Tea enthusiasts should know that the commonly used tea-to-water ratio is 1:50, using 50 milliliters of water for every gram of tea. However, Oolong tea and compressed teas are a bit special, with a ratio of 1:30.

For meticulous tea enthusiasts, they might prepare an accurate electronic scale before brewing to measure the exact grams. But for those who are less concerned about such details, it can seem overly rigid and also more troublesome in practice. So how do you Brew tea well without strict measurements? The answer is the volume-based tea measurement method.

Green tea is widely recognized as the freshest among all types of tea. After rolling, the soluble substances come out quickly, so when brewing with a Gaiwan, just enough tea to cover the bottom of the gaiwan is sufficient.

During the brewing process, there are two points to note: one is not to cover the gaiwan lid, which would spoil the tea broth; the other is to avoid too high water temperature, which can easily make the tea broth bitter and astringent.

The tea quantity for Black Tea is similar to green tea, covering the bottom of the gaiwan but slightly more than for green tea.

However, if brewing broken black tea, its infusion speed is much faster and it's less durable, so the tea quantity should be halved.

Oolong Tea, depending on its shape, can be roughly divided into strip oolong and ball oolong. The tea quantity for strip oolong is about 1/5 to 1/3 of the gaiwan's capacity, while ball oolong just needs to cover the bottom.

Additionally, because of its unique shape, ball oolong unfolds slowly, so a warming rinse is typically used to spread out the leaves.

The tea quantity for compressed teas is about 1/5 of the gaiwan's capacity. Since some compressed teas are tightly packed and have a higher density, the tea quantity can be adjusted downward.

There is also the saying that compressed teas under three years old should be brewed uncovered, while those over three years old should be brewed covered. Tea enthusiasts may refer to this guideline.

White tea, which is not rolled, is made from fresh leaves after withering and drying, making the dry tea generally lighter and fluffier, thus requiring a larger tea quantity. Loose white tea should occupy about 3/4 or 1/2 of the gaiwan's capacity, while white tea cakes should occupy about 1/5 of the gaiwan's capacity.

White tea is relatively easy to “control,” and it's not easily over-brewed. If you need to impress at an important occasion, choose white tea confidently!

Citrus Pu'er tea can be brewed with a free-flowing cup, typically sized at 350ml. The tea quantity for citrus Pu'er is roughly enough to cover the bottom of the cup, plus breaking off 4-5 small pieces of the citrus peel along the edge (the ratio of tea to citrus peel can be adjusted according to personal preference). The water level should be about 4/5 full of the free-flowing cup. Let it sit for 3-5 minutes, then remove the filter cup to enjoy.

In fact, brewing tea isn't difficult, nor does it require memorizing too many rules. It's a process that improves with practice. With more brewing experience, we naturally find the most suitable tea quantity based on our own taste preferences.