Brewing path guide

Plan better steeps by method, leaf, and vessel

Compare gongfu, western, grandpa, and cold-brew paths with practical steps, tea-style matches, and equipment links.

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cold

Cold Brew

冷泡茶

Cold brewing uses cold or room-temperature water and a long steep — usually 4–12 hours in the fridge. The lower temperature pulls less bitterness and tannin and more of the sweet, floral, and umami components. Especially good for greens, whites, and lightly oxidised oolongs in summer.

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4 steps

3 styles

gongfu

Gongfu Cha

工夫茶

Gongfu cha — "skilled brewing" — uses a small vessel (gaiwan or Yixing teapot, 80–150 ml) and a high leaf-to-water ratio (5–8 g per 100 ml). Each infusion is short, often just seconds, and a single session typically produces 8–12 infusions, each subtly different.

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6 steps

4 styles

grandpa

Grandpa Style

老人茶

"Grandpa style" is the casual everyday method common in working-class China — leaves loose in a glass or thermos, hot water topped up repeatedly throughout the day. The leaves sink (or float and then sink) and the cup is sipped slowly, more water added when low. Best with teas whose leaves resist over-extraction (greens with pulled leaf, most cooked pu-erh, robust oolongs).

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4 steps

3 styles

western

Western Brewing

西式泡茶

Western brewing uses a larger vessel (typically 350–500 ml) and a much lower leaf-to-water ratio (2–3 g per 200 ml) for a single, longer steep of 2–4 minutes. The result is a more dilute, milder cup, suited to casual drinking and to teas with broad, forgiving flavour profiles.

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5 steps

5 styles