Tea Brewing Method (A)

How to Brew Tea | HOJO

This page introduces brewing methods for the following teas.

Teas Covered

Raw Pu-erh Tea (Sheng Puerh)
White Tea

We introduce five brewing methods for the teas listed above.

1. Method for Beginners / Large Groups

This method uses a teapot with a practical capacity of around 300ml and is easy to handle even for beginners. HOJO specializes in teas rich in minerals and polyphenols. Since polyphenols extract more efficiently at higher temperatures, brewing with boiling water is recommended. If a tea is too bitter, slightly lowering the temperature can reduce caffeine extraction and soften the bitterness.

About Teapot and Teacup Materials

The material of your teapot and teacups has a significant impact on flavor. Ceramic is often thought to "enhance" the taste, but the majority of ceramic wares actually suppress depth and introduce astringency. Glass and porcelain may seem neutral, but leaching tests have confirmed that minerals dissolve into the water—an effect that cannot be ignored. Please choose your teaware carefully.

Basic Parameters

Water Temperature: 100°C (boiling). Keeping the water at a rolling boil for 3–5 minutes converts calcium bicarbonate to calcium carbonate, which enhances sweetness.
Tea Leaves: 3–5g (2–3g for 1–2 people; 5g for 3–4 people)
Water Volume: 300ml (practical capacity)

Steps

Warm the Teapot
Pour boiling water into the teapot, let it sit for 10 seconds to preheat, then discard the water. Filling it as full as possible is more effective.
Preheat the Tea Leaves
Pour boiling water over the tea leaves once, let sit for 10 seconds to preheat, then discard. Brew the first infusion immediately after preheating—waiting will cause the temperature to drop. This step can be skipped when starting out, but it noticeably improves aroma and clarity.
Brew the Tea
- 1st infusion: 1 minute (about 2 minutes for aged/ripe teas)
- 2nd infusion onward: a few seconds to within 10 seconds
Combining the 1st and 2nd infusions in a Cha Hai (fairness cup) helps even out the concentration. From the 2nd infusion onward, the leaves are already open, so a short steep is sufficient.

Cha Hai (Taiwanese Teaware)

2. Advanced Gongfu Style

Gongfu-style brewing (功夫式泡茶) originated in Chaozhou, Guangdong Province. By using a small volume of water at high temperature for a short time, it draws out a remarkable unity of aroma and clarity of taste. Teaware with a fast pour rate—such as a Houhin, Gaiwan, Shiboridashi, or a small teapot—is ideal.

Hohin

Gaiwan

Water

Use tap water passed through an activated carbon filter, or mineral water.

Heating Water

Recommended: stainless steel kettle, stainless electric kettle, or electric kettle with keep-warm function. Use with caution: iron kettle (check compatibility with the specific material). Not suitable: clay, copper, aluminium, brass, or silver.

Basic Parameters

Vessel Capacity: 200ml or less
Water Temperature: 100°C (keep at a rolling boil for 3–5 minutes)
Tea Leaves: 3–5g (fixed regardless of water volume)

Steps

Warm the Teapot
Pour boiling water into the teapot, let it sit for 10 seconds, then discard the water once it is thoroughly warmed.
Rinse the Leaves (Preheating)
Pour boiling water over the tea leaves and quickly pour it out.
- Compressed tea (Pu-erh cake, etc.): 1st rinse 10 sec → 2nd rinse 10 sec
- Loose leaf (maocha): 1st rinse 10 sec → 2nd rinse 5 sec
To prevent temperature loss, pour quickly from a low height without splashing directly onto the leaves.
Brew the Tea
- 1st infusion: 5–10 seconds
- 2nd infusion onward: a few seconds
Combining the 1st and 2nd infusions in a Cha Hai helps even out the concentration. This method typically yields 6 or more enjoyable infusions.

Precautions

Always pour out all the liquid—never leave water sitting in the teapot. Residual water continues to extract the leaves and causes oxidation.
Adjust strength by the amount of tea leaves, not steeping time.
After pouring, remove the lid to allow the leaves to cool, which helps prevent oxidation.

3. Brewing with a Glass

A convenient method using a free cup or mug. A clear, straight-sided glass is recommended so you can easily observe the leaves as they unfold. Avoid tinted glass (including light green or blue) and crystal, as these can affect flavor. Lead-free crystal tends to be compatible in many cases.

Since the leaves tend to float rather than sink, the key is to add water in two stages: first add a small amount to saturate the leaves and help them sink, then pour in the remainder to efficiently draw out the aroma and flavor.

Water

Use tap water passed through an activated carbon filter, or mineral water.

Heating Water

Recommended: stainless steel kettle, stainless electric kettle, or electric kettle with keep-warm function. Use with caution: iron kettle (check compatibility). Not suitable: clay, copper, aluminium, brass, or silver.

Basic Parameters

Water Temperature: 100°C (keep at a rolling boil for 3–5 minutes)
Tea Leaves: 2–3g
Water Volume: 150–200ml

Steps

Warm the Glass and Add Tea Leaves
Pour boiling water into the glass, let it sit for 10 seconds to warm it, then discard the water and add the tea leaves. Prewarming helps maintain temperature throughout the brew.

Add 2–3g of tea leaves to a prewarmed glass.
Pour Water to One-Third Full
Slowly and gently pour boiling water to about one-third of the glass (or just enough to submerge the leaves). Gently swirl the glass to help the leaves absorb the water.

First, pour water to about one-third of the glass.
Top Up and Steep for 2–3 Minutes
Once the leaves have settled into the water, pour the remaining boiling water to about 80% full. Wait 2–3 minutes before drinking.

Allow to steep for 2–3 minutes.

Additional Information

If the flavor is too strong, add a splash of boiling water to dilute.
When the tea is about one-third remaining, top up with boiling water. This keeps the flavor consistent without becoming thin.
You can enjoy up to 3 infusions. The 1st has a bright, fresh green aroma; the 2nd is sweeter and fuller; the 3rd is mild with a clean, lingering finish.

4. Cold Brew Method

For a detailed cold brew guide, please refer to the article below.

Basic Parameters

Water: Water that has been boiled and cooled to room temperature (to remove chlorine). Boiling beforehand enhances sweetness and aroma. Using unboiled tap water results in a slightly flat taste.
Tea Leaves: 5g per 1 litre of water
Steeping Time: 4–6 hours in the refrigerator. Remove the leaves after steeping. If too strong, dilute with water.
Storage: Keep refrigerated (around 5°C). Best consumed within 3 days.

5. Recommended Method for Reducing Caffeine

Caffeine becomes more soluble above 80°C, while it is much harder to extract below that temperature. By taking advantage of this property and cold-brewing with cooled water, you can significantly reduce caffeine content.

The key is to brew a small amount of water for a long time to create a 5× concentrated extract—then dilute it with boiling water at serving time, similar to how you would dilute a cordial. This method is convenient not only at home but also at the office.

Basic Parameters

Water: Water that has been boiled and cooled to room temperature (to remove chlorine)
Tea Leaves: 5g per 100–200ml of water (5× concentrate)
Steeping Time: 4–6 hours in the refrigerator or at room temperature
How to Drink: Dilute the concentrated extract with boiling water at a ratio of 1:5 before serving.

Storage

After opening, reseal the tea in the aluminium bag it arrived in and keep it out of direct sunlight and away from humidity. Do not decant the leaves into a HOJO tin: contact with the metal changes the taste and the aroma.

If you have a heat sealer, sealing the bag with an oxygen absorber inside will keep the tea fresh for far longer.

Do not keep tea in a refrigerator or a freezer. Condensation forms every time the bag is taken out, and within a few days it oxidizes the surface of the leaves and dulls the aroma.

Teas meant to age, such as raw pu-erh and white tea, are best left unopened in as warm a room as you can give them. As with decanting wine, a long-aged tea also gains aroma if you open it and leave it a few days before drinking.