Did you know that tea can be steeped in up to 4 different ways?

With loose teas, it can be challenging at first. But don't despair, in the following article we will show you that it is not as complicated as it seems.
Gong Fu Cha (功夫茶) – recommended for loose teas

In the cradle of tea in China, tea is prepared using the traditional Gong Fu Cha method. But don't worry, unlike the Japanese tea ceremony, it is less formalized. It is the right method for trying multiple infusions of one type of tea. To prevent loss of flavor, a larger number of leaves are used. On the other hand, this has the advantage that you don't have to wait long, so the tea steeps for a shorter time. The preparation method is characterized by using a larger number of whole tea leaves in proportion to the amount of water in which it is prepared and then repeatedly steeping these leaves. The utensils needed for preparing tea usually include a tray (tea sea), a small teapot with small cups, sniffing glasses, a kettle for heating water, a pouring jug, a spatula, tweezers, etc. The teapot is usually a ceramic ji-sing or porcelain gai-wan. 
 
The following table gives an overview of how to prepare each type of tea. However, take this as a basic guide, but don't be afraid to experiment and try. You will learn it over time, also by feel. And that's the magic.

European method 
 
You probably know it, we also use a smaller amount of leaves, but more time, sometimes we forget about it, and then the tea is bitter, so the tea should definitely not taste good. 🙂 But we can enjoy one, full infusion. 
 
Here is a guide table

Grandpa style method

• Simply put, you're lazy, so you'll do it easily today 😊 You don't even need a strainer, your favorite mug is enough 
   
  1) Pick up your favorite cup 
   
  2) Add a few petals (by eye, depending on how you feel today) 
   
  3) Fill the cup 2/3 full (this is important so that you can add water later if the tea becomes bitter). 
   
  A few rules to keep in mind
• While drinking tea, do not remove the leaves from the mug.
• Wait until it tastes right to you.
• When it becomes bitter, add water.
• Water amount between 1/3 and 2/3.

Tip for the end

When I was starting out with tea, I discovered an app called Steeped that showed how many grams of tea to use and how long to steep. Unfortunately, the app is no longer working and is not available. I was inspired by it and created my own version – Tea Calculator.