Tea Knowledge

  • Charcoal Roasting

    Using charcoal fire as the heat source, temperature is controlled by the thickness of the charcoal ash. The
    heat radiation from the burning charcoal ensures even heating inside and
    outside the tea leaves. Placed in bamboo baskets, the tea leaves absorb the
    rich charcoal aroma, enhancing their flavor and unique characteristics.

  • Kung Fu Tea

    From production, blending, roasting, to brewing, every step is perfected. When brewing, at least 30% of the vessel should be filled with tea leaves, with a 7:3 ratio of coarse to fine leaves.
    Each tea is controlled for water temperature, quantity, and brewing time.

  • Tea Evaluation

    Color: Rich, clear, and bright tea soup.

    Aroma: Lasting fragrance on the cup surface and bottom with a lingering aroma on the gums.

    Taste: Rich and delicious, smooth from the upper cavity to the throat.

    Aftertaste: Sweet and moistening with a lingering and unforgettable aftertaste.

  • Brewing Techniques

    Light-colored tea leaves (green, white, Qing tea): Boil the water first, then lower the temperature.

    Dark-colored tea leaves (black, red, Pu'er): Keep the water boiling.

    Brewing time and strength depend on personal preference.

  • Portion

    Generally, enough tea leaves to cover the bottom of the brewing vessel are used, with more leaves for white tea.

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Brewing and Storage Tips

Brewing Chinese Tea

Rinse the utensils with boiling water and preheat them.

 

Add tea leaves according to personal preference, usually 1/4 to 1/5 of the tea bowl. For stronger tea, use 1/3 of the tea bowl (typically a 1:15 ratio, about 10g of tea leaves for a 150cc vessel).

 

The first brew is usually to wash the tea; pour boiling water and discard it immediately (this brew is not for drinking, called preheat or warm tea brew).

 

Add boiling water again; the first brew should be steeped for 20-30 seconds to let the tea leaves unfold and saturate. Pour out and enjoy. Add boiling water again - the second and third brews should be steeped for shorter times (about 10 seconds). From the fourth brew onwards, gradually extend the steeping time.

 

Brewing Chinese tea is both healing and stress-relieving, providing an enjoyable experience. Welcome to embark on a journey in the world of tea!

Brewing Kung Fu Tea

Brewing Kung Fu tea is more meticulous, requiring a Yixing clay teapot, high-quality filtered water (spring water or mountain water), high water temperature, and control of tea quantity and steeping time.

Select tea leaves with a 7:3 ratio of coarse to fine using paper.

 

Preheat the teapot.

 

Add the tea leaves to the teapot - place the fine leaves at the back bottom of the teapot, then cover with the coarse leaves at the front top part of the teapot.

 

Lift the teapot and gently tap the side with the palm to settle the tea leaves. The tea quantity should be about 1/3 of the teapot.

 

Pour boiling water into the teapot, ensuring the steam vent does not scald your hand. Control the water flow to slowly brew the tea leaves and remove any bubbles. If the water temperature is insufficient, tea dust will float; pouring too quickly will cause tea leaves to overflow.

 

Use the first brew to wash the tea and cups.

 

Pour boiling water again into the teapot and gently cover with the lid. Covering too quickly will increase pressure inside the teapot, causing the tea soup to overflow.

 

Before pouring the tea, discard the first part of the tea water from the spout as this part does not soak the tea leaves and weakens the tea soup's strength.

 

Pour the tea directly into cups, circling back and forth, ensuring even amounts and color in each cup.

 

Pour boiling water again, repeating the brewing process for the teapot and cups, controlling the steeping time. Achieving consistent brews in every cup is considered a master-level skill. High-quality tea leaves and skilled brewing techniques can yield more than seven infusions with lingering flavors. Remember, always maintain high water temperature, keep the tea leaves and cups warm, and follow the meticulous attitude of brewing Kung Fu tea to enjoy the pleasure of brewing a good cup of tea.

Tea Storage

In general, all tea leaves should avoid sunlight/strong light, as light can damage the tea leaves and alter their flavor. Additionally, tea leaves easily absorb odors, so avoid storing them in cabinets with strong odors (e.g., dried mushrooms, seafood, cleaning agents). Tea leaves should also avoid high humidity and be stored at room temperature. The size of the container and the amount of tea leaves should match; a large container with few tea leaves increases air exposure, leading to flavor loss.

Pu'er Tea Storage

Pu'er raw tea (sun-dried Maocha) has a strong flavor; Pu'er ripe tea (sun-dried Maocha pile fermentation) has a smooth and mellow taste, both effective for digestion. Pu'er tea improves with age, but there is much debate about dry storage versus wet storage. The primary condition is that the storage environment for Pu'er should be clean, hygienic, and pest-free; it should be stored for at least 15-20 years before it is suitable for drinking.

Dry Storage/Pure Dry Storage: Refers to Pu'er tea cakes stored in dry/extremely dry environments (e.g., inland or northern regions) after production. It retains a strong aroma and original flavor but transforms slowly. Long-term storage of raw tea still results in a relatively cold and stomach-irritating taste, not suitable for people in southern regions.

Wet Storage: Refers to artificially increasing humidity to provide suitable conditions for microbial and tea fermentation (similar to cheese, fermented tofu, and aged vinegar). However, it is also important to prevent mold, resulting in undesirable moldy odors (commonly known as warehouse smell). Proper ventilation and rotation of storage positions ensure even transformation of the tea. Matured tea has a chestnut-red soup color and a thick, rich taste.

Hong Kong has limited space and a high population density, resulting in many Pu'er teas being stored in basements or damp places in the past. Excessive moisture caused undesirable moldy odors, leading many people to avoid wet storage. Pu'er stored in southern regions is ideal with distinct seasons - moist spring, humid summer, dry autumn, and cool winter - allowing Pu'er tea to mature continuously.

Choosing Tea for the Weak

Tea contains many vitamins and minerals, which are beneficial to the human body and is considered a healthy beverage. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" records that tea is cold in nature and not suitable for those with weak constitutions, indicating that it is not without drawbacks.

Therefore, many people avoid drinking tea, missing out on its health benefits and the enjoyment of tea drinking. Generally, tea is cold in nature, but through processing and storage, its nature changes from cold to warm. New tea, fragrant tea, green tea, Qing tea, white tea, red tea, and bitter tea are all cold in nature. Old tea, aged tea, and ripe tea are relatively mild, as the saying goes, "Tea as the King, Fire as the Minister."

Post-processing and storage are crucial, transforming the cold nature of tea to a balanced state. Our charcoal-roasted Tie Guan Yin, aged Wuyi Shuixian, Liu An, treasured aged Yunnan Pu'er, and old Chaozhou fried tea are specially roasted for those who drink tea regularly and have a cold constitution, ensuring the tea is mild and beneficial to health, and promoting longevity. Our tea house stores various types of aged tea from over ten to twenty years ago, known for their rich and mellow flavors, aiding in fat reduction, and are highly sought after.