How To Brew Yancha With a Gaiwan (In Depth)

[@Elim1974]

I recently started my tea journey. The way you explain and present is very calm and clear, this is very helpful. Thank you for sharing these video's.

[@kongmountaintea387]

I'm so glad to know you find it helpful! Enjoy your tea journey!

[@Whitemoon1626]

Amazing knowledge about tea process YOU have. Fantastic TEA presenting🎉. 🙏.

[@ayoitselaine]

This was so helpful, educational and clear! Thank you for creating this video :)

[@kongmountaintea387]

Thank you for your kind words! I'm glad it's helpful!

[@YushangChen]

Glad to hear you talk in the video, it's better than the silence video, thanks for your sharing.

[@kongmountaintea387]

Talking in the video is definitely a new experience for me! Thanks for your kind words and encouragement ;)

[@TeaSmithWay]

You’re an interesting character; quite a sweet soul actually. Particularly loved your response when the gaiwan was too hot - I know exactly the feeling of having to keep pouring to your guests while your fingers are in pain! 😂 I’ve been brewing gongfu since around 2005, and still learnt a few new perspectives (like not discarding the first brew!). Thanks for the sharing your time and interest here.

[@kongmountaintea387]

Wow, it's been 19 years since you started brewing in the gongfu style. I'm impressed! My first impactful experience was back in 2013 when I was a college student spending my whole summer at my cousin's tea house. Back then, the gaiwans I used were thinner and harder to grab; my fingertips were always in pain! As you mentioned, there are always new perspectives to learn in the tea world, which makes the journey an endless joy! I'm so happy to connect with you!

[@TeaSmithWay]

Ah lovely thank you for sharing your beginning! Yes since 2005 - but I sometimes practice very casual, and sometimes very seriously to refine my learning - so yes a long time I guess - but very relaxed pace of learning ;) I love a very thin gaiwan. They’re beautiful and delicate to hold :)

[@kongmountaintea387]

@@TeaSmithWay I feel the same! Gaiwan is always my first go to in terms of choosing a teaware to use ;)

[@prcr]

Thanks for this detailed and graceful tutorial. Saving the first infusion to taste cold at the end adds a whole new delicious experience to the tea session!

[@kongmountaintea387]

So glad you tried it!

[@MisterMeow-vt8kl]

Wonderful video and you are the first that I know of to save the first pour. I actually prefer that as if you’re buying premium tea, it should be high enough quality to drink immediately. As some say they rinse to remove impurities and pesticides. I’m afraid that if that’s the case those unwanted impurities etc will remain for subsequent steeping. Well done video, well spoken and very graceful movements. You have a very amicable personality. Best wishes and happy tea (cha) sessions to you and yours! Cheers!

[@kongmountaintea387]

Thank you for your kind words! Honestly, if there are pesticides, how much can a quick rinse do for the tea? Hope you try the method and techniques, happy steeping!

[@nigelinasia2088]

Yes, this is a really cool concept. What I love about gong fu style is that there are rules but then there are no rules. As my tea sensei in Tokyo told me, don't worry too much about following all the rules - be like Bruce Lee and pick and choose elements that appeal to you and create your own style.

[@ehayes7849]

An excellent 'how-to' tea video! Thank you!

[@kongmountaintea387]

Try the methods and let me know how it goes!

[@nigelinasia2088]

As mentioned by another commenter, you must be one of the first and few to suggest keeping the 洗茶 steep to the end. A variation that I do with my puerh in the evening is to steep the last few (tenth or eleventh) for a long duration (five to ten minutes) and store in the fridge for a refreshing drink in the morning.

[@kongmountaintea387]

I only suggest keeping the 洗茶 (first rinse) steep for Yancha (rocky oolong). Some aged puer cakes or white tea cakes still taste better after awakening, as the first steeping usually doesn’t release much flavor. I’ve never tried putting leftover tea in the fridge, but it must be so refreshing to drink it in the morning! There are so many ways to enjoy tea-keep exploring! ;)

[@TFlury]

Do you typically pour the first steep over a tea pet when discarding? I noticed you don't have one... is this considered silly in ceremonial tea sessions?

[@kongmountaintea387]

Great question! It's not silly, hahaha. Many tea lovers do that, and it's suitable for a laid-back and casual tea session. You will need a more traditional tea tray, which is usually wider and larger, with holes or a bottom carrier to catch the rinse or first steep. Pouring it over a tea pet is a personal preference; I sometimes do it, though not very often. In modern ceremonial tea sessions in China, people now prefer "dry brewing," which uses a waste bowl instead of a large tea tray to collect the rinse or discarded liquids. I personally think it's a neater and cleaner setup, so I prefer to set up my tea area this way. Both methods have their own charm and practicality. It ultimately comes down to your personal preference and the context in which the tea session is being held ;)

[@TFlury]

@@kongmountaintea387 Thank you for taking the time to respond. I see that it is less messy than using a tea tray.

[@wavecore2860]

i use distilled water as it prevents mineral buildup in my kettle

[@kongmountaintea387]

Thanks for sharing!

[@prcr]

I believe that using water that is too soft will affect the taste of the tea and prevent the brighter notes from showing up in your cup. You need some minerals to balance out the flavor of the tea.

[@Meskarune]

I use filtered tap water so it doesn't have any chlorine taste. I think at minimum filtering the water is important. For white tea or some green tea I might use a good bottled water.

[@keepsilence73]

🥰🥰🥰

[@kongmountaintea387]

😸😸

[@nigelinasia2088]

When using and pronoucing key words in Chinese, could you please superimpose the characters, too? Helps remember the meaning. *** You already do in some places. Thank you.

[@kongmountaintea387]

Thank you for the reminder! I always aim to include Chinese characters in my mind, but sometimes I forget during editing. I'll make sure to add them for new videos. Thanks for watching!

[@johnson3420]

加油！😆

[@kongmountaintea387]

谢谢！会继续努力！哈哈哈