On Tue, 9 Mar 2004 22:20:58 -0800, "Blues Lyne"
> cast caution to the wind and posted:

>I've been using one tsp per cup for my taste tests. I've been doing some
>reading and see that many like to do puerh Gong Fu style. I don't have any
>clay pots, but should I be filling the cup 1/3 to 1/2 full of leaves for my
>trials? Am I totally missing out? I want to make the most of the samples I
>have. If it would be better to use all of the sample to have one great
>night of multiple infusions as opposed to having several evenings of
>mediocre cups of tea, I'm game.
>
>Blues
>


Gongfu literally means "with skill". It is as much about the "art" of
preparing tea as it is about drinking it. I would recommend starting
out slow and work your way up to gongfu. Get to "know" the tea first.
Let your taste buds be your guide for a while as to how much tea to
use. If the cup tastes a little weak use more leaf, if its a little
strong use a little less. Learn the results of different steeping
times by playing a bit. Play with multiple infusions, increasing your
steep time a little with each infusion, they tend to have different
subtleties. Which infusion tastes the best to you? Learn the effects
of temperature on your green puerh by playing with it, note the
differences it makes on the bitterness and sweetness etc. Only after
you have developed a relationship with your tea would I recommend
graduating to gongfu, by then you will have learned to appreciate all
of the subtleties that this type of preparation brings out.

BTW check out the Aria Teapot at Adagio teas. I have found it to be an
inexpensive yet wonderful way to brew tea, It lends itself well to
multiple infusions. I have posted instructions for using this method
at http://www.pu-erh.net/howtobrew.html



Mike Petro
http://www.pu-erh.net
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