How to Brew Longjing Tea

A practical Longjing brewing guide for glass and gaiwan, including temperature, leaf ratio, water and common mistakes.

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How to Brew Longjing Tea

LONGJINGPEDIA · BREWING

Start Longjing with water below a full boil, a moderate amount of leaf and enough space for the leaves to open. Around 80°C is a useful starting point, but tasting should decide the final temperature.

Choose a glass for ease and observation

A tall clear glass is a relaxed way to drink Longjing. You can watch the flattened leaves soften and rise or fall. The tea remains in contact with water, so drink progressively and refill before the glass becomes empty or overly strong.

Simple glass method

  1. Use about 3 grams of leaf for 250 milliliters of water as a starting point.
  2. Cool freshly boiled water to roughly 80°C.
  3. Add water gently and allow the leaf to open.
  4. Begin drinking when the liquor has aroma and balance, usually after two to three minutes.
  5. Refill when one-third remains.

Choose a gaiwan for control

A gaiwan separates the liquor from the leaf, making it better for comparison and repeated tasting. Start near 4 grams per 100–120 milliliters and use short infusions. Delicate tea may prefer cooler water; a stronger or later-picked tea may need more heat to open.

Water matters more than many people expect

Very hard water can flatten aroma or make texture feel heavy. Strong chlorine can obscure sweetness. Soft, clean water with moderate mineral content is usually easier. If a trusted tea suddenly tastes dull, change the water before blaming the leaf.

Temperature is a tool, not a commandment

Use cooler water when bitterness or cooked-vegetable notes dominate. Increase temperature when the tea feels thin, closed or aromatically silent. Make one adjustment at a time so you can understand the result.

A number such as 80°C is a starting conversation with the leaf, not the final answer.

Common problems and fixes

  • Bitter and sharp: reduce temperature, leaf or infusion time.
  • Weak and empty: add leaf, use hotter water or extend the infusion.
  • Good aroma but rough texture: shorten the brew and check water quality.
  • First infusion good, later brews flat: increase heat gradually.
  • Stale flavor: inspect storage rather than trying to fix it with technique.

Should Longjing be rinsed?

For clean, well-stored tea, a discarded rinse is usually unnecessary and may remove part of the first aroma. If you choose to warm or awaken the leaf, use only a very quick contact and treat it as a sensory decision rather than a hygiene ritual.

How many times can it be infused?

Many Longjing teas give two or three satisfying infusions, but durability varies. Do not force a fixed number. Stop when aroma, texture and sweetness no longer give pleasure.

Practical rule: keep a short note of dose, water and temperature. Repeatability makes it easier to learn what the tea—not random brewing—actually tastes like.

Published 10 August 2026 · Brewing parameters are practical starting points.