How to Brew Xinyang Maojian Tea Perfectly (5 Easy Trick)
Chinese people love drinking tea, especially green tea. Xinyang Maojian Tea, a premium variety of green tea, is unfermented, preserving the natural aroma and flavor of the leaves. Nowadays, more and more people enjoy brewing a cup of Maojian in their leisure time, savoring the tea’s fragrance and tranquility. However, brewing tea requires skill—only by mastering the correct method can the full potential of Xinyang Maojian Tea be unlocked. It would be a pity if improper brewing affected the tea’s taste and color.
1. Choosing the Right Teaware
Xinyang Maojian is best brewed in a glass cup, followed by a white porcelain cup.
- Glass cup: When brewing, the tea leaves unfurl and dance in the water before slowly sinking to the bottom, creating an elegant display. Through the glass, you can fully appreciate this “tea dance,” making the experience even more enjoyable.
- White porcelain cup: White porcelain retains heat better than glass, making the tea’s color appear brighter and more vibrant. However, its downside is its lack of transparency, preventing you from observing the tea leaves’ movement as clearly as with a glass cup.
2. Controlling Water Temperature
The ideal water temperature for brewing Xinyang Maojian is around 85°C (185°F).
- Pre-Qingming tea (harvested before Qingming Festival): The buds and leaves are more tender, so the water temperature should be slightly lower, around 80°C (176°F).
- Tea with thicker leaves: Can be brewed with water at 90°C (194°F).
Water that is too hot will turn the tea yellow and make it taste bitter. Once you understand the principle, you can adjust the temperature based on the specific tea leaves.
3. Tea-to-Water Ratio
The amount of tea used affects the strength of the brew. Generally, the recommended ratio is:
- Standard ratio: 3 grams of tea leaves + 150 ml of water (a 1:50 ratio).
- Adjusting strength: Add more leaves for a stronger brew or reduce the amount for a lighter taste.
4. Three Brewing Methods
There are three ways to brew Xinyang Maojian Tea:
- Top-pour method (water first, then tea): Pour hot water first, wait for the temperature to drop slightly, then add the tea leaves. Suitable for Pre-Qingming Maojian and Rain-before Maojian.
- Middle-pour method (half water, half tea): Place the tea leaves first, pour in a small amount of hot water (1/3 of the cup), swirl to let the leaves unfurl, then fill the cup. Suitable for Rain-before Maojian, though the flavor may not be as good as with the top-pour method.
- Bottom-pour method (tea first, then water): Place the tea leaves first, then pour in all the hot water at once. Suitable for Maojian Tea with thicker leaves.
5. Brewing Time
- Optimal number of infusions: One batch of leaves can be brewed 3–4 times, with the first three infusions offering the best flavor.
- Single infusion time: About 3 minutes, until the leaves are fully unfurled.
- Drinking time: Brewed tea is best consumed within 3–6 minutes, as leaving it too long will diminish its fresh and refreshing taste.
