Chinese tea guidesPractical guides to brewing, teaware, choosing and storing tea, and caffeine, plus comparisons to help you find teas you enjoy.Brewing basicsHow to brew tea in a gaiwanLearn how to hold a gaiwan, measure your tea, choose a water temperature, and pour. Practical steps for adjusting each infusion to your taste.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0 Gongfu cha at home: sharing tea with friendsA practical guide to gongfu tea at home: choose your teaware, brew the first infusion, serve your guests, and adjust the next round.Photo: PierreSelim · CC BY 3.0 Water temperature for tea: where to startStarting temperatures for green, white, yellow, oolong, black, and pu-erh tea, plus practical ways to adjust the brew and cool your water.Photo: Plorpy2 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Gongfu or mug brewing: choosing a methodHow short successive infusions compare with brewing a larger cup. Starting recipes, flavour differences, and a simple comparison using the same tea.Photo: Dark NirK · CC BY-SA 3.0 How to choose water for teaHow minerals, hardness, and filtration affect tea. What a TDS meter can tell you, and how to compare tap, bottled, and reverse-osmosis water.Photo: Plorpy2 · CC BY-SA 4.0 How many times can you steep the same tea?How to resteep tea, adjust the timing and decide when to use fresh leaves.Photo: Dark NirK · CC BY-SA 3.0 Why tea tastes bitter and how to make it gentlerAdjust steeping time, leaf quantity and temperature, or rescue a cup that is already too bitter.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0 Should you rinse tea?When a brief rinse may help, how to do it and why the first infusion does not always need discarding.Photo: Dark NirK · CC BY-SA 3.0 How to brew loose-leaf tea in a mugStart with 2–3 g per 250 ml, suitable water temperature and an infuser you can lift out.Photo: Afanasovich · CC BY 3.0 Grandpa-style tea: leave the leaves in and top upStart with a small dose, drink from the brewing cup and add water to suit the flavour.Photo: Nicola Ye · CC BY-SA 4.0 How to make cold brew teaA 500 ml starting recipe, when to strain the leaves and how to store the tea.Photo: ありわかだ．．． · CC BY-SA 2.0 How to brew pu-erh: sheng and shuStarting recipes for raw and ripe pu-erh: leaf quantity, water temperature, rinsing and adjusting each infusion.Photo: soultea.de /André Helbig · CC BY 3.0 How to break up a pu-erh cakeSeparate a portion of compressed tea safely, with less crumbling. Practical steps for cakes, bricks and tuocha.Photo: Ash Crow · CC BY-SA 4.0TeawareChinese teaware: what you need to get startedChoose a useful brewing vessel, pitcher and cups without buying a full tea set.Photo: Il lupa · CC BY-SA 4.0 Yixing teapots: choosing and caring for oneWhat to check before buying, how to prepare a new pot and how to care for unglazed clay.Photo: Markus Kniebes · CC0Tea and healthCaffeine in tea: what affects the amount in your cupHow brewing affects caffeine, why colour cannot tell you the amount, and how to reduce your intake. Rinsing does not make tea caffeine-free.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0 Tea or coffee: finding what suits youCompare caffeine in the servings you actually drink, explore different flavours and keep track of your intake when switching from coffee to tea.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0 L-theanine in tea: flavour and researchWhat research says about attention and relaxation, why supplements differ from tea, and what a tea name can tell you.Photo: Alessandro Martini · CC0 How much tea can you drink in a day?Keep track of tea and caffeine, find an amount that suits you and notice when it affects your sleep or makes you feel unwell.Photo: Marcangela · CC BY-SA 3.0 Tea and blood pressureWhat caffeine can change, why medicines matter and how to take useful readings at home.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0 When to drink tea: meals, an empty stomach and eveningsFind a time for tea that suits your routine, digestion and sleep, with guidance on meals, iron and medicines.Photo: soultea.de /André Helbig · CC BY-SA 3.0 Tea and sleep: what to drink in the eveningMove caffeine earlier, choose an evening drink and check whether tea affects your sleep.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0 Tea drunkenness: what to do if tea makes you feel unwellWhat cha zui means, why feeling unwell after tea can have different causes, and when to stop drinking or seek help.Photo: Il lupa · CC BY-SA 4.0 Tea during pregnancy, breastfeeding and childhoodCount caffeine, keep tea separate from iron medicines and choose drinks for children.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0Types of teaThe six types of Chinese teaProcessing, examples and where pu-erh fits: green, white, yellow, oolong, black and dark tea.Photo: Romain Guy · CC BY-SA 2.0 Green tea: choosing leaves and brewing them wellChinese green tea styles, practical mug and gaiwan recipes, and ways to adjust bitterness and preserve freshness.Photo: Romain Guy · CC BY-SA 2.0 White tea: styles, flavour and brewingSilver Needle, White Peony and Shou Mei explained, with practical brewing and home storage advice.Photo: Pannet · CC BY-SA 4.0 Chinese black tea: styles and brewingUnderstand hong cha, explore Dian Hong, Keemun and Jin Jun Mei, and adjust a mug or gaiwan recipe to taste.Photo: Sjschen · CC BY 3.0 Yellow tea: processing, flavour and brewingWhat yellowing changes, which yellow teas to try, and how to brew bud and larger-leaf styles.Photo: KirillK · CC0 Hei cha: Liu Bao, Fuzhuan and other dark teasExplore dark tea styles, understand golden flowers in Fuzhuan, and learn practical brewing and storage basics.Photo: Cosmin Dordea · CC BY-SA 2.0 Aged white tea: choosing, storing and brewingWhat ageing changes, which dates to check and how to brew aged white tea at home.Photo: Fritzober · CC BY-SA 4.0 Phoenix Dancong: aromas and brewingChoose a Dancong, understand its aroma names and adjust brewing when it tastes too bitter.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0 Taiwanese tea: finding a style you enjoyGaoshan, Dong Ding, Baozhong, Oriental Beauty and black tea: a practical introduction to Taiwanese tea.Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 GABA tea: how it is made and what the claims meanHow GABA tea is made, what the numbers on a label mean, and what research can tell us about its effects. Includes flavour notes and brewing advice.Photo: Pannet · CC BY 4.0 Oolong tea: styles, flavour and brewingWhat links Tieguanyin, Dancong and Dong Ding, how oxidation differs from roasting, and how to brew oolong in a gaiwan or mug.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0 Ageing pu-erh: how tea changes in storageHow raw and ripe pu-erh change over time, what affects their flavour and how to keep tasting notes as your tea ages.Photo: Ash Crow · CC BY-SA 4.0 Pu-erh tea paste: choosing and preparing cha gaoWhat cha gao is, how it differs from loose tea, and how to choose a serving of concentrated tea extract.Photo: 瑞丽江的河水 · CC BY-SA 4.0Choosing teaHow to choose your first pu-erhHow to choose your first pu-erh: compare raw and ripe tea, order small samples and check the seller’s information before buying a whole cake.Photo: Ash Crow · CC BY-SA 4.0 How to read a Chinese tea labelFind the ingredients, dates, recipe number and grade, and understand what the packaging can and cannot tell you.Photo: Ash Crow · CC BY-SA 4.0 How to check tea before buyingCheck a seller’s claims and the tea’s condition, without relying on misleading aroma or leaf tests.Photo: Ash Crow · CC BY-SA 4.0 How to compare tea prices and set a budgetWork out the price per gram and per brewing session, include delivery costs, and sample before buying in bulk.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0 Getting started with Chinese tea: what to buyChoose a simple mug or gongfu setup, comfortable teaware and a few small tea samples without buying a full set.Photo: Il lupa · CC BY-SA 4.0 Which Chinese tea should you try first?Choose a flavour you enjoy, buy a small sample and start with a straightforward mug recipe.Photo: Romain Guy · CC BY-SA 2.0 How to choose tea as a giftMatch the recipient’s tastes and habits, choose a useful amount and include instructions for the tea you give.Photo: Mojmir Churavy · CC BY-SA 4.0 Tea flushes and tips: understanding harvest termsWhat first flush, FTGFOP, Ming Qian and “a bud and two leaves” tell you when choosing tea.Photo: Nborkakoty · CC BY-SA 3.0 Tea terroir: how growing conditions shape flavourUnderstanding altitude, soil and climate alongside cultivar and processing, with a practical way to compare teas.Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0StorageHow to store tea at homeChoose suitable packaging, cupboard space and daily portions, and avoid condensation when using cold storage.Photo: Mojmir Churavy · CC BY-SA 4.0 Tea shelf life: dates, freshness and spoilageUnderstand package dates, store tea after opening and recognise changes that mean it should not be used.Photo: Mojmir Churavy · CC BY-SA 4.0 Tea at work and on the moveCarry brewed tea, make a cup when you arrive and choose practical equipment without a full tea set.Photo: ありわかだ．．． · CC BY-SA 2.0 Dry and wet storage of pu-erhWhat 干仓 and 湿仓 mean, what to ask a seller, and why rinsing cannot establish tea safety.Photo: Ash Crow · CC BY-SA 4.0ReferenceChinese tea terms, explainedA practical guide to hui gan, sheng jin, cha qi, dancong and the words you meet on tea labels and at tastings.Photo: Il lupa · CC BY-SA 4.0 How to taste tea and notice the differencesA simple tasting routine: leaf aroma, flavour, mouthfeel and finish. Learn to compare two teas and keep useful notes.Photo: Marcangela · CC BY-SA 3.0Tea comparisonsSheng vs shu pu-erh: differences and how to chooseCompare processing, flavour, storage and brewing for raw and ripe pu-erh, with practical starting points for tasting.Photo: Ash Crow · CC BY-SA 4.0 GABA oolong vs Dong Ding: choosing by flavourHow GABA processing differs from Dong Ding production, how the teas taste, and what to know about caffeine and relaxation claims.Photo: Pannet · CC BY 4.0 Longjing vs Biluochun: which green tea to chooseCompare the origins, flavours and brewing methods of Longjing and Biluochun.Photo: Romain Guy · CC BY-SA 2.0 Silver Needle vs White Peony: two white teas comparedSilver Needle and White Peony compared: the buds and leaves used, how they taste, what they cost and how to brew them.Photo: Pannet · CC BY-SA 4.0 Da Hong Pao vs Tieguanyin: roast, aroma and flavourCompare Wuyi Da Hong Pao and Anxi Tieguanyin by roast, aroma and brewing.Photo: Shizuha · CC BY-SA 3.0 Lapsang Souchong vs Jin Jun Mei: smoke, buds and originCompare smoked and unsmoked souchong with bud-only Jin Jun Mei.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0 Alishan vs Dong Ding: origin and style in Taiwanese oolongCompare the floral notes of lightly roasted Alishan with the nutty flavours of roasted Dong Ding, with advice on choosing and brewing both.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0 Dian Hong vs Qimen: which Chinese black tea to chooseCompare Yunnan Dian Hong and Anhui Qimen by flavour, leaves and brewing.Photo: Sjschen · CC BY 3.0
How to brew tea in a gaiwanLearn how to hold a gaiwan, measure your tea, choose a water temperature, and pour. Practical steps for adjusting each infusion to your taste.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gongfu cha at home: sharing tea with friendsA practical guide to gongfu tea at home: choose your teaware, brew the first infusion, serve your guests, and adjust the next round.Photo: PierreSelim · CC BY 3.0
Water temperature for tea: where to startStarting temperatures for green, white, yellow, oolong, black, and pu-erh tea, plus practical ways to adjust the brew and cool your water.Photo: Plorpy2 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gongfu or mug brewing: choosing a methodHow short successive infusions compare with brewing a larger cup. Starting recipes, flavour differences, and a simple comparison using the same tea.Photo: Dark NirK · CC BY-SA 3.0
How to choose water for teaHow minerals, hardness, and filtration affect tea. What a TDS meter can tell you, and how to compare tap, bottled, and reverse-osmosis water.Photo: Plorpy2 · CC BY-SA 4.0
How many times can you steep the same tea?How to resteep tea, adjust the timing and decide when to use fresh leaves.Photo: Dark NirK · CC BY-SA 3.0
Why tea tastes bitter and how to make it gentlerAdjust steeping time, leaf quantity and temperature, or rescue a cup that is already too bitter.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0
Should you rinse tea?When a brief rinse may help, how to do it and why the first infusion does not always need discarding.Photo: Dark NirK · CC BY-SA 3.0
How to brew loose-leaf tea in a mugStart with 2–3 g per 250 ml, suitable water temperature and an infuser you can lift out.Photo: Afanasovich · CC BY 3.0
Grandpa-style tea: leave the leaves in and top upStart with a small dose, drink from the brewing cup and add water to suit the flavour.Photo: Nicola Ye · CC BY-SA 4.0
How to make cold brew teaA 500 ml starting recipe, when to strain the leaves and how to store the tea.Photo: ありわかだ．．． · CC BY-SA 2.0
How to brew pu-erh: sheng and shuStarting recipes for raw and ripe pu-erh: leaf quantity, water temperature, rinsing and adjusting each infusion.Photo: soultea.de /André Helbig · CC BY 3.0
How to break up a pu-erh cakeSeparate a portion of compressed tea safely, with less crumbling. Practical steps for cakes, bricks and tuocha.Photo: Ash Crow · CC BY-SA 4.0
Chinese teaware: what you need to get startedChoose a useful brewing vessel, pitcher and cups without buying a full tea set.Photo: Il lupa · CC BY-SA 4.0
Yixing teapots: choosing and caring for oneWhat to check before buying, how to prepare a new pot and how to care for unglazed clay.Photo: Markus Kniebes · CC0
Caffeine in tea: what affects the amount in your cupHow brewing affects caffeine, why colour cannot tell you the amount, and how to reduce your intake. Rinsing does not make tea caffeine-free.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tea or coffee: finding what suits youCompare caffeine in the servings you actually drink, explore different flavours and keep track of your intake when switching from coffee to tea.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0
L-theanine in tea: flavour and researchWhat research says about attention and relaxation, why supplements differ from tea, and what a tea name can tell you.Photo: Alessandro Martini · CC0
How much tea can you drink in a day?Keep track of tea and caffeine, find an amount that suits you and notice when it affects your sleep or makes you feel unwell.Photo: Marcangela · CC BY-SA 3.0
Tea and blood pressureWhat caffeine can change, why medicines matter and how to take useful readings at home.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0
When to drink tea: meals, an empty stomach and eveningsFind a time for tea that suits your routine, digestion and sleep, with guidance on meals, iron and medicines.Photo: soultea.de /André Helbig · CC BY-SA 3.0
Tea and sleep: what to drink in the eveningMove caffeine earlier, choose an evening drink and check whether tea affects your sleep.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tea drunkenness: what to do if tea makes you feel unwellWhat cha zui means, why feeling unwell after tea can have different causes, and when to stop drinking or seek help.Photo: Il lupa · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tea during pregnancy, breastfeeding and childhoodCount caffeine, keep tea separate from iron medicines and choose drinks for children.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0
The six types of Chinese teaProcessing, examples and where pu-erh fits: green, white, yellow, oolong, black and dark tea.Photo: Romain Guy · CC BY-SA 2.0
Green tea: choosing leaves and brewing them wellChinese green tea styles, practical mug and gaiwan recipes, and ways to adjust bitterness and preserve freshness.Photo: Romain Guy · CC BY-SA 2.0
White tea: styles, flavour and brewingSilver Needle, White Peony and Shou Mei explained, with practical brewing and home storage advice.Photo: Pannet · CC BY-SA 4.0
Chinese black tea: styles and brewingUnderstand hong cha, explore Dian Hong, Keemun and Jin Jun Mei, and adjust a mug or gaiwan recipe to taste.Photo: Sjschen · CC BY 3.0
Yellow tea: processing, flavour and brewingWhat yellowing changes, which yellow teas to try, and how to brew bud and larger-leaf styles.Photo: KirillK · CC0
Hei cha: Liu Bao, Fuzhuan and other dark teasExplore dark tea styles, understand golden flowers in Fuzhuan, and learn practical brewing and storage basics.Photo: Cosmin Dordea · CC BY-SA 2.0
Aged white tea: choosing, storing and brewingWhat ageing changes, which dates to check and how to brew aged white tea at home.Photo: Fritzober · CC BY-SA 4.0
Phoenix Dancong: aromas and brewingChoose a Dancong, understand its aroma names and adjust brewing when it tastes too bitter.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0
Taiwanese tea: finding a style you enjoyGaoshan, Dong Ding, Baozhong, Oriental Beauty and black tea: a practical introduction to Taiwanese tea.Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0
GABA tea: how it is made and what the claims meanHow GABA tea is made, what the numbers on a label mean, and what research can tell us about its effects. Includes flavour notes and brewing advice.Photo: Pannet · CC BY 4.0
Oolong tea: styles, flavour and brewingWhat links Tieguanyin, Dancong and Dong Ding, how oxidation differs from roasting, and how to brew oolong in a gaiwan or mug.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ageing pu-erh: how tea changes in storageHow raw and ripe pu-erh change over time, what affects their flavour and how to keep tasting notes as your tea ages.Photo: Ash Crow · CC BY-SA 4.0
Pu-erh tea paste: choosing and preparing cha gaoWhat cha gao is, how it differs from loose tea, and how to choose a serving of concentrated tea extract.Photo: 瑞丽江的河水 · CC BY-SA 4.0
How to choose your first pu-erhHow to choose your first pu-erh: compare raw and ripe tea, order small samples and check the seller’s information before buying a whole cake.Photo: Ash Crow · CC BY-SA 4.0
How to read a Chinese tea labelFind the ingredients, dates, recipe number and grade, and understand what the packaging can and cannot tell you.Photo: Ash Crow · CC BY-SA 4.0
How to check tea before buyingCheck a seller’s claims and the tea’s condition, without relying on misleading aroma or leaf tests.Photo: Ash Crow · CC BY-SA 4.0
How to compare tea prices and set a budgetWork out the price per gram and per brewing session, include delivery costs, and sample before buying in bulk.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0
Getting started with Chinese tea: what to buyChoose a simple mug or gongfu setup, comfortable teaware and a few small tea samples without buying a full set.Photo: Il lupa · CC BY-SA 4.0
Which Chinese tea should you try first?Choose a flavour you enjoy, buy a small sample and start with a straightforward mug recipe.Photo: Romain Guy · CC BY-SA 2.0
How to choose tea as a giftMatch the recipient’s tastes and habits, choose a useful amount and include instructions for the tea you give.Photo: Mojmir Churavy · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tea flushes and tips: understanding harvest termsWhat first flush, FTGFOP, Ming Qian and “a bud and two leaves” tell you when choosing tea.Photo: Nborkakoty · CC BY-SA 3.0
Tea terroir: how growing conditions shape flavourUnderstanding altitude, soil and climate alongside cultivar and processing, with a practical way to compare teas.Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0
How to store tea at homeChoose suitable packaging, cupboard space and daily portions, and avoid condensation when using cold storage.Photo: Mojmir Churavy · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tea shelf life: dates, freshness and spoilageUnderstand package dates, store tea after opening and recognise changes that mean it should not be used.Photo: Mojmir Churavy · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tea at work and on the moveCarry brewed tea, make a cup when you arrive and choose practical equipment without a full tea set.Photo: ありわかだ．．． · CC BY-SA 2.0
Dry and wet storage of pu-erhWhat 干仓 and 湿仓 mean, what to ask a seller, and why rinsing cannot establish tea safety.Photo: Ash Crow · CC BY-SA 4.0
Chinese tea terms, explainedA practical guide to hui gan, sheng jin, cha qi, dancong and the words you meet on tea labels and at tastings.Photo: Il lupa · CC BY-SA 4.0
How to taste tea and notice the differencesA simple tasting routine: leaf aroma, flavour, mouthfeel and finish. Learn to compare two teas and keep useful notes.Photo: Marcangela · CC BY-SA 3.0
Sheng vs shu pu-erh: differences and how to chooseCompare processing, flavour, storage and brewing for raw and ripe pu-erh, with practical starting points for tasting.Photo: Ash Crow · CC BY-SA 4.0
GABA oolong vs Dong Ding: choosing by flavourHow GABA processing differs from Dong Ding production, how the teas taste, and what to know about caffeine and relaxation claims.Photo: Pannet · CC BY 4.0
Longjing vs Biluochun: which green tea to chooseCompare the origins, flavours and brewing methods of Longjing and Biluochun.Photo: Romain Guy · CC BY-SA 2.0
Silver Needle vs White Peony: two white teas comparedSilver Needle and White Peony compared: the buds and leaves used, how they taste, what they cost and how to brew them.Photo: Pannet · CC BY-SA 4.0
Da Hong Pao vs Tieguanyin: roast, aroma and flavourCompare Wuyi Da Hong Pao and Anxi Tieguanyin by roast, aroma and brewing.Photo: Shizuha · CC BY-SA 3.0
Lapsang Souchong vs Jin Jun Mei: smoke, buds and originCompare smoked and unsmoked souchong with bud-only Jin Jun Mei.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0
Alishan vs Dong Ding: origin and style in Taiwanese oolongCompare the floral notes of lightly roasted Alishan with the nutty flavours of roasted Dong Ding, with advice on choosing and brewing both.Photo: Difference engine · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dian Hong vs Qimen: which Chinese black tea to chooseCompare Yunnan Dian Hong and Anhui Qimen by flavour, leaves and brewing.Photo: Sjschen · CC BY 3.0
