
I started drinking kinda compact when i wanted more tea at work and it be my tea and good tea.
Im pretty sure I could gongfu at work but I respect my collegues.
I always gongfu a new tea, its a good thing to do something like that first and get an idea of
what youre working with.
I find this style works to get more nuance out of teas I know, and is great for daily drinkers or breaking down a bitter or older tea. Roasted Oolongs are great this way as a lover of them and boricha/barley tea and that roasty flavour, its something that can really shine here.
This isnt about recreating a 70ml gongfu sip into 400mls. Its about enjoying a tea in a more casual and extended format, both in time and in taste.
I dont think many teas would be lessened by this style, but I would still maybe go daily drinkers at least at first. It kinda puts the tea in a different spectrum. It can draw out a tea that becomes too bitter fast, or as mentioned above open up roasted and raw teas.
IMPORTANT: Water Quantity and steep time is most important here. Less steeps, shorter steeps, in higher water volume.
Items needed
1x Tea I use maybe 10 grams in ~350ml, I eye ball it, but have a vague idea from colour, smell, and its very tea specific. but its per tea and per taste in the end. A daily drinker should be more casual.
2x thermos or 1x large hot-water safe container and 1x other heat maintaining container. One should have a filter of some kind – but not IN a cage thing, the tea needs to be in the water lose in the thermos, or use a hand held filter. You just need a thing to make 3-400ml of tea and a thing to pour it into and keep it warm. I do this at a desk so two thermos is very safe and tidy.
1x cup that holds a decent amount, 200ml or as much as you want. I use a random coffee mug.
Its kind of about experimenting with your daily drinkers, but any teas really, and getting as much out of the tea, having a longer easier “session”, with repeated size steeps, and keeping it within your preferred tastes for as long as possible.
Instructions
1 – Add the tea to the first container with the “filter” . Go with a daily drinker tea.
2 – Pour tea-appropriate temperature water onto the tea.
3 – Put on the lid and wait X or so seconds. See timing notes above/below.
4 – Give it a light shake, or not.
5 – Maybe pour a bit out into your cup. Check colour and taste.
7 – Pour it all into the other container – Same as gongfu get all the water you can off the tea when you pour it out.
8 – Keep the the lid and filter off the container with the tea in it so steam can release.
9 – Put the lid on the thermos with the liquid in it so it stays hot.
10 – Pour and Drink.
The time is really personal taste, its a small amount of tea.
Timing
This is all personal taste. 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 20… I find 10 secs for steep one is 1 OK, aim low because you cant unsteep things. This is also per-tea and guided by “experience” and doing it a few times. I’ll often re-steep for the same amount of time the whole session (eg: 3 – 4 hot re-steeps at 10secs) .
Cold or cooler water (not really tea specific at this point) is great as well if you get into the later steeps.
I do maybe 3 or 4 boiling/hot as above steeps, and the last 4 and 5 with cold water…OR
Just put cold water in the container with the tea leaves and the filter.
THERMOS / BIG TEA BREWING is a great way to get a lot out of lighter teas. Also to experience a bit more depth over a longer time, particularly with ripes that might feel too dense or old/worn out, and teas that that can blow out early and get bitter fast.
Again, roasted Oolong works fantastic this style.
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Pic: 2023 Prosbloom from W2T.