TEA BREWING MASTERCLASS - Direct vs Indirect Brewing

Let's geek dive into a Gong Fu Tea brewing masterclass showing the differences between direct of Gall brewing and Indirect or Rim brewing.
You will be surprised about the effect that this small change makes to your brews.
EIGHT IMMORTALS OOLONG: meileaf.com/p/tea-eioc
TINY GAIWAN: meileaf.com/p/cl-swgw
BLUE PORCELAIN GONG DAO BEI: meileaf.com/p/cl-mlgd
SMALL WHITE CUPS: meileaf.com/p/cl-twcp
GONG FU CODE TEA TRAY: meileaf.com/p/cl-gfc1
PORCELAIN SCOOPS: meileaf.com/p/tsc-porc
SOME OTHER TEA MASTERCLASS VIDEOS
Does Whole Leaf Make Better Tea? - • Does Whole Leaf Make B...
How does Brewing Temperature affect the Taste of Tea? - • TEA MASTERCLASS: How d...
How Long Should You Brew Tea? - • TEA MASTERCLASS: How L...
Why Does more Leaf make Better Tea?- • Why Does MORE LEAF MAK...
Which Clay Teaware should you Choose? - • Which Clay Teaware sho...
How to Brew PuErh Tea - • HOW TO BREW PUERH TEA ...
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Пікірлер: 80

  • @muizzy
    @muizzy4 жыл бұрын

    Don: I'm not going to do a sensory appreciation because.. Hold on... Also Don: oooh! Stone fruit, cherry, peach!

  • @gjram8807

    @gjram8807

    Жыл бұрын

    hahahaha :D

  • @mariannefleur6671
    @mariannefleur66714 жыл бұрын

    Hi Don! Interesting. I was taught a similar technique when I was in Jingmai by some tea hunters from a chinese tea company from Kunming. I was left to brew for them when the factory owner started his water pipe „bong“. My first brews in the gall method came out quite strong and everyone winced (I measured the tea out by eye, 🙈). The lady then proceeded to teach me the rim brewing, the water height, and where on the gaiwan to pour in (3 o’clock), and where on the gaiwan to pour out (9 o’clock), and moving every two to three infusions 3 hours clockwise (and turn the gaiwan). The difference was amazing! The astringent bitter taidi maocha went from uncooth to drinkable, and the single trees production went from a good solid tea to something that sang. The lady told me: the the swirling pour (stirring up the leaves) was more suited to eastern China, and high end green teas, releasing their aromatics to the nose. For Puerhs, especially those with astringency and bitterness in their youth, the rim and 3 o’clock 9 o’clock method was more suitable. I was just discussing this with Natasha and Maciej the other day. 😄 Thank you for your video and glad to see you remark similar effects! Have a wonderful weekend, and thank you for reminding me I need to try the 8 immortals still! Sending love to Camden! ❤️💐🙋🏻‍♀️

  • @MeiLeaf

    @MeiLeaf

    4 жыл бұрын

    All of these tricks are really useful to adapt to a brew and I have another video coming about the 3pm 9pm clock methods vs swirling.

  • @mariannefleur6671

    @mariannefleur6671

    4 жыл бұрын

    Mei Leaf hi Don! Oh cool! Would love to hear your thoughts! I think ad long as the leaves are excellent quality, nothing can really go wrong. Thank god most teas in my cupboard (including lots of yours) are impervious to brewing mistakes. However, on some teas that have some roughness around the edges, method can make the difference between drinkable or not. Of course, it also means on the upper end to tickle out the perfect masterpieces to their maximum potential. So, although not really essential for great leaves, technique can help you achieve perfect nuances for your mood. Keep experimenting & thank you for sharing! ❤️🙏🙋🏻‍♀️

  • @reubenk1615

    @reubenk1615

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@mariannefleur6671 just pointing a typo in second line. You mean to write "as long" not "ad long". Cheers

  • @mariannefleur6671

    @mariannefleur6671

    4 жыл бұрын

    Reuben k hahaha! I’ll hire a proof reader next time for social media posts! 🤣

  • @reubenk1615

    @reubenk1615

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@mariannefleur6671 sorry. I get it from my mother, she's a grammar nazi

  • @ongoingmartin
    @ongoingmartin4 жыл бұрын

    This is one of my favourite ways of working out a tea. Never done a side-by-side like this though. That'll save time AND allow a more direct education between the two. Win win!

  • @reubenk1615

    @reubenk1615

    4 жыл бұрын

    I guse I've always been doing indirect brewing at the start to be gentle and later get more aggressive if desired. Remember the "gal bladder of the tea" comment that was made in the past. Also good to remember if you like your tea strong you can blasphemesly crush some leaf and place underneath the whole leaf for that much more intensity (I used this with Undercover DHP as I like it strong)

  • @Peraou
    @Peraou4 жыл бұрын

    Yay finally masterclasses are the best (well and the travel vids ofc)

  • @ReedJanicki

    @ReedJanicki

    4 жыл бұрын

    Agree, love Don's master classes! The best!

  • @pvlagsma
    @pvlagsma3 жыл бұрын

    WOW! The indirect method has made a huge difference to my tea. Previously I used gall brewing (although I didn't know the name) and many of my teas - from various sources - were very astringent, especially after the first brew. Now the astringency is gone and my teas taste great. Thank you Don.

  • @user-et3xn2jm1u
    @user-et3xn2jm1u4 жыл бұрын

    Excited to try this out, I always love these masterclass vids!

  • @Lau_rao
    @Lau_rao4 жыл бұрын

    As usual a big thank you for the video and the information provided, almost always useful and interesting 🤗🤗🤗

  • @Palpatine4Senate
    @Palpatine4Senate2 жыл бұрын

    Your enthusiasm for tea is bursting out of you in this video! helpful vid. thanks

  • @dinab6286
    @dinab62864 жыл бұрын

    Now I really want to try indirect brewing! Thanks for always sharing such useful tea tips.

  • @ChrisHolst
    @ChrisHolst4 жыл бұрын

    Fascinating exploration of something I never would have even considered.

  • @borishdx
    @borishdx4 жыл бұрын

    Super lesson ! I must say I was not conviced at the beginning but now I am, it works !

  • @ReedJanicki
    @ReedJanicki4 жыл бұрын

    Last year, when I first learned of tea galls, I began tapping my pots to move the tea out of the way for indirect brewing (I don't use giwans). Over time, the taping of the pot has become part of my personal tea ceremony and my preferred method for brewing. However, it's more about keeping the leaves from clogging the spout than any difference in the actual brew.

  • @reubenk1615

    @reubenk1615

    4 жыл бұрын

    Good tip with the teapot, I tap the pot for the same reason but allso to air the leaf and allow to cool. Still unsure of the difference it makes weather or not leaving the lid off gives sweeter tea as I've heard claimed

  • @nielsbosmobile
    @nielsbosmobile4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for the video Don. Just tried it on the 6th and 7th infusion of Pollen Driver; it really seems to make difference:)

  • @ZishaDragon
    @ZishaDragon4 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the video, Don!

  • @jlorenzo0115
    @jlorenzo01154 жыл бұрын

    Wow this is great! I have tried this with green tea and found a difference! Thanks for a great video Don! 👍🏽

  • @chrisladouceur4093

    @chrisladouceur4093

    4 жыл бұрын

    I find green tea has the biggest difference. I always brew indirect until the last infusion, then I’ll go direct to finish

  • @reubenk1615

    @reubenk1615

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@chrisladouceur4093 also I should add that I personally pour the water first in the fairness cup before pouring into brewing vessel. Only later on do I increase time and temperature with green teas

  • @chrisuk1541
    @chrisuk15414 жыл бұрын

    Top quality content as usual.

  • @benjaminvanwey1385
    @benjaminvanwey13854 жыл бұрын

    Leveled up!

  • @andrericardos6554
    @andrericardos65544 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for share you knowledge about tea and greetings from Brazil!

  • @sexysupportgroup345
    @sexysupportgroup3454 жыл бұрын

    you can also explain it with basic thermodynamics. The mechanic work E(kin) from the water (Which is messured in Joule, Newtonmeter or Wattseconds [all 1:1]) is beeing added to the leaf if poured directly onto it. this extra energy provides to more extraction, additional to the energy from the hot water (which would be Q=m*Cp*deltaT [this is also messured in Joule so you can add it]).

  • @chrisladouceur4093
    @chrisladouceur40934 жыл бұрын

    I find indirect brewing modern style TGY is a must. I’ve been drinking sour sap everyday this week and really enjoy this years batch. In the last 2 or 3 infusions I’ll go direct brewing and I find that ends the tea on a brisk note. There’s no right or wrong, experiment and see what you like!

  • @NayNay-zm5ln
    @NayNay-zm5ln4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Sir!!!! Great info !!!

  • @nishantm2087
    @nishantm20874 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for this really interesting and informative comparison. I was wondering about the implications of swapping for the second infusion (doing direct brewing on the previously indirectly brewed leaves, and vice versa). Could this potentially amplify the difference between the two extractions? My thought process is that the leaves that were indirectly brewed have given less of their minerality to the tea liquor. So, if they are then directly brewed in the second infusion, they have more minerality to give to the tea liquor. Conversely, the leaves that were directly brewed already gave more minerality to the liquor, and so, with indirect brewing, the tea liquor might be all the more softer. I'd be curious about the difference in the second infusions when tea leaves were directly brewed for the first and second infusions vs indirectly brewed for the first and second infusions. OK, maybe the answer is I should try this myself :-). But I'm keen to hear your thoughts. My hypothesis is that the difference would be the largest on the first infusion.

  • @denisdraxler8231
    @denisdraxler82314 жыл бұрын

    Yummy. I just bought two dan congs. One being a gao shan dan cong. Will take my glazed Kyusu for it. 💕 💕 💕

  • @mrsmac4739
    @mrsmac47394 жыл бұрын

    Just tried this with Golden Turtle Wuyi Yan Cha and it was a really lovely experience!

  • @brian0823
    @brian08234 жыл бұрын

    Is there any other way to say direct (goal) and indirect (rim) brewing? Because in Chinese, I prefer to say them as 沖 for direct brewing and 淹 for indirect brewing, so that people can very easy to catch the point. And I think maybe 沖 can be translated as "flush", and 淹 can be translated as "submerge". And there are some more details with the placement of tea to cooperate with the different brewing.

  • @loveanuy
    @loveanuy4 жыл бұрын

    Interesting. I usually start indirect then switch to direct ~5-6th infusion for Dancong, Yan Cha, and blacks. Ball oolongs I brew direct, indirect 3rd to 5th or 6th infusion then direct again. Kinda similar to how you were saying at the end.

  • @MeiLeaf

    @MeiLeaf

    4 жыл бұрын

    That is pretty much my exact way except sometimes I like to hit Yan Cha direct from the go to get a proper rocky taste.

  • @matthijsvanwijhe864
    @matthijsvanwijhe864 Жыл бұрын

    Your tempo 60 is spot on!

  • @mrsmac4739
    @mrsmac47394 жыл бұрын

    How would you categorise pouring onto the gaiwan lid and the water running onto the leaves? I've seen this done in a more ceremonial setting and wondered if anyone had tried it, and if so, what were the results?

  • @grantmedical
    @grantmedical4 жыл бұрын

    Hey Don... I have found that I can coax out more infusions from white tea and from Pu-Erh by what you call "indirect" brewing... that being said - I prefer to brew strong and have fewer infusions when drinking by myself...

  • @JacobScott0000
    @JacobScott00004 жыл бұрын

    excellento

  • @denisdraxler8231
    @denisdraxler82314 жыл бұрын

    Yes, he´s right, also for example a Da Hong Pao being very thinleafed, so the direct brewing have a stronger effect on the leaves.

  • @joetexas1546
    @joetexas15464 жыл бұрын

    Hmm - very interesting! I find that I usually rim brew with my fine gooseneck spouted Oxo pot (highly recommended)!

  • @reubenk1615

    @reubenk1615

    4 жыл бұрын

    Which pot do you speak of? I must know! It must be a unicorn!!!

  • @joetexas1546

    @joetexas1546

    4 жыл бұрын

    Reuben k Oxo brew adjustable pour-over kettle (110volt US version) maybe in a 220V version I dont know.

  • @Cookie-tv2bb
    @Cookie-tv2bb4 жыл бұрын

    Hai don great video got this recommended straight through my emails and clicked it instantly good job I’m just trying out the sticky rice cakes recipe also quick question to anyone who reads this comment so is the tea that don sells like classed as top quality high end tea or middle quality compared to other teas and have you recently discovered indirect brewing or no because I’ve not seen you do it in other videos I don’t think

  • @reubenk1615

    @reubenk1615

    4 жыл бұрын

    He's mentioned the "gal bladder of the tea" concept in the past

  • @driftekharahmad8644
    @driftekharahmad864411 ай бұрын

    Could you pls explain more about direct vs indirect browing?

  • @ChrisHolst
    @ChrisHolst4 жыл бұрын

    Don- have you ever done a video on the ginseng oolongs that are out there in the market? The ball rolled oolongs that are enrobed in ginseng stuff and come to look like green pebbles? I'd love to hear your thoughts on them.

  • @105rogue
    @105rogue4 жыл бұрын

    If Don or anyone else for that matter know if Adogia tea is any good? I know it's not going to be top tier quality but is it even decent?

  • @username-yn5yo
    @username-yn5yo4 жыл бұрын

    which is more common in china (japan)? Thank you don for you content and hopefully your answer

  • @MeiLeaf

    @MeiLeaf

    4 жыл бұрын

    It really depends on the tea type but in China I would say that rim brewing is more common amongst people who studiously brew their tea

  • @denisdraxler8231
    @denisdraxler82314 жыл бұрын

    _Cheers everybody_ 😋

  • @denisdraxler8231
    @denisdraxler82314 жыл бұрын

    Frankly spoken I have my problems with a hot brewing. 😐 I always want a moderate infusion, so expecially sheng for example kind of loosens its charakter with a way too hot infusion. 😐

  • @umiteasets
    @umiteasets3 жыл бұрын

    Chlorogenic acid and Vitamin C in the scented tea can make the skin become exquisite, white and glossy.

  • @antman9461
    @antman94614 жыл бұрын

    Hey Don! What's your opinion on Yabukita Gyokuro? I just tried Gyokuro for the first time, brewing it the way you did with a Okumidori Gyokuro in your video. It had a flavor profile similar to what you described but it never became as intense in flavor, as thick and as vibrant in colour. The first brew had a mindlowing flavor but was rather pale green. Does cultivar have an effect on colour and thickness?

  • @antman9461

    @antman9461

    4 жыл бұрын

    Anyway, it's a gorgeous tea. The savoriness is turning more and more into sweetness with every infusing. It's amazing how flavor evolves throughout the session.

  • @BS38114

    @BS38114

    4 жыл бұрын

    Yes, i think the cultivar have a effect. If you want it really green, check out Saemidori. Also the way it steamed.

  • @youmesawsaydoes3212
    @youmesawsaydoes32124 жыл бұрын

    Please explain turkish tea

  • @Jy3pr6
    @Jy3pr64 ай бұрын

    All brewing is direct in the sense that the water hits the leaves eventually. If the issue is temperature, why not just brew the tea at a lower temperature? Also, pouring on the side would seem to hit some leaves for longer than others while pouring directly on top would hit them all more evenly.

  • @askialuna7717
    @askialuna77174 жыл бұрын

    I find the term brewing strange for tea and coffee, I only know brewing for beer and other alcoholic drinks. Otherwise, I know the terms of making tea, pouring warm water onto tea, infuse water with tea, infusing tea, leave the tea in the water for e.g. 40 sec.

  • @TheAminoamigo

    @TheAminoamigo

    4 жыл бұрын

    Brewing can refer to both alcoholic fermentation and infusing other things in water like tea, coffee beans etc.

  • @askialuna7717

    @askialuna7717

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@TheAminoamigo I have now read about tea preparation as a term for it. where I come from we have two terms for it, brewing beer is "brauen" and tea/coffee is "brühen" e.g aufbrühen

  • @tendingtropic7778
    @tendingtropic77783 жыл бұрын

    anyone know what kettle he is using here?

  • @MeiLeaf

    @MeiLeaf

    3 жыл бұрын

    Kamjove kettle

  • @denisdraxler8231
    @denisdraxler82314 жыл бұрын

    Your white porcelain is so exquisite. Yummy.

  • @Keyboard12850
    @Keyboard128504 жыл бұрын

    hey have you ever drunk wakocha tea? It's black japanese tea, I've not seen video on your channel about it. I tasted it and it was delicious

  • @MeiLeaf

    @MeiLeaf

    4 жыл бұрын

    Yes we stock Japanese Black called Kaori Black and it is delicious!

  • @Keyboard12850

    @Keyboard12850

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@MeiLeaf Thanks, I will check it

  • @kornucopia9460
    @kornucopia94603 ай бұрын

    Didn't you confuse the direct with the gall brewing method? If anything, the indirect, rim brewing method would be the "gall" brewing method because the meaning is you need to be careful since you don't want to rupture the gall.

  • @denisdraxler8231
    @denisdraxler82314 жыл бұрын

    I want this strainer, mine always falls in the cup. 😂

  • @jaydengriffin2478

    @jaydengriffin2478

    4 жыл бұрын

    they are like £2 online.. you should get one!

  • @denisdraxler8231
    @denisdraxler82314 жыл бұрын

    The frog is your favorite, isn´t he? 👌

  • @chrisladouceur4093

    @chrisladouceur4093

    4 жыл бұрын

    I like the fish! Mine came with one of the eyes partially covered with the ceramic, so looks like he has a happy side and a mad side. Gives me a good chuckle

  • @gavinmarshall2228
    @gavinmarshall22284 жыл бұрын

    Damn son, Don's song and dance about Dan Cong...

  • @dantesenior2527
    @dantesenior25274 жыл бұрын

    I'm going to count in my head soo 1 2 3 4 5... He says out loud

  • @thlee3
    @thlee34 жыл бұрын

    please do a no talking, asmr tea ceremony video

  • @andrericardos6554
    @andrericardos65544 жыл бұрын

    A question, for a service tea first infusion indirect and for a second infusion direct? What you think? Or I started indirect and continued the same service for others infusions? Big hug!