The well-known drink under the complex name "Da Hong Pao" refers to a variety of medium-fermented tea. These words mean that it occupies an intermediate place between the usual black and green tea.

How to brew "Da Hong Pao": the color, aroma and taste of tea depend on the brewing technique

Chinese tea brewing traditions are very different from our customs. But once you try a drink prepared according to all the traditions of this country, you will remember it for a long time. Be sure to keep the following tips in mind:

The drink is best brewed in earthenware or porcelain dishes. The Chinese are sincerely sure that teapots made of glass or metal will not allow tea leaves to fully give their taste and aroma.
Do not use tap water for brewing. The best way- filtered water.
First you need to heat the water until the first bubbles appear, which indicate that the boil begins. The fire is immediately extinguished.

The teapot is rinsed hot water to warm it up and destroy harmful microorganisms.

Tea "Da Hong Pao": how to brew?

If you just pour boiling water over the leaves, then the tea will fail. The drink is brewed in two stages:

for the first time, hot water destroys microbes on the surface of the leaves and helps to soften and unfold the leaves;
the second time the kettle is filled to the brim with water.

The first stage lasts a few seconds, after which the water must be drained. The second time you need to wait 3-4 minutes and pour the tea into cups. The proportions are simple: 1 tsp. leaves per person. Interestingly, small and crushed leaves are first placed in the teapot, and large ones are placed on top.

How much to brew "Da Hong Pao"?

The Chinese say that this oolong does not lose its pleasant taste and aroma even after 4-5 brews. It is clear that this statement applies only to real original tea. 50 g of real "Da Hong Pao", grown in the mountains of Wuyi, cost a fabulous sum. Therefore, you can try to brew tea again, while increasing the brewing time by 30 seconds.

Acquaintance with the culture of the East gave the West many acquisitions: scientific and artistic, practical and aesthetic, the most diverse! Moreover, most of them bring equally both benefit and pleasure. Pleasure is of a special kind: refined, accessible to the understanding of only a few, like the Eastern traditions themselves. One of these traditions: tea drinking, with all its recipes, features and rituals. The rules for collecting, harvesting, choosing, preparing and drinking tea in Asian countries are not just a field of activity, it is a whole cult, serving which one is not ashamed to devote one's life. Moreover, in the opinion of a European, it will really take about that much time to study and comprehend all the accompanying rules.

But the modern world follows the path not only of globalization, but also of simplification. Modern tea ceremonies, designed to attract tourists or just a home pastime by non-tea professionals, allow you to deviate from many canons, and in general are quite easy. Of course, it will not work to reduce them to boil a kettle and pour a bag in a cup with hot water. But remembering and repeating a sequence of several simple actions is within the power of anyone who is sincerely interested in tasting a fragrant, invigorating and unusual tea. The Da Hong Pao variety is perfect for this purpose: it is a bright representative of those drinks that promote communication in the company. good people, and at the same time they themselves act as a full-fledged "interlocutor" at the table. The Chinese Da Hong Pao teaches you to feel, see, hear and respect tea - exactly the way it is usually treated in Eastern culture.

Da Hong Pao: history and features
The names of oriental teas sound exotic to Western ears, and even more unexpected may be the translation of their names. For example, Da Hong Pao, translated from one of the most common Chinese dialects, can be referred to as "Big Red Robe". funny? You haven't heard the legend that explains its origin! According to legend, in the 14th century, a student went to take the imperial exams, and on the way he suffered a heat stroke. By a happy coincidence, it happened near the Tian Xing Si Monastery, located in the picturesque Wuyi Mountains. A compassionate monk found the victim and cured him with local tea.

The rescued student successfully passed the exams and even took a high government position, but did not forget about his doctor. In gratitude, he wanted to give him a luxurious dressing gown made of red cloth with embroidery on the back. But he did not take into account the fact that the monk was a true Buddhist and selflessly refused an expensive souvenir. But the former student was not so simple, besides, he wanted to repay the forces of good for his life at all costs. Therefore, he presented the red robe ... to the tea bush. So healing drink received his name, fame and at the same time a place in history. There is nothing surprising in this, given the reverent attitude of the Chinese to everything related to life, nature, relationships and tea.

Modern Da Hong Pao is a semi-fermented oolong tea. It is still grown today in the northwest of Fujian province, and is harvested by hand in very limited quantities, which leads to a high price of raw materials. The collection of tea leaves takes place only once a year, and for the future Da Hong Pao, only twigs with the first four leaves are taken. All this makes Da Hong Pao one of the most valuable and rare varieties Chinese tea, the "emperor" among high mountain teas. Of course, the preparation of the tea that can be bought outside of China in specialized stores is not so idealized, but, nevertheless, it retains the quality and properties of the very legendary oolong, which is considered by some experts to be the most expensive and noble soft drink in the world. What is so outstanding about Da Hong Pao?

Properly brewed, the infusion of this tea has a rich amber color when first brewed and a soft peach color when brewed. In its aroma, you can feel fruity and coffee notes, and the taste repeats this sweetness, gradually losing sharpness and astringency and leaving only a floral aftertaste. As for the effect produced, Da Hong Pao can be compared with a light young wine - both in taste and in its effect on the body. It is not that literally dizzy, but, thanks to the high concentration of minerals and essential oils, stimulates the production of endorphins, which is manifested by a surge of strength, "enlightenment" of consciousness and stress relief, which subsequently turns into inner warmth and peace. Moreover, at regular use high-quality Da Hong Pao is able to cleanse the body, activate digestion and metabolism, and strengthen the immune system. The contradictory feelings of energy and relaxation caused by it provoked the creation of rumors around Da Hong Pao about the so-called "tea intoxication" with its help and even the sound of a mysterious whisper in the ears of the participants in the tea ceremony. There is only one way to confirm or deny this: brew and try Da Hong Pao yourself.

Da Hong Pao Brewing Rules
Brewing Da Hong Pao is not a simple process and requires a certain sequence of coordinated actions. The quality of the brew, the mineral composition of the water, its temperature, the tea utensils, and even the mood of the master conducting the ceremony play a role in it. All these subtleties are not a whim or formalism, they help to get the right aroma and taste of tea. Therefore, if you want to get as close as possible to the authentic atmosphere, you will need an appropriate set of tools: a gaiwan (or a ceramic teapot), a bowl of justice, portioned bowls. The presence of a wooden board with slots, on which the tea ceremony is served, and a special mythical animal figurine are optional, but colorful attributes that will add expressiveness to your tea drinking.

Start by making sure the quality of the tea you buy. For reliability, it is better to purchase elite tea brewing in specialized stores, from specialists who can expertly explain and help in choosing. High-quality dried leaves of Da Hong Pao are twisted in the longitudinal direction and have a brown color with greenish and burgundy tints.
Usually, seven to ten grams of dry tea leaves are used to prepare one tea ceremony. You can focus on this volume or your own taste if you are not brewing oolong for the first time. For beginners, it is best to use an accurate kitchen scale.
Starting to brew Da Hong Pao, pay due attention to your internal, psychological preparation. You don’t need to take any special actions for this, but you need to tune in: get distracted from the surrounding fuss, think not about the everyday, but about the eternal. And even better - about the drink that is about to be born in your hands. Imagine mountains illuminated by the slanting rays of the sun, where tea is born and ripens, dew drops on its leaves, the morning coolness and the path that it has traveled from those places to your table. Mentally thank the tea and those who collected and dried it for you.
Heat drinking water to a temperature of about 90°C. Do not let the water boil: turn off the heat when air bubbles begin to rise from the bottom. Use purified water with a neutral salt composition that does not have a pronounced aftertaste that could distort the taste of tea. tap water, of course, is also not suitable for a tea ceremony.
When brewing Da Hong Pao, as with other Chinese teas, prepare the pot first. Rinse a Gaiwan or teapot with hot water and immediately pour it out. In the same way, warm up the serving cups and the cup of justice so that the temperature difference in contact with them does not spoil the taste of tea.
Invite the audience to inhale the aroma of dried tea leaves. To do this, pass the bowl in which they are from hand to hand so that at the end of the circle it returns to the master of the ceremony.
After getting to know the tea, pour it into a gaiwan or teapot. If it contains broken leaves, place them at the very bottom, and put large whole folded sheets on top. This is necessary so that smaller fragments give all their components to the tea leaves.
Fill the tea leaves with water at a temperature of 85-90°C. This first portion hot water has a special function: it is designed to "awaken" tea, clean it from dust particles and impurities. After half a minute, pour it all out of the kettle to the drop. During this time, under the influence of temperature and humidity, the twisted leaves managed to wake up and now they will be able to fully reveal their aroma and taste. It is very important that after this preliminary brewing, not a drop of water remains in the teapot with leaves, otherwise the tea will continue to brew and it will not be possible to control this process during the ceremony.
It's time for the real, first brewing of Da Hong Pao. Pour hot water over the leaves in the kettle again (remember to temperature regime!) for a minute, then pour the contents of the teapot into the bowl of justice, and from it into portioned cups. This intermediate utensil is needed so that the tea from the bottom of the teapot is mixed with the upper volume of water, and the taste of the drink in each serving is the same. Hence the name of the bowl.
All subsequent tea leaves, and a good Da Hong Pao can have 5 or even 8 of them, also last about a minute and are poured among those present according to the same principle. To your liking, you can slightly increase the steeping time in subsequent steps, starting around the third infusion, if the taste of the tea does not seem strong enough to you. But usually Da Hong Pao is enough for a lot of tea leaves for a company of 3-5 people.
As the number of brews increases, you will notice that Da Hong Pao changes its color and aroma, revealing new facets and shades of taste. This means that the tea ceremony is proceeding correctly, and you quite subtly feel the nuances in the development of the drink. In most cases, Da Hong Pao turns from dark amber to light golden, rich woody taste and sweet-fruity aftertaste turns into a light floral-caramel tone.

Tea ceremonies have recently become not only an exotic hobby, but also a very common menu item in many cafes and restaurants, not to mention special tea houses and establishments with oriental themes. Such popularization led to the fact that Chinese tea, in particular Da Hong Pao, became an entertainment for visitors, a kind of attraction. Hence the superficial attitude to its properties, which brings to the first place precisely the pacifying and uplifting side of the drink. You can often hear about the desire to brew Da Hong Pao in such a way, "to put it in."

It is difficult to unambiguously evaluate such an approach to the tea ceremony, but in general it is natural that, than stronger tea, the more expressive are its qualities, both taste and psychotropic-therapeutic. No one can stop you from experimenting with the strength and amount of tea leaves, as well as with the amount of tea drunk, but do not forget that too strong oolong can simply turn out to be too bitter and tasteless. And for classic brewing Da Hong Pao, it is still advisable to adhere to the dosage and water temperature recommended by experts. It is not for nothing that professionals know their business and have thoughtfully studied it for many years. According to them, Da Hong Pao is an absolutely self-sufficient drink; it does not tolerate any impurities, sweeteners, or any other additives. As for snacks, it is better to hold a tea ceremony between meals so that a full stomach does not interfere with taking tea, and the subsequent meal does not interrupt the aftertaste of the drink.

Finally, it remains to give a few tips of a purely technical nature. So, to maintain a constant water temperature (and this is very important for the proper brewing of oolong), it is convenient to use a thermos - this is not a mistake and a violation of the ceremony, on the contrary, it is often used by masters. You should drink Da Hong Pao as soon as it is poured into your cup, without letting it cool down. It is at this temperature that it is most tasty and healthy. Moreover, changing the source of water, you will surely notice that tea during the new ceremony differs in taste from the previous one. This can be used both on purpose and taken into account without compromising the quality of the water used. And it does not matter if you drink tea by yourself or in the company. Only correctly, with feeling and arrangement, brewed Da Hong Pao will give your taste buds pleasure, rest for your soul, and enlightenment for your mind.

Utes oolong tea has a rich flavor bouquet and aroma. And in order to fully reveal all these qualities, it is necessary to observe certain conditions when brewing it.

This should result in a peach-colored infusion with an unforgettable sweet aroma and peach aftertaste.

This amazing drink is not in vain considered one of the rarest and most expensive types of famous Chinese oolongs, because its taste is unforgettable.

The leaves for making this tea were collected once a year from four trees that are over 300 years old. But now it was possible to obtain viable cuttings from these trees, and today there are much more bushes.

Da hong pao not only normalizes metabolic processes in the body, but also improves tone and is a storehouse of energy.

Traditional Brewing Technology

Consider how the traditional brewing of this incredible drink goes:

Particular attention should be paid to the choice of tea, because only if the product is of really high quality, you get a real Chinese drink. When choosing bad tea, regardless of following all the instructions for brewing, the taste of tea will differ significantly.
For proper cooking drink, it is necessary that the temperature of the kettle is within 90 degrees. No need to use boiling water, just turn off the kettle when the first bubbles appear. Water must be filtered or settled, it is not recommended to use plain water from the tap. This will lead to the loss of not only the amazing aroma of the drink, but also most of the taste, since it contains a huge amount of various impurities.
Before brewing, be sure to rinse the teapot and cups with boiling water, this will not only warm the dishes, but also destroy all microbes. Since from a temperature drop the drink can lose its beneficial features.
Tea is poured into a special teapot, and the broken leaves must be placed on the very bottom of the dish, and the whole leaves on top. Thanks to this order, the smallest leaves will give the most intense brew, and will not pour out quickly. The amount of tea leaves should be calculated from the total number of people, one teaspoon of tea leaves is recommended per person.

Da hong pao tea can be brewed several times:

Zero welding- It is designed for cleaning and preparing tea leaves. To do this, it is necessary to brew them with hot water, and after a minute and a half completely drain all the water to the last drop so that the drink does not even have time to brew. This will help warm and rinse the tea leaves.
First brew- you will hear for the first time incomparable aroma da hong pao, its first notes are revealed here, enjoy every moment. Fill the kettle with water, the temperature of which does not exceed 90 degrees, and brew the drink for one minute. After that, slowly pour into bowls, you should not drink it from large mugs, so you will not be able to fully enjoy its taste.
Second brew- prepared similarly to the first, water is used at the same temperature, and the infusion time is about one minute. You can slightly adjust the duration of brewing to your taste, if you increase the time - the drink will be stronger, if you reduce it - a little weaker. The main thing is to brew, observing the proportions - 7 grams of tea leaves per 100 ml of water, otherwise the drink will be tart and tasteless.
Third brew- involves the disclosure of all the aromas and tastes of the drink. It is brewed in exactly the same way, but the taste of the drink becomes even more refined.
Fourth brew and all subsequent. This drink can be brewed about seven to eight times, but again, if it seems to you that it has become a little weaker, try increasing the brewing time. Act according to your preferences and desires. If you decide that the tea has already given up all its taste and aroma, then you need to stop brewing it and replace the tea leaves. It is also better to use a new tea leaves if the previous one stood without water for about an hour, otherwise the drink will not be so tasty.

Gaiwan usage

Gaiwan means "cup with a lid" in Chinese. This utensil has long been used in China for brewing tea. Gaiwan can be made of glass or clay, but porcelain gaiwan is the most popular.

Brewing da hong pao in gaiwan is as follows:

Fill the gaiwan with boiling water so that the dishes warm up as much as possible. You can also rinse the cups with hot water.
Fill a container a quarter full with dry tea. The strength of the drink is regulated by the duration of infusion.
Pour the tea leaves with boiling water and leave for 30 seconds. Then pour out all the water, it is not drunk.
After the second and third brewing, the drink is poured almost once, after 5 seconds.
Starting from the fourth brewing, you can adjust the infusion time, if necessary, increasing it to 30 seconds.
When the taste and aroma of the drink disappear, it is necessary to stop brewing it and replace the tea leaves with a new one.

Clay teapot and tea

Brewing this tea is an art, and if you prepare it in a clay teapot, then you need to pay special attention to this process.

The volume of a clay teapot should be small, in the range of 150-300 ml.
Before proceeding with the preparation of the drink, it is necessary to warm the kettle and cups with boiling water.
Next, you should pour the tea leaves into the teapot and shake it a little.
It is advisable to use a second teapot called chakhay to pour the drink.
Pour the drink smoothly, and after drinking tea, you can examine the tea leaves, this will help you learn how to understand the quality of the drink.

How to brew Da Hong Pao?

This seemingly trivial and simple question has long been resolved for everyone. DCP is spilled in liters in the cities and villages of our vast Motherland, however, only a few, well, or dozens, drink a really sensible Red robe, and not everyone squeezes the maximum out of this tea. Without claiming to be a know-it-all, we conducted a small study of this issue using several sources: articles in RuNet, a survey of our suppliers and articles on Chinese tea portals. Below are the most interesting and useful information, mainly from http://www.dhpao.com/. Recommended to anyone who can read Chinese.

So, the author initially assumes that you drink good Yancha (岩茶), which is easy to distinguish from other highly fermented oolongs, because it has “3 reds and 7 greens” and a pronounced orchid aroma. we have devoted a whole book, so we will not dwell on this point now. Let's assume that you have a really good Da Hong Pao in front of you, even if not the most rocky. Now the matter is small - it remains to cook it correctly, that is, so that all facets of aroma and taste are revealed to the maximum.

According to Chinese tea thought, the correct brewing of the Big Red Robe consists of 8 steps.

1) 治器 - to put the dishes in order
This stage includes a series of sequential actions, among which are the preparation right water, her expectation and washing dishes. These stages, in our opinion, have more ritual than practical meaning. Consciously boiling water before drinking tea, especially over an open fire, stabilizes thoughts and prepares us for the ceremony. Rinsing the dishes, of course, warms it up and cleans it, say, of dust if it has been standing for a long time, but at the same time, with cleaning the dishes, we kind of clean ourselves before drinking tea, leaving everything vital outside tea table and stay with yourself. The first stage is a kind of warm-up before tea qigong. We recommend that you do not ignore this step, because good tea requires awareness and self-improvement.

2) 纳茶Preparing and laying tea
Before brewing, it is recommended to pour tea on a clean white sheet of paper and sort it into two piles - larger and smaller tips. Putting tea in a brewing dish, whether it is a teapot or a gaiwan, should be done as follows: first a layer of large tea leaves, then thin ones, then large ones again. The volume of dry tea should take up 70-80 percent of the used dishes. With such a bookmark, tea will be better revealed in taste and aroma. Will not be too rich or too watery.

3) 候汤 - waiting for water
As Su Shi, known for his love of tea, wrote to the poet: “Make tea after you see the eyes of a crab, but before you see the eyes of a fish.” These terms are quite well known in Russia, they are used when brewing tea on an open fire. This is the second stage of the approach to boiling water, just when the vessel where the water is boiling filled with small bubbles along the walls, there was a small click, but relatively large bubbles did not appear yet. It's about 75-80 degrees. Water at this temperature is ideal for brewing a good, highly fermented oolong tea.

4) 冲茶 - strait
When we received the right water, you can proceed directly to the strait. According to Chinese tradition, the location of the teapot, is 7 steps from the place of brewing, and just after passing these 7 steps, the water takes on that absolutely correct temperature in all respects, releasing the last heat, which will allow you to get the maximum amount of vitamins from the tea. When pouring water into a teapot or gaiwan, make sure that the water flows to the edge of the vessel, and not to the center. Thus, the aroma of tea is better revealed. It will also be correct to pour from a fairly high height, since this is how the tannin does not have time to dissolve, and the tea will manifest itself in its entirety of taste.

5) 刮沫 - cutting the tea foam
When pouring into a gaiwan or teapot, be sure to fill the entire volume of the brewing vessel. In such cases, they say that it is better to overfill than not top up. In a good teapot good tea with the right strait, foam will definitely form. This foam should be removed from the surface of the tea with a slight movement of the lid.

6) 淋罐 - pouring over a teapot
After the tea is spilled and the foam is removed, it is very important to close the lid tightly and pour hot water over the top of the teapot one more time. This performs three important functions: it balances the temperature inside and outside the teapot, gives the tea additional heating, and washes away the tea foam from the teapot. All this ultimately leads to a more complete disclosure of the aroma and taste of tea, speeds up and improves the brewing process.

7) 烫杯 - warming cups
Warming the cups is also a very important step. Heated dishes will not create a temperature contrast when pouring the drink, while allowing you to wait the right time for the correct extraction of tea in the teapot. Experienced craftsmen pour cups with two hands, hitting right in the center of each cup. Usually this step should take a little time, just long enough for the water to dry on the surface of the kettle. Immediately after this tea can be considered ready to be served to guests.

8) 洒茶 - pouring tea
The last step seems pretty simple: what could be easier than pouring tea into cups. However, we must know the 4 basic principles of pouring tea: first, it is the height. We should also try to pour the tea in a long, beautiful stream. Secondly, it's speed. Pouring tea into cups must be very fast so that the tea is equal in taste for each guest. Thirdly, it is uniformity, the amount of drink for each guest should be the same. Fourth, it is finality. There should not be a drop of water left in the teapot, otherwise the tea will continue to brew and will be bitter. In addition, it is recommended to turn the teapot upside down so that the water flows out of it completely, then when we spill it again, we will get tea of a higher quality.

Julia Vern 4 203 0

Da hong pao is a Chinese oolong rock tea grown in plantations in the Wuyi Mountains. Translation into Russian interprets this name as "big red robe". A few years ago, the tea leaf became a tourist symbol of the Wuyishan area.

The first mention of tea dates back to 1385. This is an entry from the annals of the Tian Xin Si Monastery. It tells how a young student suffered a heat stroke and was cured by a monastery novice with an infusion of Da Hong Pao tea. The young man was just on his way to take the imperial exams in order to get a prestigious official position, which corresponded to a red robe.

Having successfully coped and received a place, the student returned to Tian Xin Si and presented the monk with a red robe in gratitude for his help. But he refused because of his faith. Then the young man gave the robe with the image of a dragon to the tea bushes that saved him. There are a great many other legends associated with monkeys, the emperor and dragons. Each province has its own.

Today, the number of people who want to buy a few grams of oolong is several times higher than the average yield per year. In China, there are only four original shrubs left, from which about 400 g of top leaves and twigs are removed at the beginning of May each year. This harvest is stored separately and used only in cases of special national importance. Last time it was sold ten years ago for half a million dollars. In 1972, Richard Nixon, President of the United States, was presented with 50g of natural Da Hong Pao tea. According to contemporaries, this gift cost 250 thousand dollars, although Nixon himself did not appreciate the gesture and was offended, deciding that it was ordinary grass.

A few years ago, after a surge in tourists, the Chinese government approved a decree that any oolong in Wuyishan could be considered Da Hong Pao bushes. According to the authorities, this would save the Chinese tea market. And so it happened, but the global market suffered due to the emergence huge amount fakes.

Choosing the Best Option

The original tea leaf is quite difficult to distinguish from other varieties. True connoisseurs claim that ordinary store-bought tea is very different from the real one. But only extremely wealthy people can afford it.

Finding natural Da Hong Pao will be difficult even in Chinese markets. There are some standard criteria right choice rock product:

Good tea - fresh. The date of manufacture must be Last year harvesting.
Decent leaves should be bright and dense. If they crumble easily, then they are not suitable.
Also, they should not curl into balls or wrinkle. Otherwise, the conclusion suggests itself that the raw materials were not dried according to technology.
If, after the second brewing, the infusion loses its aroma, it was not without dyes.
How better tea, the more uniform the color.

Stages of cultivation and production

In order to make Da Hong Pao perfectly, the raw materials collected from the bushes in early May must undergo a rigorous selection. Leaves from different trees do not mix, as the age of the shrub directly affects the price finished product. It is generally accepted that the leaves of old trees are endowed with the deepest tastes and aromas.

After harvesting, the curing process takes place. In order for the raw material to give off excess moisture, it is laid out in an even layer in the open air or in a well-ventilated area. The work of preparing tea leaves is manual and requires special care and perseverance. One mistake can affect the quality of the entire batch of goods.

limp at primary processing leaves and twigs crumple and are further subject to fermentation in special rotating drums. This lasts for several days. There is no fixed time frame for each stage. Manufacturers themselves decide when the raw material will be ready for the next stage.

After the fermentation procedure, the leaves are fried in huge cauldrons for several minutes. This time is enough to destroy the rest of the enzymes. Then they are twisted lengthwise and dried until the moisture disappears completely.

The third stage takes all summer. It involves manually separating the leaves from the stems. Then they are sorted and blended. At the final stage, the product undergoes final processing and warms up over coals. Then it is packaged and sold.

Benefits for health and soul

Da Hong Pao tea is rich in beneficial properties. It promotes:

strengthening immune system human,
cleansing the body of toxins,
improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract,
stabilization of blood pressure.

Regular consumption of tea can cure hypertension and calm nervous system. Greatest Benefit obtained by morning use, preferably on an empty stomach. Da Hong Pao removes toxins, creating a favorable flora for food intake, and stimulates the flow of bile from the body.

Brewing secrets

Like any other type of tea, Chinese Da Hong Pao must be properly brewed. To do this, you will need special utensils: a clay or glass teapot, and in case of travel, a compact and convenient gaiwan is useful. Da Hong Pao can be re-brewed up to eight times.

The cooking process is not just a tribute to traditions. Some steps will help protect the health of the consumer. To begin with, you should put required amount tea leaves in an empty teapot. Oolong will quickly give the container a rich aroma. Then you need to rinse the leaves with slightly cooled boiling water and drain the water.

The first brew is not intended for drinking. It disinfects and cleans the leaves from dust.

The second brew can be safely consumed. Gradually, the tea leaves will open and by the fourth pouring of water they will lose their aroma. Taste is the opposite. With each subsequent brewing, the tea taste will acquire new shades and facets.

Some universal cooking rules:

Do not pour oolong with pure boiling water! First, the water should stand and cool to a maximum of 80 degrees;
Fresh filtered water is ideal;
If the tea is overexposed, it will be unpleasantly bitter;
With each subsequent portion, Da Hong Pao needs to be brewed for 20-30 seconds longer;
Pouring tea into bowls instead of standard cups will add to the atmosphere and allow the tea to cool faster.

Result and effect

Da Hong Pao refers to a variety of teas that differ in taste with each use. Its depth and aroma depend on the dishes, water, duration of brewing, and even plantation processing. On the taste qualities will also affect the individual perception of the person. The color range of the finished infusion is extensive: from golden hues to dark amber tones.

To some, the taste of tea will seem caramel, someone will feel a hint of vanilla and tart fruits in it. The smell also changes. This is due to the fact that today this kind of tea is a rarity. What is sold under the guise of the original is the leaves of the daughter bushes or their hybrids.

Chinese tea is characterized by the importance of aftertaste. Sometimes, it is in it that the main details are revealed.

The effect of Da Hong Pao is the so-called psycho-emotional effect of tea on the nervous state of a person. It stimulates relaxation, relieves tension, slightly intoxicates and even creates the effect of intoxication. A peaceful, calm mood helps to focus on the main thing, not to be distracted. That is why it is best to drink oolong in the morning. It tones and does not cause "coffee vivacity", it is not an energy drink.

Human imagination allows you to endlessly experiment with tastes. An interesting combination will drink Da Hong Pao an hour and a half after another Chinese rock tea. Adding vanilla, cinnamon, mint and lemon can enhance the flavor. The Chinese also like to use spicy spices like cardamom, nutmeg and even pepper. You can drink oolong infusion with a slice of chocolate or orange - this will reveal the range of aftertaste.

The aroma is strongly eaten into the walls of the clay teapot due to their porosity. Therefore, it is not recommended to use it for different varieties. But you can try and discover new frontiers of tea tastes. The multifaceted smell of oolong will give you peace and set you in the right mood.