Brewing
A single round of brewing — one steep yields one infusion; gongfu yields many in succession.
In Western brewing, one infusion is the whole tea. In gongfu, the third and fourth infusions are often the best — the leaves have opened, surrendered their dust, and now release their deeper aromatics.
Related terms
From the Journal
The single most important variable in brewing — and the one most home drinkers get wrong. A complete temperature guide for every tea family.
by Sameera
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Hard water flattens delicate greens; distilled water tastes hollow. A quick guide to the most overlooked ingredient.
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A 2019 McGill study found a single plastic tea bag releases 11.6 billion microplastics into your cup. We unpack what's really steeping — and why loose-leaf is the cleaner, more honest choice.
by Sameera
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