Steep Styles - Discord Dives with Mickey

Hello Tea Friends!

Mickey here! My pals at the Tea House enjoyed my last blog so much, they’ve asked me to share more from my research notebook—messy notes, ongoing questions, and all. Just in case you missed my first blog- I’m new to all this! I’ve spent my whole life relying on bagged teas to warm my frosty Canadian fingers, and my tea cupboard is definitely bigger than the one for my pots and pans. Recently though, I tried some properly made Fuding White Tea, then I got hooked on loose leaf, discovered tea culture… and, well, here we are.

While I was lurking on the Jesse’s Teahouse Discord the other day, I saw folks chatting about Grandpa-style brewing. Naturally, I had to know more! That spiraled into a deep dive where I researched every tea brewing method I could find, since I had never given the topic much thought before.

So grab a cup and join me as I explore a few brewing styles—plus, I’ll try each one and give you my unfiltered thoughts along the way. Let’s get steeping. 

Tea Bags!

 

 

Good ol’ tea bags. You can find them in almost every supermarket, usually half an aisle or more of colorful boxes. They come in every flavor imaginable, though not always good. They’re also easy to pop into a teapot, a mug, a thermos… whatever you need. No muss, no fuss.

As for the origins of the tea bag: Like all great things- myself included- they were created by accident.

The story goes that an American guy named Thomas Sullivan sent out samples of his tea in little silk bags to his customers. However, when the tea arrived, said customers assumed they were meant to be used like their beloved infusers, and just dropped them right into their teapots. This was, of course, not what they were meant for. When he got feedback about how the silk mesh was too fine, along with other complaints, he saw an opportunity for business. He started by using gauze bags, and eventually paper bags became the new thing. The design hasn’t changed much since it was created: a little bag, a smidge of tea, and a string. Simple and effective!

As for the taste… I have no real thoughts on this style, to be honest. It’s tea. Easy to over steep if you forget about it, but it does what it’s meant to do, and it… tastes. The style makes it easy to clean up, at least!

Tea Ballin’

Tea infusers are like the middle ground between tea bags and loose leaves. Up until researching for this blog, I’ve been using infusers because I hate getting leaves in my mouth. The older sibling to tea bags, these come in all shapes, designs and sizes. Some have sticks, some have chains, some look very alien... Just depends on what you want! I personally lean toward the silly and cute designs myself.

These are another easy-to-use, easy-to-clean option. Just pop your leaves in, steep, and take it out.

I do have one big issue with infusers though. If you’re using large leaves, often times a typical infuser will suffocate them. There’s no room to expand! If you’re using those yummy mixes with lots of little bits and pieces, the mesh is fantastic for keeping them in your cup and out of your stomach. For big leaves though, I recommend a larger, roomier infuser or a basket style that sits on the lip of your mug or teapot.  (P.S. Cat infuser mug—I see you, and you will be mine soon.)

Much like the tea bags, I think these definitely have their uses. They’re handy for busy days and mess free tea, but they don’t necessarily have the same charm or depth of flavor you get from using some other methods. They’re a great place to start though!

The Gaiwan

 

Gaiwan from Jesse's Gold Dragon Tea Set

 

I won’t dive too deep into these since Jesse’s already covered Gongfu tea and its teaware on his YouTube, TikTok, and some other blog posts. If you want some really informative stuff, that’s a better place to start! However, here’s my basic overview. The Gaiwan is a type of Chinese tea vessel made to brew small batches for a short time. I also wanted to mention the shiboridashi, one of its Japanese counterparts. They are adorable and I love them with my whole heart.

As mentioned before, the focus is on measured amounts of loose leaf teas with short, repeated brews. This lets you savor the full flavor and richness of the tea while really soaking in the tea-making experience. It’s an intriguing art and a very meditative process- I’ve always loved the flavors and nuances I get specifically out of brewing my tea this way!

I am also a very strong believer that the thing you drink out of impacts the flavor of your drink, so I give this method a high rating specifically because the teaware is always delicately cared for. And it tastes delicious! (Yes, I mean the cups.)

Grandpa Style/ Loose Leaf

The term that started this whole blog deep dive! What is Grandpa style? Well, simply put, it’s just… brewing tea! “Grandpa Style” was coined by an early 2000’s tea blogger, MarshalN, to describe how his grandfather brewed tea. The term then caught on in the Western tea community. But in reality, this is just how most Chinese people make their tea!

What’s the best way to do it? Three easy steps, according to MarshalN. Grab a big cup (the bigger the better), toss in your leaves, and pour in hot water. Drink about ⅔ of your cup once it’s brewed and then refill it again! Easy, breezy, covergirl. Just make sure you don’t use too many leaves, or it can get bitter fast. I love a strong pu-erh or oolong, but lighter teas like green, yellow, or white work best here so the flavor doesn’t get too bold if you leave it too long.

I’ve been brewing most of my tea like this since I read about it. As MarshalN says, it’s not that grandpa style is a lesser or unrefined method- it’s just different! And you might even pick up new flavors that you missed while brewing more traditionally.

Personally, I highly recommend trying this with the 2024 White Anji Green tea- A. It tastes amazing, B. It doesn’t over steep easily, and C. It looks so pretty in a double-walled glass cup! Another tip if you try this- Let it steep until the leaves sink down, otherwise you might end up sampling the flavors very directly.

French Press- A Twist (and Push!)

This whole process is making me realize you can’t really over-think tea. For this, just toss your leaves into your French press, steep, then press down the plunger and enjoy. A few notes on this one, though:

First and foremost, give your french press a seriously good scrubbing. If you’ve made coffee in it before, that flavor will linger in it forever, especially on the metal parts. A friend of mine has one for coffee and one for tea, simply to avoid getting that bitter coffee taste.

Second, be ready for a ton of tea. A full french press can make a lot! That’s why this method is great for sharing with guests. Be sure to empty out the press completely after brewing so you don’t end up with a super potent brew. Unless you like that? You can also reuse your leaves if you empty it each time!

That said, it’s an easy, mess-free way to enjoy tea. For myself, I’ve learned that I’m a little too forgetful for this method. The first cup is fantastic, but it’s sad when I end up pouring the rest down the drain because I forgot about it.

Cold Brew

I’m not, and probably never will be, a fan of cold brew coffee. But cold brew tea? Now that’s a whole different story! While the cold brew craze hit the West in the early 2000’s, it actually dates back to the 1600’s in Kyoto, Japan. They used cold river water to slowly brew tea leaves, extracting the sweet, delicate flavors without the bitterness tannins can create in hot water. Then the Dutch got involved, and Kyoto-style cold brew coffee happened, and people keep making new types all the time!

Making cold brew tea is super easy. Just grab any tea you like, pop it into a pitcher or bottle, fill with cold water, and stick it in the fridge. A few hours later, you’ve got a smooth, refreshing drink. Some of our community members use their leaves from their tea sessions, which is a great way to get all the good flavor (and value) out of them.

Just remember, some teas may not hold up if they steep too long, so pay attention to your brew times if you try this method. 

I’m definitely going to keep a pitcher in the fridge from now on. Once the warm weather hits here in Canada, I’ll be experimenting with different teas to see what cold brews the best! 

So clear!

Kombucha?

 

 

 

Fizzy, fuzzy kombucha! In my experience, a fun (and dangerous) hobby. Maybe not dangerous for other people. For those who aren’t familiar, kombucha is made with tea, sugar, water, and something called a SCOBY, which stands for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. Despite what it looks like, a SCOBY isn’t a mushroom (I still find that pretty wild). They are probably the most slimy and gross thing I’ve ever touched.

While I love a good ol’ bottle of fizzy bacteria juice, I tend to buy mine now since my last few attempts have been a little… explosive. Still, for the sake of science and research, I’m starting a new batch! I’ve seen mixed reviews about pu’erh kombucha, so I’m excited to try it out. Stay tuned for updates! Or maybe pictures of me deep cleaning my ceiling again.

As a little side note, I was going to attempt sun tea. However, my gaggle of gal pals were concerned about the possible health effects of drinking something wet that’s been sitting in the sun for a long time… so for now, I won’t be drinking it. But hey, I did make some!

For now, I’ll stick to my easy-peasy cup of “grandpa style” tea when I’m in a rush. If you have any other alternatives to try, let us know in the Jesse’s Teahouse Discord! I’ll probably try them too. Unfortunately though, since I’ve been drinking tea this entire time, my bladder is begging me to finish this blog.

If the kombucha doesn’t get me… catch you next time!

Happy steeping!- Mickey