How to Brew with a Gaiwan

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Follow up video to our 'Why I love Gaiwans' video ( • Why I Love Gaiwans ).
In this video Don shows you how to brew with a Gaiwan for the most direct and authentic Gong Fu tea brewing experience.
To purchase the Gaiwans in this video:
Sky Blue Porcelain: chinalifeweb.com/shop/product/...
Glass Gaiwan: chinalifeweb.com/shop/product/...
To grab a pack of Young Gushu 2016: chinalifeweb.com/shop/product/...
For a general brewing guide for tea: chinalifeweb.com/guides/the-te...

[@Schindlabua]

Got my first Gaiwan today, and immediately poured the entire damn tea over my hand. The second infusion tasted pretty good though. 10/10 would (will) self-mutilate again.

[@wavecore2860]

nice pp dude...culprate is one of the best

[@Schindlabua]

@@wavecore2860 ha! The best part about having a culprate pp is coming across fans on random-ass videos like this one! Ya love to see it. His new album just dropped, it's great as usual :P

[@sluckabaugh]

"stay away from the tea bags" lol

[@ruthannamarteifio9069]

You are such a good teacher---I'm learning so much. Thank you, Don!!

[@aidanm.5461]

Thank you for making these great educational tea videos!

[@suedawa]

I always learn something new from you my highly talented brother, you are a young man with thousand years of TEA experience like a real TEA MASTER should be.

[@cure33]

Lots of instructive information in this video. Thank you and cheers!

[@wheelchairboy88]

Thank you for making this video. I had my first session using a gaiwan today and I used some of your tips and I only burned my hands once. The putting your fingers on your ear lobe is really works, I was amazed at how much it did cool my finger tips down.

[@shweenz]

Just got a gaiwan as a gift. Thanks for the help in getting me started with it!

[@Jeremy.Mathetes]

Thank you for these videos! I'm learning so much!

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks for watching!

[@snbonice]

Hi, Don. I love your videos and the way you are shooting it. Please keep it up and send more videos our way.

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks Martin it is a simple solo setup but works!

[@dtmtheater2860]

my parent brought a Gaiwain back from china and i love to use it. It's my favorite piece of tea were and with your video it just made my tea taste that much better thanks

[@MeiLeaf]

Great thank you!

[@adamfroman7983]

Really great videos!

[@NeoSimSim]

Thank you for all your wisdom 🙏

[@TraveltheRedRoad]

I just broke the lid on my gaiwan. Your rubbing salt in my wound bro

[@MeiLeaf]

Eeeeeek sorry!

[@magetaaaaaa]

Same thing happened to me a while back. Luckily gaiwans are cheap, so I was able to get another one for around 10 bucks.

[@kinghazzah]

Ouch, I've got my lid but can't find the bottom "saucer"!

[@Yogunjob]

same here, but i used golden glue to glue it (Kitsugi style). Looks nice, but i recommend buying just golden pottery glue at a hobby shop, not the very expensive ones on the internet since most gaiwans are cheaper then that glue ;)

[@g.m.9180]

Job Harink hobby shop glues are usually not made to sustain 100°c repeatedly and may leak toxic petrochemicals in your tea, I’d be wary

[@sometimesiwander7146]

Great video. Thx!

[@jetzkiiii]

Thank you for this Video...

[@nkrino]

Many thanks for your video! It is really helpfull! Have you ever been try the Hario tea dripper LARGO? If yes, what do you think about this device? Would You reccommend? or comparison with a gaiwan? Thank You for your answer!

[@Moksha0108]

Aww, I´m going to buy Gaiwans.. Excellent video, very good info.

[@MeiLeaf]

Once you become a Gaiwan head it is the go-to brewer.

[@pde442]

Good video

[@soupisgoodfood42]

I tried to improvise a gaiwan with a similar-looking tea cup and the flat steel lid of my glass teapot. A lot of effort must go in to getting the gaiwan shapes right, because I just poured tea down the side of the cup and off the base. I think I got 40% into the pot. Will be ordering a proper gaiwan ASAP...

[@lilalolpop]

Hey Don keep up the great videos bro, what website would you recommend buying tea and teaware from?

[@MeiLeaf]

Ummmmm well of course I would say our one (www.chinalifeweb.com) :)

[@buttiaassdd3025]

I restore my normality when coming to watch your tea videos, thanks.

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks, that is a lovely compliment for us.

[@buttiaassdd3025]

Mom doesn't believe in the power of tea, although I tried to convince her! + I would love to visit your tea shop @London.

[@jeng6786]

Bought a gaiwan and it came in yesterday. Sadly I only have one tea that I bought from a tea shop that seems like it only has one tea that doesnt have additional added flavors and it's not my flavor of tea. Very vegital, savory, and tastes like asparagus (I dislike asparagus) so I don't have too much use yet. But I'm using my gaiwan to try to find a way to make the tea somewhat edible (by using less leaves because the after taste is actually pretty good. Like wildflowers but savory and sweet with some grassy tones to it. And sadly still has asparagus taste. But maybe it'll grow on me). I ordered some sample tea from your shop and I'm waiting for it and am looking forward to it. (It's gave me a tracking number but the number says no tracking available so I guess it'll get here when it gets here) Edit: I contacted them and they sent me better tracking information. It arrived and I am pleased.

[@Morbolitious]

Thank you!

[@Bothermewithdetails]

cool tea shirt

[@skyatianlan2356]

For some reason I really like that shirt

[@w0033944]

Just a thought on the "correct" way to hold the gaiwan. I have a disability which, among its other effects, causes me to have comparatively smaller and weaker hands than most adult males. I've just bought a gaiwan, and find the "correct" hold uncomfortable and unstable. It was bad enough practising with cold water - the thought of trying to use it that way with hot tea in it isn't one I'd care to contemplate. By contrast, the "incorrect" method was not only much more comfortable, but significantly more controllable and stable (which must surely be the deciding criteria). I avoided the 'steam on the hand' problem by not tipping the gaiwan parallel with my thumb, but slightly offset so that the gap from which steam can be released was between the outer edge of my index finger and the inner edge of my thumb. While I appreciate that the usual technique is preferable for most, I do think that there's a potential problem if we're being dogmatic about it and dismissing other techniques as being 'incorrect', as this may be unhelpful to those with smaller, weaker hands. Thanks to your videos, I've learned a significant amount about higher-quality tea, and I am now a satisfied customer. Whatever it is you're doing to produce such high-quality, informative and (for a retailer) honest content, I'm sure many of us would urge you to continue doing it!

[@MeiLeaf]

Thanks Chris and I am pleased that you found a way to hold the Gaiwan comfortably. I did not intend to suggest that the other way was incorrect but give advice on what I find preferable but certainly I understand what you mean and when we use a much larger Gaiwan then this method is more comfortable.

[@w0033944]

Hi Don - since I typed that comment, I managed to drop that gaiwan (which was a 160 ml type), and have replacedit with a smaller 100 ml one, which I do hold in the way you describe.

[@Synday]

thank you bro

[@pylinc]

this is very helpful! but what size is your gaiwan? i tried holding it your way and with my gaiwan and hand size, it's impossible :-(

[@LoopResistant]

Hey, quick question - if a tea has a twenty second steep time do I pour out at 20 seconds or do I count the pour time along with the steep time? Cheers!

[@moldveien1515]

After visiting Taiwan i have seen my heresy, of drinking tea bags, specificaly earl gray from twinings all my life, and now realise that real tea is much better. ruby red, and gui fei oolong are so good. that i have probobly a kilo of it with me home on the plane haha.

[@rans0927]

I’m not sure how many people know that gai wan itself is a drinking cup too. In many tea houses in China, people just drink directly from gai wan. If you are not a tea snob, drinking directly from gai wan is simple and easy

[@MirrorscapeDC]

but, the leaves are in there? you would end up with both over-brewed tea and probably get leaves into your mouth?

[@Number8z]

thanks for the video, does anyone know what kind of kettle he uses that retains the heat?

[@Mindful_TEA_Break]

Nice video, good tips :)) I remember when I started my journey with gaiwan brewing few times I had a problem that the lid slipped under my index finger while I was pouring the tea. I guess practise help because I don't see this problem anymore. But it's good to know it might happen if the angle of the lid is not correct - think I was having too wide gap. I've seen also many people placing thumb and second finger on a plate beneath instead of the top of gaiwan (index finger placed the same way) - it works pretty well too and give better protection from the heat but might be a bit harder for beginners ;)

[@MeiLeaf]

Interesting we have not experienced that way of holding the Gaiwan! We will give it a try.

[@jakeornot6306]

oh dear lord - a "journey" with gaiwan brewing. It's just for a cup of tea.

[@lynxmauls]

@@jakeornot6306 there's a pretty large culture around tea in China, the "journey" is surprisingly very important to some people. From what I've seen so far it seems to be a sort of meditative thing. To be fair I'm not speaking from experience, so I don't know much, but I've done a little research and it's actually pretty cool how much thought some put into the process of brewing a cup of tea

[@soupisgoodfood42]

Is the gaiwan you use in this video the same as the range of white 100ml gaiwans you sell in your store?

[@howlinhauler]

I use my gaiwon as a tea cup and brew my tea in a hohin ; )

[@ugubandubuisitv]

Awesome

[@irfanhermansah7480]

Thankyou

[@cantavemirchelle2127]

Nice

[@wongfeihung1847]

I'm like SUPER happy right now! My uncle was in China recently, and he came back with a gift for me! Guess what it was? It was 大紅袍 Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe) tea!! So EXCITED!

[@MeiLeaf]

Mmmmm yum. We will be doing a DHP video in a couple of weeks as this is a very misunderstood tea. ENJOY!!!!!!

[@wongfeihung1847]

Mei Leaf I've actually compared some different qualities of Big Red Robe tea. The tea he purchased was quite high quality, though of course not the highEST quality since it wouldn't be affordable. It still cost him $1,500 CAD per kg.

[@humbertsin7575]

Hi, do you know how I can change the mesh on a tea filter?

[@TheKogly]

I use a marigold glove as I always Finnish up with blisters on my fingers

[@paulfogarty7724]

That's a nice little gaiwan..maybe if you had tea in it like the other one, it would'nt tip up when you place the lid on the side ?...

[@overratedprogrammer]

When should you use a gaiwan and when should you use a pot?

[@michaelfranciotti3900]

I've heard that the tea leaves should have a lot of space to open up. Does the gaiwan do this? They look small.

[@mdc2utube]

Can you help us expand our breath of knowledge and appreciation by covering unusual types of tea like Yaupon (Holly) teas.

[@MeiLeaf]

We will try to do some tisane videos in the future.

[@RebeccaChido]

Just feel OnLive with, where can l get it

[@enzogorlomi5300]

What is the purpose of scraping off the bubbles ?

[@RonaldBuskens]

Hi Don, nice video! The gaiwan looks more white in the video compared to the pictures on your site. Which is a good thing, personally. So I'm interested in it, but I was wondering what kind of porcelain it's made of? Thanks.

[@MeiLeaf]

This is non-porous and high fired porcelain. Do you need any other details?

[@RonaldBuskens]

Congratulations on your name change! I don't think I'll be needing more details. Just the reason why I asked is because the price for your gaiwan is a little higher compared to others I've seen. But I'm very interested in it so probably you'll get to sell one more pretty soon :)

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes we tried a LOT of gaiwans at various price points and this one has been road tested for a few months and is the winner!

[@RonaldBuskens]

Good to know! Thanks!

[@halfknots]

How can I shop for this type of tea tray?

[@mariusvalys6041]

Cooll

[@BradDunn]

Do you have any videos on water to tea ratios? I find when I brew tea, its never dark, like, ever. And when I see how much tea you have in a gaiwan, it looks like heaps more than what I use. Do you have a kind of rule of thumb for tea ratios?

[@DG-mv6zw]

Yeah he's done a video on water/leaf ratio. I thing it's called "Gong Fu method of brewing". Pretty sure the ratio is generally one third tea , two thirds water, but I'm sure there are exceptions. The video goes into the variables such as tea/water ratios, water temperature and brewing time. I'm a novice, but hope this helps, mate.

[@pedrosiqueira97319]

what is the problem with the bubbles ?

[@adamfroman7983]

Do you need a filter with a Guiwan ?

[@Akumathemaster]

Would you recommend to brew all kind of teas with the gaiwan or would you exclude some of them for any reasons, like the leaf being not too large? (I am mostly interested if japanese green teas fit well here) Cheers !

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes I like to brew all types of tea in a Gaiwan. Of course some teaware is more suited to some tea but the Gaiwan is pretty universal. With Japanese greens the issue is the leaf particles blocking the filter so having a teapot with a filter before the stainless steel filter is probably the best way to brew.

[@jakeornot6306]

@@MeiLeaf But why on earth would you brew tea this way.

[@tomcarterpianist]

@@jakeornot6306 Because it works so well. With a gaiwan, you have the most control of any teaware. You can control the aperture size by adjusting the lid before pouring to keep the leaves in. It's much easier to clean than a teapot. The opening is larger and more open than a teapot, so you can smell the leaves better. The amount you leave the lid on determines the rate of cooling, so that's another area where there is more control than a teapot. There is also a real charm in the simplicity and aesthetic of a gaiwan.

[@paulproductions9213]

why is the glass Gaiwan for Green tea better?

[@MeiLeaf]

Glass releases heat faster so the tea leaves brew on more of cooling trajectory.

[@jaakkokuja]

Hey Don! With a gaiwan, should I keep the lid on between infusions or lid off? Do the leaves "boil"?

[@mothershelper1981]

Pardon me for stepping in but it's been two years since you asked this and you never got an answer so I thought I would just pass on that he said either in this video or the one that I just watched before this that you leave the lid off so that the leaves can start drying and don't stay too moist in the container.

[@paschalisantoniou974]

what about clay gaiwan?

[@ladyhangaku2072]

What is the reason for not wanting any bubbles? It's "just" the tea wash, so why is it important to move them away? Thank you for this detailed tutorial :3

[@MeiLeaf]

The bubbles on the tea can mean different things and in most cases they show tea which is rich in certain compounds that are desirable. The reason we like to move bubbles away for the wash is because if it is from impurities then you risk them getting stuck to the lid or staying in the leaves even when you pour out the wash and this is the perfect opportunity to skim them off.

[@ladyhangaku2072]

Alright, good to know! Thanks :3

[@wjaiv]

When you rinse the leaves, do you use cool water?

[@marcusmckinlay7749]

wjaiv hot

[@Nurr0]

What is that tray thing that you use in these videos?

[@MeiLeaf]

+Cyan its called a Gong Fu Guru!

[@MauriceGucci]

I’ve been taking a deep dive into tea culture for the past 6 hours and have been also watching this guys videos (very helpful btw, thx). But I’m seriously wondering what the heck is he always doing on his phone? It is driving me insane. I won’t ever sleep again until I know.

[@cats_are_love]

same. maybe scrolling a script?

[@Shteve84]

He's adjusting the focus of the camera when he shows something closeup and then adjusting it back again.

[@daniel.lopresti]

Checking up on Instagram. obviously...

[@TobiasGeisel]

Hi. Fan you rekommandier a good Young shu pu erh? I have tried some pu erh and I am rather disappointed...

[@MeiLeaf]

If you are searching for a good Shu PuErh I would recomment our 1998 Black Yunnan Tuo. I would not recommend young Shu PuErh as they are more likely to carry the fishy notes of the composting process. chinalifeweb.com/shop/product/tea-yubc/

[@TobiasGeisel]

Okay, thank you, ah, you sell tea also. I didn´t realize this at first! Okay, in this case, can you also recommend a gong fu set for me? Just for me (small one)? I usually drink tea alone. Sounds sad, but it isn´t :-). My friends are all coffee drinkers or like herbal "tea". haha I will soon order at your store!

[@MeiLeaf]

We sell the Gong Fu Guru (chinalifeweb.com/shop/product/guru/) which is the perfect size for 1-4 people. If it is too big for you then maybe buy some Gong Fu teaware (chinalifeweb.com/shop/category/tea-trays-and-ceremony-sets/) and search for a 'teaboat' to catch water. We are trying to source one but have not found our stock but maybe elsewhere online you can find something.

[@TobiasGeisel]

Okay, thank you! Well, yes, I was looking for something really small for at work. Well, the second clue is what I looked for, so, guess I´ll order some tea now, you make fantastic videos!

[@kinghazzah]

OOOHHH, can't wait till you find a teaboat that suits you, again I love your attention to quality of product and detail!! They're out there to purchase but I like getting them from a concerned purveyor of quality tea products...hey that's Don Mei!

[@denny.wanderer]

I should have watched this 5 minutes ago before my first attemt. It was very hot at the fingers because I didnt hold it properly and also pouring was quite messy.

[@EvenTheDogAgrees]

Heh, yeah, it often helps to watch the instructions again before doing something new. In the three months it took me to finally acquire my gaiwan, I completely forgot you were supposed to use it with larger tea leaves. I got one of those gaiwan with a sieve in the lid, and I was wondering what kind of idiot would design it so that there's still a relatively large aperture under the sieve that permitted my finely cut earl grey to escape with the water. :') Take two, now with some nice Oolong. Yup, this is more like it. :D

[@denny.wanderer]

@@EvenTheDogAgrees Oolong is my all time favourite. Cant go wrong with that. I have tried dozens of chinese teas, the one I liked the most are fenghuang dancong (Oolong) and Huang Shan Mao Feng (green) You should definitely try them if you havent already.

[@EvenTheDogAgrees]

@@denny.wanderer Yup, I just ordered an assortment of pu-erh teas as well, since I haven't had that yet. Oolong definitely was an acquired taste though. First time I drank it I found it to be quite disgusting. ;)

[@denny.wanderer]

@@EvenTheDogAgrees thats how I was feeling about pu-erh when I first tried it. But if its a good pu-erh brand they can be quite delicious. I think they get better the more steeps you are making. First few steeps taste too "earthy" for my liking.

[@EvenTheDogAgrees]

@@denny.wanderer Alright, man, thanks for the tips. Have a great one!

[@TheJonnyJager]

So you should hold the Gaiwan like a catfish... I think I can do that!

[@oscars4107]

Practice pouring with cold water.until you have the nack😊

[@katierose1893]

6:19-6:59 he brewed it for only 40 seconds?

[@lennutrajektoor]

BTW you had Gaiwan where saucer had hole in the middle. Is that some special Gaiwan? This one has one-piece saucer.

[@MeiLeaf]

Yes the ones with the holes in the saucer are great because they do not any of the tea but harder to find - we picked that one up at a market and we thought of selling it but the volume is too large - 200ml

[@kinghazzah]

Please still consider getting few of them for those of us TEA HEADS who just really want one! I've not seen the saucer with the whole before the one you used in the video. Don't go CRAZY (don't want you to get stuck with 10000 of them) but whatever you can do would be appreciated.

[@thomashewittknewit5510]

What's the most healthiest tea to drink

[@MeiLeaf]

THAT is a big question without any definitive answers. Most clinical studies are done with Green tea because the EGCG in vitro is the highest and scientists put a lot of attention on the antioxidant effects but the thinking is changing so we cannot be certain if Green is definitely healthier than any other tea. It depends on what health benefits you would like to achieve too. In general if you force us into a corner to pick one tea given all the knowledge that we have then we would say that tea high in Theanine and EGCG would be a good bet - matcha and high theanine shade grown tea or Jade Sword (chinalifeweb.com/shop/product/tea-ajgc/).

[@thomashewittknewit5510]

Mei Leaf : ok thank you for the info 👍

[@proman84]

Haha, I always thought white teas were the healthiest :). It is good to have a good range of fresh healthy teas and that certainly includes green tea.

[@TobiasGeisel]

Can you recommand... autocorrection....

[@lenoretalon9958]

Tea wash😂 Isn’t that the tea you dump for your enemy

[@KloudAlpha]

Why do you keep looking at your phone? I know it's probably a video editing structure thing but it makes you look like your addicted to your phone lol

[@MeiLeaf]

I focus with my phone, sorry I am trying to break the habit of checking the focussing.

[@itszdenny]

It was fairly clear you were checking the focus with the phone, especially when you brought the gaiwan closer to the camera. I was not bothered by it.

[@hertrisno8146]

not really, as long as he uses it for the video purposes.

[@macronom]

Far too much talking.

[@tanghingtung5897]

The technique shown is too wet and aggressive. The brewing can also be performed dry, avoid over filling the water, and then the tea poured elegantly...

[@BadButNotSad]

Please stop the fake smiles, it's disgusting!