There are many different methods for brewing loose leaf teas, many of which date back hundreds of years. Today we’re going to share the five main methods of brewing loose leaf tea, so you can understand the benefits of each method.
Gong Fu Cha
This method is considered to be the traditional Chinese tea ceremony. Many tea leaves are brewed for a short time in small teapots when using this method, and this process can be repeated up to ten times. This method means that you’ll never have two servings of tea that are identical because each time the brewing process is repeated, it offers a new taste experience.
Western Style
If you are brewing loose leaf tea for the first time, you’ll probably use the Western-style. To make your tea, you’ll put a small number of tea leaves into a strainer. This is then placed in your mug of water, and you’ll leave it for about three minutes for the first infusion. You can reuse the tea leaves two or three times, and you’ll just need to add an extra minute on for the second brew.
Grandpa Style
Grandpa style is generally only used for green, white, or yellow tea. You won’t use a teapot for this method, and instead, it’s replaced with a large cup. It’s ideal for anyone who enjoys a huge cup of tea, but you’ll want to master the water temperature and tea leaf ratio. The tea leaf is simply put into the cup and then covered in hot water. You’ll leave the tea to steep for as long as you desire and then drink it with the leaves still present.
Boiling
This method is even older than gong fu cha, and it can take even longer to prepare your tea in this manner. This slow method lasts up to a few hours and is often recommended for oolong and aged white teas. You’ll simply place the tea in warm or cool water and then boil it for the recommended length of time. After an hour, you’ll find the taste of the tea is best, but this will change as time goes on.
Cold Brew Tea
There are certain times where the last thing we want is a hot cup of tea. In the summer months, you can opt for a cold brew tea made from loose leaf tea, but it’s not a quick process. Cold water is poured over your tea leaves, and then you’ll leave the glass inside your fridge to steep. Due to using cold water, you’ll find your cold brew tea is nice and sweet, so it’s refreshing for a hot summer’s day. Ensure you make your tea well before you plan to drink it, so you aren’t left without a cool drink when needed.
All of these methods are reasonably simple to learn, but each creates very different results and tastes. Everyone has their personal preference when it comes to brewing tea, so we recommend trying out each method to see what works best for you and the loose leaf tea you enjoy consuming.
