Rock Tea Brewing Guide
I. Applicable tea types:
Recommended:
Aged Wuyi Rock Tea (over 5 years), such as aged Congou Shuixian and aged Da Hong Pao.
Heavy-roast charcoal-baked Rock Tea (full roast/high roast).
Tea leaves after 5-6 infusions (used leaves).
Not Recommended:
Fresh fragrance-type new Rock Tea (light roast/middle roast).
High-aroma varieties (e.g., Huangguanyin).
II. Tea Decoction Utensils
Decoction Vessel: Glass teapot / clay teapot + electric ceramic stove (avoid stainless steel teapots to prevent affecting the tea liquor color).
Specifications: 300-500ml teapot, 5-8g tea leaves (tea-to-water ratio 1:50 ~ 1:80).
Auxiliary Tools: Tea strainer (for filtering residues), tea tongs (for handling used tea leaves).
III. Decoction Steps (Suitable for Aged/Heavy-Roast Tea)
Warm the Pot & Awaken the Tea: Rinse the teapot with boiling water. Add 5-8g of dry tea (1/3 less than for infusion) and dry-roast over low heat for 10-20 seconds to activate the aroma.
Add Water & Bring to Boil:
Cold Water Start: Pour room-temperature purified water into the pot, bring to a boil, then switch to low heat. Simmer gently for 1-2 minutes (stop when the liquor turns orange-red and translucent; over-boiling causes astringency).
Hot Water Start: Bring water to a boil first, add the tea, boil for 1 minute, then turn off the heat and let it steep for 1 minute (ideal for beginners).
Serve & Refill: Strain the liquor and drink while hot. The tea can be re-decocted 2-3 times, with the second decoction time shortened to 30 seconds - 1 minute.
IV. Key Points and Taboos
Key Tips :
Water Selection: Use qualified purified water (avoid alkaline mineral water).
Temperature Control: Maintain a gentle simmer (crab-eye boil stage) to prevent intense boiling from extracting astringent substances.
Post-Decoction: Allow the tea to rewarm if cooled—astringency softens for a smoother taste.
Taboos :
Those with an empty stomach or insomnia should limit strong brews (pair with tea snacks).
Summarize
Choose the right tea (aged/heavy-roast), control heat properly (gentle simmer and slow decoction), and separate used tea leaves appropriately. This brings out the rich, mellow throat rhyme of Wuyi Rock Tea, making it ideal for seasoned tea lovers.