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.
01Start hereLoose 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.
02For depthLoose leafTeavivre Da Hong Pao Wuyi Rock Oolong
Heavy-roast Wuyi rock oolong. Mineral, dark stone fruit — the closest tea gets to single malt.
03The greenLoose leafTeavivre Dragon Well (Long Jing) Green Tea
Pan-fired flat leaf that stays clean across multiple infusions. The Chinese standard.
04For the patientLoose 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.
05EasiestLoose 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.