Unlock the Perfect Cup: A Step-by-Step Guide to Brewing Black Tea Like a Pro

Prepare tea utensils.

While drinking black tea, although you can also brew it simply in a glass cup like green tea, brewing in large cups makes it difficult to fully express the complete flavor profile of the tea. If conditions allow, it is better to prepare a complete set of traditional Chinese tea utensils for brewing. Beginners should not think that traditional Chinese tea utensils are too expensive and beyond their budget. In fact, a basic set of white porcelain traditional Chinese tea utensils can be fully assembled for less than one hundred dollars. This set can include a white porcelain lidded bowl, a glass fairness cup, and several small porcelain tea cups. If you often enjoy tea alone, you can also choose a beautiful, aesthetically pleasing master cup with a slightly larger capacity for a more comfortable and enjoyable experience.

For lidded bowls suitable for brewing black tea, porcelain is preferred over glass material. This is because glass conducts heat quickly and can easily scald. In terms of capacity, a 110-milliliter/3.8 oz capacity is more appropriate. When choosing the design, opt for practical styles, especially in the initial learning stages. It's best not to rush into acquiring those fancy and trendy lidded bowls. Choose a basic and common wide-mouthed lidded bowl with a strong capacity, which can easily accommodate even large, fluffy black tea leaves. Weigh and add tea leaves.

Check out our Ultra-High Grade Jin Jun Mei Black Tea (image above)

When buying black tea, there are many options for tea leaf packaging. Choices include tin cans, individually packaged single servings, and sealed bulk bags, among others. If it is a single-serving package labeled as 5 grams of black tea, such as Keemun black tea, Jin Jun Mei Black tea, Tan Yang Gongfu tea, and Ji Qu Hong Mei tea, it is convenient for brewing. Cut open the tea bag, one bag per infusion, and place it in a 110-milliliter white porcelain lidded bowl.

The tea-to-water ratio is approximately 1:20, achieving optimal brewing results.

Warming the Cup and Shaking the Fragrance.

Before brewing tea, tidy up the tea table and arrange the utensils needed for brewing in an orderly manner. Next, prepare an appropriate amount of dry tea leaves. Once everything is ready, officially start brewing tea.

After boiling a kettle of water, as customary, begin by warming the cup. The process of warming the cup is as follows:

1. Pour about half full of the boiling water into the empty-lidded bowl. After covering it, gently shake it to evenly spread the hot water inside the lidded bowl.

2. Then pour the hot water into the fairness cup and distribute it into the small tea cups from there.

3. Finally, pour the wastewater from warming the cup into the tea drain.

Utensils that have been cleaned with clear water in advance can be warmed again with hot water to dispel any "raw water" odor, enhancing hygiene.

After warming the cup, while the inner wall of the lidded bowl retains some residual heat, add the pre-prepared 5 grams of dry tea leaves. Close the lid, gently shake it to let the fragrance of the dry tea evenly spread inside the lidded bowl, and then open a corner to inhale the aroma. The wafting fragrance is incredibly soothing.

Boiling Water Steeping

Warming the cup and shaking the fragrance is a fundamental step in tea brewing. At the same time, it helps in assessing whether the flavor profile of this black tea is up to standard or if it has deteriorated. Conducting a thorough examination adds an extra layer of reassurance. Confirming in advance that the aroma and taste of the tea are normal is more reliable than blindly following trends and rinsing the tea. For high-quality black tea with a pure and rich fragrance, it is not recommended to rinse the tea; you can drink the first infusion directly.

Black tea that has undergone rolling and processing exhibits a rich taste in the first infusion, and it would be a waste to pour it out without drinking. Additionally, when formally brewing black tea, the choice of water temperature is crucial. Do not believe in claims like "black tea should be brewed at 80 or 90 degrees Celsius." Using boiling water is the key to bringing out the best flavor in the tea.

Boiling water helps to stimulate the high boiling point tea aroma, enhancing the depth of the tea flavor. Lowering the water temperature can compromise the intensity of black tea's fruity, floral, honey, and sweet aromas. Even the richness of the tea soup will be affected, resulting in a taste that resembles "lukewarm water," which is not as good as brewing with boiling water.

Infusion

When brewing black tea, it is not recommended to use a high, forceful water pouring method. After you have carefully arranged the tea table, adorned it with a nice tablecloth, and placed the corresponding tea utensils, the last thing you want during the tea brewing process is to accidentally splash hot water due to a slightly off-target high pour. This could create a mess on the table, and that would be unfortunate.

Instead of a forceful high pour, it is recommended to pour water downward. Position the spout of the boiling water kettle slightly above the lidded bowl. As you pour water, try to circulate it evenly in a circular motion. Especially during the initial 1-2 infusions when brewing black tea, quickly circling above the dry tea leaves ensures that the water is evenly distributed, resembling raindrops falling.

Thoroughly wetting and saturating the entire bed of tea leaves is essential to extract the complete and full-bodied flavor of the tea.

Well-brewed black tea that tastes good is not overly cloying. When brewed properly, the tea liquor won't be too heavy, intense, or bitter. It also won't be excessively bland, lacking in flavor like adding a hint of tea to plain water. Instead, it should be refreshing, mellow, smooth, and delicate.

The diverse aromas of black tea are not only detectable by the nose but can also be experienced while sipping and savoring. When carefully enjoying each sip, you can feel the waves of fragrance wafting from the tea liquor. After swallowing the smooth and aromatic infusion, the lingering taste on the lips and palate is delightful.

Upon reflection, there's a strong sweetness lingering in the throat, and a noticeable moistening of the mouth. The multi-layered aroma of black tea is a testament to its complexity, providing a sensory experience that goes beyond just the sense of taste but also engages the sense of smell in a delightful and satisfying way.