The MountTea Journal
Tea, Water and Time: A Practical Brewing Guide
Use a clear starting table for gongfu and mug brewing, understand working volume and water, and change one variable when a cup needs adjustment.
Brewing instructions are most useful when they specify four things: the weight of dry leaf, the volume of water, the water temperature and the infusion time. “One spoon in a pot” is difficult to repeat because a spoonful of rolled oolong weighs much more than a spoonful of loose white tea.
Gongfu starting points
The table below is a conservative starting framework, not a laboratory optimum. Begin at the lower leaf quantity if you are sensitive to intensity. Product-specific instructions take priority.
| Tea style | Leaf per 100 ml | Water | First infusion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delicate green tea | 2–3 g | 75–85°C | 20–40 sec |
| Fresh white tea | 3–4 g | 85–95°C | 20–40 sec |
| Light rolled oolong | 4–5 g | 90–95°C | 15–25 sec |
| Roasted oolong | 4–5 g | 95–100°C | 10–20 sec |
| Chinese red tea | 3–4 g | 85–95°C | 10–20 sec |
| Young sheng pu-erh | 4–5 g | 85–95°C | 5–15 sec |
| Shu pu-erh | 4–5 g | 95–100°C | 10–20 sec |
Timing assumes a reasonably fast fill and drain. A vessel that takes 12 seconds to empty gives the leaves substantially more contact time than one that drains in three. For the next infusion, taste first; do not automatically add a fixed amount of time.
For a 250 ml mug
Start with 2–3 g and a roomy basket. Try green tea for 1–2 minutes, red tea for 2–3 minutes, and white tea or oolong for 2–4 minutes, using a suitable temperature from the table. Remove the leaves fully. These lower leaf ratios need longer contact than gongfu brewing.
Measure your real water volume
Fill the vessel to the level you comfortably use, then measure that water. Do not calculate a recipe from a brim-full capacity if you brew well below the rim. Leaves displace water as they expand, so consistency matters more than an apparently exact label.
Choose water by a simple comparison
Use drinking water without an obvious chlorine taste or strong odour. Mineral content and alkalinity can alter extraction and perception; a total-dissolved-solids number alone does not describe the whole water. Compare your usual water with a different suitable drinking water while keeping the recipe fixed before buying specialised equipment.
Diagnose the cup
If too intense, shorten time first. If thin, lengthen it. If harsh despite a short steep, reduce leaf or temperature. If flat across several teas, investigate water and storage. Record the change so the next session teaches you something.
