Gongfu Measurement Ratio
Posted: Aug 5th, '13, 18:25
I've looked at many videos of gongfu on youtube but I'm still baffled by the actual measurements used.
In half the videos they use a lot of tea in a pot or gaiwan.
In the other half of the videos the gaiwan or pot is barely full.
I've seen this done for every tea from black to pu-erh tea.
For instance, in one vid on black tea the tea master says to use 6 grams leaf to 30 ounces water (equals to 1 gram leaf to 5 ounces water). In another vid the gaiwan used, which is probably only a 3 ouncer in size, is filled to the top with black tea.
Another instance, in oolong vids they say to cover the bottom of the pot with dry leaves. In another vid they say to fill the pot 1/3rd full with dry leaves. In another vid they say to fill the pot half-way full with dry leaves. These do not make any sense. Maybe people like different strengths of oolong?
I'm sure different teas brew differently and require different measurements. Perhaps strength is a factor here. Some people like it strong, others like me like it mild. If I attempt to use a lot of leaf I end up making a very astringent tea. Even at a brew length of only as long as I pour the water in and pour the tea out (5 seconds?).
I've personally been using a 1:1 ratio. 1 gram leaf to 1 ounce water. It seems to work pretty well with every tea I brew from black, pu-erh (sheng or shou), to raw or roasted oolongs. I was using 5 grams to a 3.2 ounce gaiwan because I'm used to my larger tea pots (5+ ounce pots), but that created a stronger and more astringent tea.
Any help on this would be appreciated.
In half the videos they use a lot of tea in a pot or gaiwan.
In the other half of the videos the gaiwan or pot is barely full.
I've seen this done for every tea from black to pu-erh tea.
For instance, in one vid on black tea the tea master says to use 6 grams leaf to 30 ounces water (equals to 1 gram leaf to 5 ounces water). In another vid the gaiwan used, which is probably only a 3 ouncer in size, is filled to the top with black tea.
Another instance, in oolong vids they say to cover the bottom of the pot with dry leaves. In another vid they say to fill the pot 1/3rd full with dry leaves. In another vid they say to fill the pot half-way full with dry leaves. These do not make any sense. Maybe people like different strengths of oolong?
I'm sure different teas brew differently and require different measurements. Perhaps strength is a factor here. Some people like it strong, others like me like it mild. If I attempt to use a lot of leaf I end up making a very astringent tea. Even at a brew length of only as long as I pour the water in and pour the tea out (5 seconds?).
I've personally been using a 1:1 ratio. 1 gram leaf to 1 ounce water. It seems to work pretty well with every tea I brew from black, pu-erh (sheng or shou), to raw or roasted oolongs. I was using 5 grams to a 3.2 ounce gaiwan because I'm used to my larger tea pots (5+ ounce pots), but that created a stronger and more astringent tea.
Any help on this would be appreciated.