Tea Brewing Method (G)

How to Brew Tea | HOJO

This page introduces the brewing methods for the following tea.

Target Tea

Gyokuro

The following methods are introduced for the tea mentioned above.

Umami-focused Gyokuro brewing method
Beginner-friendly / suitable for large groups
Advanced semi-gongfu style for fine tea leaves
Brewing with a glass
Cold brew method
Recommended method for reducing caffeine

Let's introduce them in order.

1. Umami-Focused Gyokuro Brewing Method

This method extracts a smooth flavor by brewing at a lower temperature.

This is the typical brewing method for Gyokuro. By brewing at a lower temperature, caffeine extraction is minimized, bringing out a smooth flavor.

However, HOJO's Gyokuro is selected for its aftertaste and lingering flavor rather than umami, so a higher temperature may bring out its unique characteristics.

Various types of teapots can be used, such as those for Chinese tea, Japanese tea, or black tea. As long as the material is considered, teapots can be used interchangeably between different types of tea.

Material of Teapot and Teacup

Pottery: Pottery teapots are often thought to enhance flavor, but surprisingly, the majority of pottery neutralizes richness and brings out astringency. If the flavor lacks depth, the teapot might be the cause, so be cautious.

Porcelain and Glass: Porcelain and glass are considered neutral and do not affect the flavor. However, mineral dissolution tests have shown that they release minerals, which significantly impact the tea's flavor. The higher the quality of the tea, the more careful you need to be when choosing materials.

Consider the impact of materials on flavor regardless of the type. Refer to "How to Select Teaware" for more details.

Water Temperature: 50–55℃ (increase the temperature with each subsequent infusion)
* Cool boiled water to 50–55℃ before use. Lower temperatures bring out umami.
* Use water that has been boiled for 3–5 minutes. Prolonged boiling converts calcium bicarbonate to calcium carbonate, making the tea taste sweeter.
Water Volume: Approximately 70ml (practical capacity)
* Use 5–7g of tea leaves for Gyokuro brewed this way.
Tea Leaves: 3–5g

Preheat the Teapot
Pour boiling water into the teapot to preheat it (let it sit for 10 seconds). Once the teapot is sufficiently heated, discard the water.
* Fill the teapot with as much water as possible to thoroughly preheat it.
Brew the Tea
Place the tea leaves in the teapot and pour hot water over them. Steeping times are as follows:
- 1st infusion: 2–3 minutes
- Subsequent infusions: A few seconds to 10 seconds
* The first infusion requires a longer steeping time to open the tea leaves. Adjust to your preference.
* Increase the temperature with each subsequent infusion.
* After several infusions, brew with boiling water for the final infusion.

2. Beginner-Friendly / Suitable for Large Groups

This method avoids bitterness by brewing at a lower temperature.

Material of Teapot and Teacup

Consider the impact of materials on flavor regardless of the type. Refer to "How to Select Teaware" for more details.

Water Temperature: 80℃
* Use water that has been boiled for 3–5 minutes.
* Prolonged boiling converts calcium bicarbonate to calcium carbonate, making the tea taste sweeter.
* Let the boiled water cool down a bit before using.
Water Volume: 300ml (practical capacity)
* Adjust the amount of water and tea leaves to your preference.
* As a guideline, 5g can brew over 1 liter of tea.
* For 1–2 people, 2–3g is suitable; for 3–4 people, 5g is appropriate.
Tea Leaves: 3–5g

Preheat the Teapot
Pour boiling water into the teapot to preheat it (let it sit for 10 seconds). Once the teapot is sufficiently heated, discard the water.
* Fill the teapot with as much water as possible to thoroughly preheat it.
Brew the Tea
Place the tea leaves in the teapot and pour hot water over them. Steeping times are as follows:
- 1st infusion: 1–2 minutes
- Subsequent infusions: A few seconds to 10 seconds
* The first infusion requires a longer steeping time to open the tea leaves. Adjust to your preference.
* For subsequent infusions, the tea leaves are already open, so a few seconds is sufficient.

3. Advanced Semi-Gongfu Style for Fine Tea Leaves

Gongfu style, known as "功夫式泡茶" in Chinese, was developed in Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, to enhance the flavor of high-grade Phoenix Dan Cong oolong tea.

By using a relatively small amount of water and brewing tea at a high temperature for a short time, the uniformity of aroma and clarity of flavor are enhanced.

Since each step needs to be carried out quickly, gaiwans, houhins, shiboridashis, and small teapots (cha-hu) with a fast flow rate (pouring speed) are suitable for gongfu style brewing.

Gaiwan

Hohin

Water: Filtered water (tap water) or mineral water
* When using tap water, use a filter with activated carbon to remove chlorine.
Boiling Water: ○ Recommended: Stainless steel kettle, stainless steel electric kettle, electric kettle with keep-warm function (e.g., Tiger, Zojirushi)
△ Use with Caution: Iron kettles may have compatibility issues with the material of the teapot.
× Avoid: Earthenware, copper, aluminum, brass, and silver kettles can flatten the flavor due to metal ions. Most earthenware kettles negatively impact the flavor and are not recommended.
Vessel Capacity: 200ml or less
Water Temperature: 100℃ (boiling water)
* Use water that has been boiled for 3–5 minutes.
* Prolonged boiling converts calcium bicarbonate to calcium carbonate, making the tea taste sweeter.
Tea Leaves: 3–5g (regardless of the amount of water)
* Adjust the amount of tea leaves to your preference.
* As a guideline, 5g can brew over 1 liter of tea.

Material of Teapot and Teacup

Consider the impact of materials on flavor regardless of the type. Refer to "How to Select Teaware" for more details.

Preheat the Teapot
Pour boiling water into the teapot to preheat it (let it sit for 10 seconds). Once the teapot is sufficiently heated, discard the water.
Warm the Tea Leaves (Rinse)
Pour boiling water over the tea leaves in the teapot for 2–3 seconds to preheat them, then quickly pour out the water.
* Pour from a low height to avoid cooling, and pour the water quickly.
* For more details on why to rinse, refer to the page linked below. How to Make Tea Taste and Smell Much Better >
Brew the Tea
Steeping times are as follows:
- 1st infusion: 5–10 seconds
- Subsequent infusions: A few seconds
The first infusion will always be weak. Adjust the concentration by combining the first to third infusions in a cha-hai (pitcher). From the fourth infusion onwards, a few seconds of steeping time will suffice.

* Make sure to pour out all the tea from the teapot to prevent over-extraction and oxidation of the tea leaves, which can result in overly strong flavor.

* Adjust the strength of the tea by the amount of tea leaves rather than the steeping time.

* Remove the lid after pouring out the tea to cool the tea leaves, preventing oxidation and keeping them fresh.

4. Brewing with a Glass

Brewing tea with a glass (long glass) is commonly used in China. It is very convenient as it is easy to brew and does not require a specific location.

A simple, pattern-free, straight glass is recommended for better observation of the tea leaves.

Colored glass (including light green or blue) is not recommended as it negatively impacts the flavor. This method can also be applied to mugs.

Since tea leaves tend not to sink easily, pour water in two stages when brewing tea. By pouring a small amount of water first, the tea leaves can absorb enough water and sink. Then, pour the required amount of water to efficiently extract aroma and flavor from the tea leaves.

Water: Filtered water (tap water) or mineral water
* When using tap water, use a filter with activated carbon to remove chlorine.
Boiling Water: ○ Recommended: Stainless steel kettle, stainless steel electric kettle, electric kettle with keep-warm function (e.g., Tiger, Zojirushi)
△ Use with Caution: Iron kettles may have compatibility issues with the material of the teapot.
× Avoid: Earthenware, copper, aluminum, brass, and silver kettles can flatten the flavor due to metal ions. Most earthenware kettles negatively impact the flavor and are not recommended.
Water Temperature: 80℃
* Boil the water first, then let it cool a little before use.
* Prolonged boiling converts calcium bicarbonate to calcium carbonate, making the tea taste sweeter.
Water Volume: 150–200ml (practical capacity)
* Prepare 3g of tea leaves for approximately 150ml of water in a glass.
* Adjust the amount of water and tea leaves to your preference.
Tea Leaves: 2–3g

Glass

Even non-heat-resistant glass can withstand boiling water. Use colorless and transparent glass, as colored glass or crystal can affect the flavor.

Lead-free crystal often pairs well with the flavor.

Consider the impact of materials on flavor regardless of the type. Refer to "How to Select Teaware" for more details.

Add Tea Leaves to the Glass
Add tea leaves to a glass that has been preheated with boiling water for 10 seconds. Raising the temperature of the glass helps maintain a consistent temperature when brewing tea.
Pour Water
Pour boiling water slowly and gently. No need to lower the temperature as it drops quickly. Pour until the glass is one-third full or the tea leaves are submerged, then gently shake the glass to allow the tea leaves to absorb the water.
Pour the Remaining Water
Continue pouring the remaining water. Enjoy the tea after steeping for 2 minutes.

* If the flavor is too strong, add boiling water.

* When the water in the glass is about one-third remaining, add more water to enjoy a stronger aroma without diluting the flavor.

* This tea can be brewed up to three times. Enjoy the fresh green aroma and flavor in the first infusion, the sweet rich flavor in the second infusion, and the mild aroma with a refreshing feeling in the mouth in the third infusion and beyond.

5. Cold Brew Method

Refer to this article for how to make cold brew tea.

Water: Water that has been boiled and cooled
* Boiling water converts calcium bicarbonate to calcium carbonate, making the tea taste sweeter and more aromatic.
* Always use water with chlorine removed.
* Raw water may result in a slightly watery taste.
Tea Leaves: 5g per liter
Steeping Time: 4–6 hours in the refrigerator
* If the tea is too strong, dilute it with water.
Storage: Refrigerator (around 5℃)
* The tea can be kept fresh for up to 3 days.

6. Recommended Method for Reducing Caffeine

Caffeine is easily extracted at temperatures above 80℃ and less so at temperatures below 80℃.

By applying this characteristic, it is possible to brew tea with significantly reduced caffeine.

Specifically, use water that has been cooled down to make cold brew tea. The key is to brew with a small amount of water for a long time to create a concentrated tea extract (5 times concentration).

This extract can be diluted with hot water in the same way as making Calpis, allowing you to enjoy freshly brewed tea even at work or elsewhere.

Please refer to the following article for more details.

Water: Water that has been boiled and cooled
* Boiling water converts calcium bicarbonate to calcium carbonate, making the tea taste sweeter and more aromatic.
* Always use water with chlorine removed.
* Raw water may result in a slightly watery taste.
Tea Leaves: 5g per 100–200ml
Steeping Time: 4–6 hours in the refrigerator or at room temperature
Drinking Method: Dilute the extracted tea with boiling water.

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.