea, steeping for only a few seconds, and steeping again over numerous infusion.

As with any kind of brewing, water quality and temperature play a major key roll in extracting the best flavor of your tea. When using this brewing method, you should avoid using highly filtered waters or distilled waters, as these types of water produce a flat brew. Locally sourced or bottle spring water is preferred as it is said that the minerals of the water aid in producing a better brew.

Water temperature is also a major factor in gongfu brewing as using too high of a temperature can harm delicate teas and therefore produce a bitter brew. At the same time using too low of a temperature can also cause a weak tasting brew. See my recent Tea Newbie blog regarding water temperatures as an aid.

The other thing you will find in gongfu brewing is several additional tools not commonly found in western brewing. Along with this the brewing vessel and cups used are of much smaller size. I will be making blogs in the coming days about the reason for the difference in size as well as all the tools used in gongfu cha and the purpose they serve.