Pleasures · Gongfu
Tea for Gongfu Brewing
Leaves that earn a second look. And a sixth.
The short answer
Gongfu brewing — small vessel, lots of leaf, many short steeps — rewards teas that evolve across infusions. Rolled oolongs like Ti Kuan Yin and Wuyi rock oolongs lead the way; sheng pu-erh and Dragon Well green also shine. Use a gaiwan, 5–7g of leaf, and steep in short bursts.
The point of gongfu is the unfolding — each short steep a different chapter. These are the leaves with enough chapters to be worth it.
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01 Start here Loose leafTeavivre Ti Kuan Yin (Iron Goddess) Oolong
Orchid on the first steep, sweet biscuit by the third. Re-steeps five or six times if you respect it.
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02 For depth Loose leafTeavivre Da Hong Pao Wuyi Rock Oolong
Heavy-roast Wuyi rock oolong. Mineral, dark stone fruit — the closest tea gets to single malt.
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03 The green Loose leafTeavivre Dragon Well (Long Jing) Green Tea
Pan-fired flat leaf that stays clean across multiple infusions. The Chinese standard.
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04 For the patient Loose leafTeavivre Bulang Mountain Raw (Sheng) Pu-erh
Raw pu-erh that ages in the wrapper. Steep 15 seconds, again and again, and watch it change.
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05 Easiest Loose leafTealyra Milk Oolong (Jin Xuan)
Naturally creamy Jin Xuan. Re-steep three times; each one tells a different story.
House rule
We rank what we'd actually pour. The order is ours; the order you buy in is yours.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What teas are best for gongfu brewing? +
Whole-leaf oolongs (Ti Kuan Yin, Da Hong Pao), pu-erh, and quality Chinese greens like Dragon Well. They're built to be re-steeped many times, revealing different flavors with each short infusion — the whole point of the gongfu method.
How many times can you re-steep oolong? +
A good rolled oolong re-steeps five or six times, sometimes more. Each infusion opens the leaf further and shifts the flavor — early steeps are floral, later ones turn sweet and biscuity.
What do I need to brew gongfu style? +
A gaiwan or small clay teapot (100–150ml), more leaf than usual (5–7g), and a way to pour off each steep quickly. Steep times start short — 10 to 20 seconds — and lengthen with each round.