Tea Brewing Guide: Six Methods for Pouring Tea Water With a Gaiwan
Shao Yūgen
Pouring water might seem like just filling up your teapot, but it actually plays a big role in how your tea turns out. Think of it like playing a drum: you can create deep, resonant sounds or high, delicate ones. Every choice shapes the personality of your tea.
Even a simple drumbeat can sound different depending on who plays it. A monk’s calm state will produce a different sound than a stressed person. Similarly, the way you pour water reveals a lot about your inner state.
1. Technique: The height, strength, finesse, and speed of your pour affect the tea’s taste. Understanding your tea’s character and using the right technique shows basic respect for the tea.
2. Body Awareness: Beyond technique, feeling how your body engages in the pouring process can influence the tea. This awareness can help shift your body from tension to relaxation.
3. Mind Awareness: Being mindful of your thoughts and feelings while pouring helps bring your focus back.
The tea you brew reflects your current mental state, whether calm or chaotic, giving you insight into yourself.
This article will focus on the technical aspects of pouring water, specifically using a gaiwan. The design of the spout and water outlet of Yixing clay / Zisha teapots is different, which I will cover in a separate article.
Purpose
The height increases the impact force, enhancing oxygenation and better blending with the tea. The rapid flow of water creates a vortex that stirs the tea, enhancing its fresh flavor and elevating its aroma.
Position
At the 7:30 position, about 1.5 times the height of the gaiwan, pouring to the bottom.
Force
Fast yet gentle, can be thick or thin.
Best For
High-aroma teas, ball-shaped oolong, bud-shaped black teas to enhance aroma and liveliness.
Purpose
Lower height and gentle pouring create a delicate, smooth, and mellow mouthfeel.
Position
At the 7:30 position, about 2-3 cm high.
Force
Light, slow, and gentle, can be thick or thin.
Best For
Aged teas, including oolong, raw and ripe Pu-erh. Over the years, the internal structure of these teas loosens and settles, making them suitable for a gentle infusion with water to appreciate a calm, soothing brew.
Purpose
Quickly merges tea leaves with water, evenly releasing substances, enhancing aroma and flavor.
Position
About 1.5 times the height of the gaiwan, pouring to the bottom in a circular motion.
Force
Fast yet gentle, can be thick or thin.
Best For
High-aroma oolong teas like Rock tea, Phoenix Dancong, and high-aroma black teas.
Purpose
Pouring along the gaiwan rim cushions the water impact, preventing over-agitation of the leaves. This method creates a long, smooth, and gentle taste.
Position
Pour along the cup wall in a circular motion.
Force
Light and gentle, can be thick or thin.
Best For
Tender white or green teas.
Purpose
Using a 45-degree angle creates a whirlpool, enhancing the tea’s aroma and giving the taste a lift.
Position
At the 7:30 position, with the spout at a 45-degree angle to the gaiwan wall, about 2-3 cm high.
Force
Fast, can be thick or thin.
Best For
Strip-shaped oolong teas, high-aroma black teas.
Purpose
Helps larger and lighter leaves soak and release flavor quickly, making the tea taste fresher.
Position
Pour in an M shape over the leaves.
Force
Light and fast, can be thick or thin.
Best For
The first brew of white or green teas. After the leaves are wet, better avoid pouring directly on the leaves. (The alternative way is pour at a fixed point and use the lid to push the leaves into the water.)
There are many tea brewing methods online that claim this approach can quickly and evenly integrate tea with water, suggesting it doesn't matter if the tea is of good quality. From my perspective, tea leaves are delicate. Pouring water directly onto them is akin to slapping someone, a kind of violent treatment of tea. Through my experience of tea meditation, I've sensed that this method can make the tea a more stimulating mouthfeel, amplifying its astringency. However, this difference is very subtle, and everyone's sensitivity varies; some may not perceive the difference. If you want to experiment, try brewing tea grown from tree (not from bush), where these differences might be more noticeable. Similarly, when brewing such tea, avoiding direct contact with the leaves can help prevent astringency.
The above techniques are general recommendations and should still be adapted based on the specific tea. For instance, black tea varies due to differences in leaf age, processing methods, and varietals, resulting in variations such as high-aroma types, full-bodied types, or aged black teas.
If we broadly summarize pouring techniques, height and impact can evoke the aroma of tea, akin to the energetic freshness of a waterfall. Conversely, gentle and low pouring resembles the tranquility of a lake, enhancing smoothness and gentleness in the tea. Between these two extremes lies the space where we can freely create.
The key is to understand the character of the tea, knowing how each technique will affect the outcome, and being clear about the expression you want when brewing tea. In this state, we can craft tea soup like an artist envisions their creation.
Ultimately, it all comes back to us. Brewing tea mindfully infuses our present state into every cup. Thus, in this moment, we're not just drinking tea; we're gaining insight into our current state of mind.
Even a simple drumbeat can sound different depending on who plays it. A monk’s calm state will produce a different sound than a stressed person. Similarly, the way you pour water reveals a lot about your inner state.
Overview of the three levels of water pouring
1. Technique: The height, strength, finesse, and speed of your pour affect the tea’s taste. Understanding your tea’s character and using the right technique shows basic respect for the tea.
2. Body Awareness: Beyond technique, feeling how your body engages in the pouring process can influence the tea. This awareness can help shift your body from tension to relaxation.
3. Mind Awareness: Being mindful of your thoughts and feelings while pouring helps bring your focus back.
The tea you brew reflects your current mental state, whether calm or chaotic, giving you insight into yourself.
This article will focus on the technical aspects of pouring water, specifically using a gaiwan. The design of the spout and water outlet of Yixing clay / Zisha teapots is different, which I will cover in a separate article.
Pouring Techniques / Methods
1. High Pouring at a Fixed Point
Purpose
The height increases the impact force, enhancing oxygenation and better blending with the tea. The rapid flow of water creates a vortex that stirs the tea, enhancing its fresh flavor and elevating its aroma.
Position
At the 7:30 position, about 1.5 times the height of the gaiwan, pouring to the bottom.
Force
Fast yet gentle, can be thick or thin.
Best For
High-aroma teas, ball-shaped oolong, bud-shaped black teas to enhance aroma and liveliness.
2. Low Pouring at a Fixed Point
Purpose
Lower height and gentle pouring create a delicate, smooth, and mellow mouthfeel.
Position
At the 7:30 position, about 2-3 cm high.
Force
Light, slow, and gentle, can be thick or thin.
Best For
Aged teas, including oolong, raw and ripe Pu-erh. Over the years, the internal structure of these teas loosens and settles, making them suitable for a gentle infusion with water to appreciate a calm, soothing brew.
3.High Circular Pouring (into the gaiwan bottom)
Purpose
Quickly merges tea leaves with water, evenly releasing substances, enhancing aroma and flavor.
Position
About 1.5 times the height of the gaiwan, pouring to the bottom in a circular motion.
Force
Fast yet gentle, can be thick or thin.
Best For
High-aroma oolong teas like Rock tea, Phoenix Dancong, and high-aroma black teas.
4.Low Circular Pouring (along the gaiwan rim)
Purpose
Pouring along the gaiwan rim cushions the water impact, preventing over-agitation of the leaves. This method creates a long, smooth, and gentle taste.
Position
Pour along the cup wall in a circular motion.
Force
Light and gentle, can be thick or thin.
Best For
Tender white or green teas.
5. 45-Degree Angle Pouring
Purpose
Using a 45-degree angle creates a whirlpool, enhancing the tea’s aroma and giving the taste a lift.
Position
At the 7:30 position, with the spout at a 45-degree angle to the gaiwan wall, about 2-3 cm high.
Force
Fast, can be thick or thin.
Best For
Strip-shaped oolong teas, high-aroma black teas.
6. M-Shaped Pouring
Purpose
Helps larger and lighter leaves soak and release flavor quickly, making the tea taste fresher.
Position
Pour in an M shape over the leaves.
Force
Light and fast, can be thick or thin.
Best For
The first brew of white or green teas. After the leaves are wet, better avoid pouring directly on the leaves. (The alternative way is pour at a fixed point and use the lid to push the leaves into the water.)
Avoid Pouring Directly on the Tea Leaves
There are many tea brewing methods online that claim this approach can quickly and evenly integrate tea with water, suggesting it doesn't matter if the tea is of good quality. From my perspective, tea leaves are delicate. Pouring water directly onto them is akin to slapping someone, a kind of violent treatment of tea. Through my experience of tea meditation, I've sensed that this method can make the tea a more stimulating mouthfeel, amplifying its astringency. However, this difference is very subtle, and everyone's sensitivity varies; some may not perceive the difference. If you want to experiment, try brewing tea grown from tree (not from bush), where these differences might be more noticeable. Similarly, when brewing such tea, avoiding direct contact with the leaves can help prevent astringency.
Summary
The above techniques are general recommendations and should still be adapted based on the specific tea. For instance, black tea varies due to differences in leaf age, processing methods, and varietals, resulting in variations such as high-aroma types, full-bodied types, or aged black teas.
If we broadly summarize pouring techniques, height and impact can evoke the aroma of tea, akin to the energetic freshness of a waterfall. Conversely, gentle and low pouring resembles the tranquility of a lake, enhancing smoothness and gentleness in the tea. Between these two extremes lies the space where we can freely create.
The key is to understand the character of the tea, knowing how each technique will affect the outcome, and being clear about the expression you want when brewing tea. In this state, we can craft tea soup like an artist envisions their creation.
Ultimately, it all comes back to us. Brewing tea mindfully infuses our present state into every cup. Thus, in this moment, we're not just drinking tea; we're gaining insight into our current state of mind.