Oolong preparation

[Simone]

Hi!
I prepare all type of oolong with gong fu cha.
Water at 90-95 °C
Just 3 infusion at 30 sec, 30 sec, 35 sec
I use a Sama high grade clear glass gong fu teapot with infuser.
It's ok?
I use these oolong:
- Premium Anxi "Huang Jin Gui" Fujian (2011)
- Da Hong Pao "Big Red Robe" Wu Yi Shan Rock Tea
- Fancy Tie Guan Yin of Anxi

[debunix]

Hi!
I prepare all type of oolong with gong fu cha.
Water at 90-95 °C
Just 3 infusion at 30 sec, 30 sec, 35 sec
I use a Sama high grade clear glass gong fu teapot with infuser.
It's ok?

Do you like the results? If so, it's all right.

But if you're working with good versions of those teas, and at a concentration where a 30 second infusion makes you happy, you should keep going on the infusions until the tea tells you it's done, or you stop enjoying the infusions. A nice DHP or TGY can go 6, 8, 12 infusions depending on leaf/water ratio. HJG for me usuallly peters out more like 4-5, but they're usually 4 or 5 very nice infusions.

[Simone]

I'm already looking for the best preparation. Now is that.
First I forgot to write that I use 3 teaspoons (full) of tea / 100 ml of water.

[Cole]

3 teaspoons is roughly ~10-12 grams of tea, and in 100ml of water, you must try at least 5 steepings. I like to do a lower temperature wash (75* for ~20 secs) to open the leaves, and then steep in "near boiling" water 30, 30, 45, 60, 1:30, 2:00, 5:00, etc.

I'd also try using less leaf and see if you notice more of the subtleties of the tea. I enjoy a 1:1 ratio for Japanese greens and certain blacks, but I seem to get a better "feel" for the tea when I use 1 heaping teaspoon in my 100ml gaiwan.

Also, are you using one of those button gongfu pots that dumps all of your steeped tea into the bottom of the jar (like this)? If so, I'd recommend drinking each steeping of the tea by itself (if you have the time) so you can taste how the tea evolves over time.

[Simone]

I'm trying your method, with less tea and with the wash.
I use that type of teapot, very practice.
Thanks!

[Cole]

Great! Let us know how it goes -- nice avatar, btw