Pay attention to the duration and water temperature when brewing black tea.

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Glass Cup Brewing Method

Using a glass or open-mouthed cup made of other materials, the brewing method remains the same, making it the most common and convenient approach for home tea preparation.

Use 3-4 grams of tea leaves and brew with water at 90-95 degrees Celsius. Typically, the tea is steeped by adding the leaves first and then pouring water, allowing it to steep for about three minutes before drinking. To maintain consistent tea concentration, promptly refill the vessel when it reaches one-third of its capacity after each serving.

The glass brewing method allows for more than five infusions, and the tea quantity can be adjusted according to personal taste. Typically, there's no need to rinse the tea leaves. If necessary, quickly rinse them with hot water and discard the liquid.

Gaiwan Brewing Method

The gaiwan is the most versatile tea brewing vessel, equally suitable for brewing black tea. Whether made of glass or porcelain, it does not easily absorb tea flavors, allowing the aroma and quality characteristics of black tea to be better expressed.

To brew with a covered bowl, first warm the cup and rinse the bowl. Add 4-5 grams of tea leaves, quickly pour hot water for a rinse, and ideally remove the tea within 10 seconds.

When brewing, the water temperature should be maintained around 95°C. For high-grade black tea, the temperature can be reduced to 90°C. Here’s a note: many people are unsure about the exact temperature, so you can use a kettle with a temperature display or pour freshly boiled water into a shared cup and let it sit for about 30 seconds (adjust the time based on room temperature).

In short, tea should be brewed immediately after boiling. If water from a thermos is used, the temperature may be insufficient.

When brewing black tea with a gaiwan, the first three infusions should be steeped for about 10 seconds. For subsequent infusions, the time can be extended by 5 to 10 seconds each time, until the tea flavor becomes weak and further brewing is no longer advisable.