Tea drinking had long been existed in China. There are different types of Chinese tea; the four main types are black, green, oolong and white. Others add categories for red, compressed and scented teas. Moreover, some researchers recorded that there are actually more than 700 varieties of tea. Yet all of these varieties came from the same plant known as Camilla plant - the tea plant.
Chinese tea brewing is easy yet, it takes a lot of skill. Tea leaves are placed into containers particularly into teapots or cups. Hot water is then poured over the containers. Tea leaves are steeped for quite a few minutes. Teapots should be covered tightly and then hot water is poured over the covered teapots to keep hold of the heat. Then separate the leaves from the liquid and the tea liquid is ready for drink.
For Chinese tea drinkers brewing is made usually by preparing utensils such as cups and teapots. Many people preferred to prepare tea in cups using instant tea or tea bag which is a lot easier. On the other hand, some preferred to brew tea using loose leaf which produce more desirable flavor than tea bags. Chinese tea like black, green, oolong and white are prepared or served differently from each other.
For Black tea, it could be brewed in either of the two ways using a Chinese tea cup or a teapot. In a cup or teapot pour the boiling water slowly over the leaves. Cover and steeped for about 3 to five minutes. This is the recommended time to steep for a perfect flavor. Anything more than that makes the tea bitter.
On the other hand, Chinese favor the use of porcelain cups in brewing green tea. In line with Chinese tea culture, the use of porcelain cups would make better the quality of tea. In brewing, the boiled water is not poured directly over the tea leaves. Wait at most 3 minutes for it to be cooled then pour the water over the leaves. Cover and immerse it for about 2 to 3 minutes.
For Chinese tea like oolong, the utensils used for brewing comprise of kettles, teapots and cups which form a set known as "four treasures". During brewing, tea leaves are placed in a teapot. Boiling water is then poured over the leaves and the teapot is covered tightly. Hot water is poured over the covered teapot to retain the heat and then steeped for about 3 to 5 minutes. This is the best recommended time for most oolong tea types. After that the tea liquid is transferred into cups.
Now for white tea, pouring boiling water directly on the leaves could ruin the delicate flavor of tea. The water is boiled first and then let it sit for up to one minute. When the time is up, the water is then poured over the leaves. The recommended steeping time for most types of white tea is within 5 to 8 minutes.
Finally, brewing tea is all about the experience. Experiment and find the taste that you like best!
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