Your First Gongfu Tea Session at Home

Gongfu brewing uses a relatively small vessel and a series of short infusions. It is a useful way to notice how the same leaves change from one pour to the next. You do not need a full display of tools to begin.

Set up simply

Use a gaiwan or small teapot, a cup and a bowl for spent water. Warm the vessel if you like, add leaves, then pour water suited to the tea. Leaf amount, water temperature and steep time all affect the result; start with the seller's guidance and adjust by taste.

A simple vessel and a few cups are enough to begin.

Follow the leaves

Pour the first infusion into a cup and notice aroma and texture before judging strength. For the next round, change only one variable. A shorter steep can soften an overly intense cup; a longer one can draw out more flavour from later infusions.

The goal is attention, not a perfect timer. A few calm rounds with the same tea teach more than memorising a single recipe. A gaiwan is one easy place to start.