Anhua dark tea is a prized and unique tea that requires the correct brewing method to fully enjoy its rich and robust flavor. Anhua dark tea can be categorized into three-jian types, flower-roll types, and four-brick types. The brewing methods vary depending on the specific type of tea leaves.
How to Brew Anhua Dark Tea
Three-Jian Teas: Three-jian teas include Tian Jian, Gong Jian, and Sheng Jian, which are loose-leaf, strip-style teas. These teas can be prepared using either the simmering method or direct brewing. When brewing, use a tea-to-water ratio of 1:30, meaning 3.3 grams of tea leaves for every 100 ml of water in the teapot. Alternatively, you can simmer the tea. First, rinse the leaves with boiling water, then place them in cold water and bring to a boil. Strain the tea liquor once boiling, and it is ready to serve. A pinch of salt or sugar can also be added during simmering to enhance the flavor.
Flower-Roll and Four-Brick Teas: For flower-roll (Qian Liang Cha) and four-brick teas (Fu Zhuan, Hei Zhuan, Qing Zhuan, and Hua Zhuan), use a tea knife to pry apart the tea cake. It is recommended to pry only what you need to avoid prolonged exposure affecting the flavor. When brewing these teas, Yixing clay teapots are the best choice, and standard pottery teapots make a great alternative. Spring water or well water yields the best water quality. It is recommended to use an iron kettle to boil water to achieve higher temperatures, with 100°C being ideal for steeping. The tea-to-water ratio is also 1:30, using 3.3 grams of Anhua dark tea for every 100 ml pot. If the tea leaves are older and coarser, the amount can be increased to a 1:20 ratio. Keep the first brew around 3 minutes, and add 40 to 60 seconds for each subsequent steep.
Please note that there is no fixed standard for the amount of tea leaves and steeping time. We recommend starting with the method above for your first brew, and then adjusting according to your personal taste to achieve the best flavor.
Read More:
- Anhua Hundred-Liang Tea: A smaller version of Thousand-Liang Tea
- Anhua Dark Brick Tea: Tightly pressed dark tea
- Anhua Patterned Brick Tea: Dark tea with decorative patterns on the brick
- Anhua Raw Jian Tea: A more affordable grade of dark tea
- Hunan Dark Tea: China’s top-tier dark tea, on par with Pu-erh
- Anhua Tribute Jian Tea: A more affordable grade of dark tea