Brick tea and cake tea need to be loosened with a tea pick or tea knife first, and then brewed. Mini tuocha, some of which are pre-portioned to exactly 5 grams or 10 grams, can be brewed directly without loosening, which is more convenient.

Tuocha, mini tuocha, brick tea, and cake tea share a common characteristic: they are relatively compact. Therefore, the first infusion should be brewed with boiling water and steeped for about 8 seconds to allow the tea leaves to open up. This process can also be called rinsing the tea. Some teas require two rinses, in which case the water temperature should be lowered and the brewing time reduced.

The degree of fermentation of the tea leaves obviously requires different water temperatures. Fully fermented teas, such as ripe Pu-erh and aged raw Pu-erh, require boiling water and longer steeping to bring out the flavor of the tea leaves.

However, some teas with very low fermentation levels can also be brewed with boiling water and longer steeping, such as Yunnan white tea. Brewing with boiling water and longer steeping yields a very delicious taste, feeling full of charm.

New tea and old tea require different water temperatures.

New tea should be brewed with relatively lower water temperature; old tea should be rinsed with boiling water, after which a slightly lower water temperature can be used.

Tender tea and coarse tea.

Tender tea should be brewed with lower temperature water, such as green tea, while coarse tea should be brewed with boiling water and longer steeping, such as ripe Pu-erh.