The inclusiveness of Tea is immense. A set of lidded bowls, a Teapot, or even the simplest cup, grab a pinch of tea leaves and Brew them with water, and you have a cup of tea. Yet, tea can also be picky. Different people and brewing techniques all influence the final taste of the tea infusion, which is one of the fundamental skills that tea enthusiasts tirelessly practice. Today, we introduce five pouring techniques for brewing tea in a lidded bowl, suitable for different types of tea. Let's explore them together! Suitable for various types of tea, it is recommended to save this information.

One: Along the Edge, Fixed Point, High Pour

Suitable for: Tieguanyin, Phoenix Dancong, Oolong, and other teas with high aroma.

Pour water along the edge at a fixed point after suspending the teapot high above the bowl. The water hits the rim of the bowl, causing the tea leaves to tumble up and down within the bowl. The forceful water flow from a high altitude makes the tea leaves tumble within the bowl. The tea and water come into contact at a relatively high temperature, achieving a high degree of immersion and fusion right away. This also increases friction with the air, quickly releasing the aroma that greets your nose and refreshes your spirit.

Two: Centered, Fixed Point, Low Pour

Suitable for: aged white tea, Pu'er, Zhangping Shuixian, and other chunky compressed teas.

Pour as close to the lidded bowl as possible, with the water landing directly on top of the tea in the center. This helps the tea leaves unfurl quickly, allowing the aroma to gradually spread outward.

Three: Along the Edge, Fixed Point, Low Pour

Suitable for: broken loose tea or large quantities of tea.

Pour slightly above the rim of the bowl, with the water landing at a fixed point on the edge. Pour slowly; this is the gentlest pouring technique, allowing the tea and water to slowly blend. The resulting tea will be more mellow. This method is the most delicate and is typically used to avoid too much bitterness from rapid and excessive extraction of the tea. If too much tea is accidentally added or if the tea is finely broken, use a single-side fixed-point pour and quickly pour out the infusion.

Four: Fixed Point, Circular, Low Pour

Suitable for: Silver Needle white tea, green tea, jasmine tea, Jin Jun Mei, and other tender bud teas.

The water flows around the edge of the lidded bowl in a circular motion. If the teapot pours a large volume of water, rotate quickly; if the spout is narrow and the flow is slow, rotate more slowly, ensuring at least one full circle so that all the tea leaves are moistened. Hot water flowing down the walls of the lidded bowl cools further, preventing the delicate bud teas from being scalded.

Five: Central Spiral or Covering Low Pour

Suitable for: loose white tea, loose raw Pu'er, and other teas with loose strands that easily float.

In a central spiral pour, pour hot water from the center of the lidded bowl in an outward spiral. These types of teas tend to float, and pouring in a spiral from above ensures that the tea in the middle also comes into full contact with the water, allowing better and faster blending of tea and water. Alternatively, pour in a sequential “N” pattern to ensure all the tea leaves are infused.