How would I convert this brewing into Western style?

Semi-oxidized tea
Post Reply
User avatar
d.manuk
Posts: 655
Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2017 4:13 pm
Location: Dallas

Fri Dec 14, 2018 11:47 am

I currently brew a Baozhong with 5.7g per 120 ml, 1st steep 1:20 2nd 0:50, 3rd 1:50

How should I go about brewing it Western style so that it can have a similar taste profile?
User avatar
Victoria
Admin
Posts: 3043
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2017 3:33 pm
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Contact:

Fri Dec 14, 2018 2:17 pm

You will get a different flavor profile. With gongfu cha using more tea, and shorter steeps, the liquor is more condensed. Western style doesn’t work well with all teas. To experiment you might go from your current 5.7gr/120 ml/1:20, to 3.4gr/120ml/3:45 and see what happens. If it’s too strong you can add a little hot water, if it’s too weak you can add a few leaves :)
absence
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2018 3:44 pm

Sat Dec 15, 2018 3:34 pm

I've seen Western oriented vendors recommend anything between 2-7 minutes for oolong (including baozhong), but I'm not sure about the leaf ratio. There's no correct way, just experiment until you're happy with the result!
User avatar
Victoria
Admin
Posts: 3043
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2017 3:33 pm
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Contact:

Sat Dec 15, 2018 4:11 pm

Today I tried @Ethan Kurland’s Taiwan Championship Black camellia sinensis western style. It is really rich, sweet, spicy and complex gongfu style 6gr/100ml/195f/55sec., but brewed western at 9gr/300ml/195f/3:45min it looses some of its complexity and richness.
Ethan Kurland
Vendor
Posts: 1026
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2017 1:01 am
Location: Boston
Contact:

Sat Dec 15, 2018 9:47 pm

Victoria wrote:
Sat Dec 15, 2018 4:11 pm
Today I tried Ethan Kurland’s Taiwan Championship Black camellia sinensis western style. It is really rich, sweet, spicy and complex gongfu style 6gr/100ml/195f/55sec., but brewed western at 9gr/300ml/195f/3:45min it looses some of its complexity and richness.
Victoria, you are teaching me something about my own tea. I had been rotating this Championship Black with a cheaper, similar black. After running out of the cheaper and drinking only Championship, I started to wonder if it is much better. Now I realize that I had been drinking the Championship when my sisters visited. They get impatient so I got into the habit of gongfu style for their visits to take less time to brew (and also to not get annoyed with serving them a big cup that they say is delicious and then don't finish). Anyway, I think you are right. It is a black that really shines with more leaves, less time. The cheaper black Western style is its equal but provides only 2 excellent infusions, then really fades.
User avatar
ylin
New user
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:13 pm

Tue Mar 12, 2019 5:36 pm

What I do is I use an infuser that doesn't have a strainer, and fill it with 8 oz of water which is equivalent to a typical mug.

Here is the measurement I use:

- 4 grams of tea inside the brewer
- Let steep for 1.5 minutes for first infusion.
- Re-infuse this tea for 2 times after the first infusion. Increase steep time by about 15 seconds in each additional infusion.
Post Reply