Don Mei : Hey tea-heads.
This is Don from Mei Leaf.
In this video : How To Brew With A Gaiwan.
In this video I'm going to be giving you a step-by-step [demonstration] on how to brew
with this incredibly simple- but functional - bit of teaware.
This video is going to go under the "Teaware" playlist.
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We've just filmed a video on the reasons why I love Gaiwans, and a link will appear up
here somewhere [DON POINTS TO UPPER RIGHT SECTION OF SCREEN] and in the description
[section] below, so check that out.
Now we're going to be brewing, and I'm going to be just showing you the very simple method
of how you brew with this piece of kit.
So let's begin.
[DON REMOVES LID FROM THE GAIWAN ON TEA TRAY AND PLACES IT ON TRAY] I have here some young
gu Shu [DON HOLDS GAIWAN FULL OF TEA LEAVES UP TO THE CAMERA FOR CLOSEUP] [from] 2016.
This is our new, raw Puerh, fresh-picked, 2016 harvest, from Xi Gui in Yunnan province
.
[DON SMELLS TEA LEAVES IN GAIWAN] We'll do another tasting session with this tea, I'm
sure.
But today it's just about teaching you you how to brew with a Gaiwan.
[CLOSEUP SHOT OF GAIWAN FULL OF DRY LEAVES ON TEA TRAY] Okay.
Let's begin with the tea rinse.[DON POURS HOT WATER FROM KETTLE INTO GAIWAN] We're just
going to pour water over these leaves, and you'll notice [that] for some teas there's
quite a lot of bubbles that form.
[DON USES GAIWAN LID TO SCRAPE IMPURITIES OFF OF THE TOP OF TEA LIQUOR IN THE GAIWAN]
So you can just now use the Gaiwan lid - this is one of the great things about Gaiwan lids
- to move the bubbles off, [DON HOLDS LID AND TIPS THE GAIWAN SLIGHTLY TO EMPTY SOME
LIQUOR] you can tip away a lot of those bubbles, and then if I take my Gong Dao Bei and - [with
the] very large opening here, and I'll show you how you control the opening in a little
bit - [DON POURS TEA RINSE OUT OF GAIWAN INTO THE SERVING CUP] and pour away the tea rinse,
or tea wash.
The reason why we do a large opening is because any broken leaves that are in this tea will
be ejected, and we'll have really nice, full leaves for our proper brews.
Let me pour that [rinse] away [DON POURS RINSE LIQUOR FROM SERVING CUP INTO TEA TRAY] So
again, you can see how much control you have with this lid [DON USES LID TO GESTURE THE
ACTIONS OF SCRAPING TOP OF LIQUOR AND CONTROLLING LID OPENING SIZE] to move away any froth and
bubbles, and control the gap that you have.
So before we go any further the next thing I need to do is show you how to hold a Gaiwan.
Right.
[DON POINTS OFFSCREEN] I have another camera here, so we're going to have a cloesup of
this.
The way that you hold a Gaiwan - and the reason why I am paying particular attention to this
is because most people who first start brewing with Gaiwans find that either the Gaiwan is
quite awkward to hold, or gets too hot on their fingers.
So let me show you how best to hold the Gaiwan.
[DON HOLDS UP HIS THUMB, INDEX AND MIDDLE FINGERS TO DEMONSTRATE PROPER ACTION] You
want to make sure that you are holding the Gaiwan with your thumb, your second/[middle]
finger, and your index finger.
[DON PLACES HIS INDEX FINGER ON THE TOP PIECE OF THE GAIWAN LID] The index finger goes on
top, onto the lid - on the knob at the top - and there are two ways that you can do this.
[CLOSEUP SHOT OF DON POSITIONING FINGERS ONTO LID OF GAIWAN] You can either put your finger
directly into the little alcove of the knob of the lid [here] [DON PLACES INDEX FINGER
INTO GAIWAN LID ALCOVE TIP], or you can - which is what I do - put your finger across [DON
PLACES HIS INDEX FINGER ACROSS THE TOP OF ALCOVED TIP OF GAIWAN].
Now, I like to put my finger across.
I find that this affords me more control.
[DON HOLDS GAIWAN UP TO CAMERA FOR CLOSEUP] The control that I'm talking about here is
how much control you have over the angle of the lid.
[DON HOLDS GAIWAN LID FLAT ON THE GAIWAN] If you have a very flat angle like this then
you're going to [have] a very small gap for pouring.
[DON TILTS LID TO CREATE A LARGE GAP ANGLE ON TOP OF GAIWAN] If you have a very large
angle, like this, then the gap inside here is a lot larger,and so you [have] a quicker
pour, and you're pouring away more of those broken leaves.
[DON PLACES GAIWAN BACK DOWN ON TEA TRAY] Let me put it back down, [and] hopefully you're
going to get a nice closeup here.
So the index finger either goes in, or onto, the top of the lid.
[DON BEGINS DEMONSTRATING HOW TO PLACE THE OTHER TWO FINGERS ON THE GAIWAN] Then it's
very simply about holding, very lightly - with [your] thumb and second/[middle] finger - just
the edge of the Gaiwan.
[DON LOWERS THE POSITION OF HIS SECOND FINGER AND THUMB ON THE BODY OF THE GAIWAN] If you
hold too far down [the bowl] you'll start to get a lot more of the heat [from] the hot
water, and that might potentially become very uncomfortable for you.
So just holding [the edge] lightly -- and don't forget that the [shape of the] Gaiwan
is splayed out [intentionally] to help with pouring.
[It also] means that there's less heat around the edge - or rim - and so just lightly holding
with the thumb and second finger, and then the index finger on top, this is how you hold
a Gaiwan.
[DON RAISES THE GAIWAN WHILE HOLDING IT WITH CORRECT FINGER POSITION FOR CAMERA CLOSEUP].
A lot of people, when they first start brewing with Gaiwans, feel [that] it's a little bit
awkward, and they tend to squeeze too [tightly] because they're scared of dropping [it].
You will not drop the Gaiwan as long as you anchor your second/[middle] finger, thumb
and index finger.
As long as it's anchored in three places you can hold [it] very lightly, [DON HOLDS GAIWAN
IN THE AIR AND GESTURES POURING MOTION] and you can easily pour without being worried
about dropping the Gaiwan.
So please don't hold too tight, otherwise you might find that it gets too hot.
[DON PLACES THUMB INTO ALCOVED TIP OF GAIWAN LID AND RAISES GAIWAN FOR CAMERA CLOSEUP]
Some people hold like this, with their thumb in the Gaiwan, and they pour this way [DON
MAKES POURING GESTURE WITH GAIWAN].
I don't like this way of pouring.
I find that I don't have as much control, and also the steam tends to come out of this
little gap here [DON POINTS TO THE GAP CREATED IN THE REAR AREA OF THE GAIWAN TOP AS A RESULT
OF HOLDING IT WITH THE THUMB IN THE TIP] and hit the palm of your hand, and that can get
quite hot.
So I don't really like that.
[DON PLACES GAIWAN BACK DOWN ON TEA TRAY AND ADJUST HIS FINGERS TO THE PROPER POSITION]
I much prefer - and most people in China [do as well] - to brew this way.
[DON GESTURES POURING ACTION WITH PROPER FINGER POSITION] You pour this way, the steam tends
to rise out from the side of your hand, and it's a lot better way of brewing.[DON PLACES
GAIWAN BACK ONTO TEA TRAY]
So, let's do it one time with actual water so you can see.
I'm going to intentionally bring the water right to the top so you can see how I handle
that.
[DON POURS HOT WATER FROM KETTLE INTO GAIWAN] So pouring in [you can] bring it right to
the top if you want.
[DON PUTS KETTLE BACK ON THE FLOOR] That's kind of a very dramatic way of doing it.
[DON PUTS THE LID BACK ONTO THE GAIWAN] Then put the lid on.
Now that's way too overfilled, [DON USES LID TO SCRAPE IMPURITIES OFF OF THE TOP OF LIQUOR]
so you can use [the lid] to scrape the bubbles off, but you wouldn't want to pour like this,
[so] just hold the lid and base [DON PLACES INDEX FINGER INTO ALCOVED LID AND SLIGHTLY
TIPS THE GAIWAN TO EMPTY SOME LIQUOR] and just tip.
Just tip away any excess.
That's the easy way of doing it.
And now I'm going to be putting my index finger [into the alcoved lid top], [then] setting
the [lid] angle that I want - so setting the gap that I would like - and now I can tilt
the lid [while holding] with the thumb and second/[middle] finger, and simply with one
easy movement with the wrist [I] pour.
[DON POURS TEA LIQUOR FROM GAIWAN INTO SERVING CUP]
You can see how quick the pour is, which is one of the great things about brewing with
a Gaiwan.
Be careful not to twist.
If you twist - let me see if I can show you, [although] I'll probably make a mess, but
that's okay.
[DON HOLDS GAIWAN UP TO CAMERA TO DEMONSTRATE TWISTING ACTION] If you twist your hand in
any way then there's a risk that the water will start to leak down and touch your skin
[DON POINTS TO THE AREAS NEAR THE THUMB AND SECOND/[MIDDLE] FINGER WHERE HOT WATER CAN
COME INTO CONTACT WITH FINGERS WHEN TILTING THE GAIWAN] - touch your finger or your thumb.
So be conscious of making sure that you're always pouring from the section in between
your thumb and second/[middle] finger.
If you do find that it gets too hot - and a lot of people when they first start brewing
with Gaiwans find that it gets a bit too hot, usually because they're squeezing it - then
put the Gaiwan down.
There's no prizes for burning yourself.
The best tip that I can give you is to hold your earlobe [DON DEMONSTRATES THE SIMPLE
TRICK OF HOLDING THE EARLOBE WITH THE THREE FINGERS YOU USE TO HOLD THE GAIWAN].
If your fingers are too hot [then] hold your earlobe.
[This is] one of the tricks that I've picked up in China.
Sometimes you see farmers [who] are realLy exuberant, and they're pouring water in, and
it gets a bit too hot for them, or they've overfilled it, [and they just] hold [the]
earlobe.
It tends to take the heat away from your fingers really, really quickly.
I don't know who figures these things out, but it definitelly works.
The other thing to watch out for is to make sure that you have dry fingers.
Sometimes you're pouring water, and it's getting a little bit messy, and your fingers might
get wet.
When your fingers are wet you will have more [of] a chance that your grip will be slippery,
which means that you'll squeeze the Gaiwan tighter.
Also, wet fingers just tend to make the Gaiwan feel even hotter.
So have a tea towel like this [DON HOLDS UP THE TEA TOWEL WHICH COMES IN THE MEI LEAF
GONG FU GURU TEA SET] next to you, and just dry your fingers before you pick up, and pour,
the Gaiwan.
Let me do it one more time for you so that you can see it.
[DON RAISES KETTLE IN PREPARATION FOR POURING] The height [from] which you pour is up to
you, [as in] if you'd like to do the long pour to cool down the water.
[DON REMOVES LID FROM GAIWAN] So [take] the lid off [of the Gaiwan, and] pour the water
[DON POURS HOT WATER FROM KETTLE INTO GAIWAN].
If it's too filled [DON PUTS LID BACK ONTO GAIWAN] then just hold the lid and the base
and tip it out.
When you feel that the infusion is ready you set your lid into the Gaiwan [DON PLACES LID
INTO GAIWAN AT A SLIGHT ANGLE], put your index finger on, hold it very lightly with your
thumb and second/[middle] finger, [DON POURS INFUSION FROM GAIWAN INTO SERVING CUP] and
then just pour in a very straight motion without twisting the bowl.
After you've finished, and you're ready to drink, we always advise taking the lid and
putting it onto the side [of the Gaiwan] like this [DON PLACES THE LID STANDING UP BETWEEN
THE BASE AND BODY OF THE GAIWAN] This means that the leaves will start to dry, and won't
steam and stew in the humidity.
That's a really, really great [trick], and again, look [at] how beautiful that is.
[DON ROTATES THE GAIWAN WITH THE LID UPRIGHT ON THE TEA TRAY] That's really something that
I love about the Gaiwan - the way that it so nicely holds together like that.
Make sure you pick Gaiwans that allow you to do this.
This is the Mei Leaf Blue Gaiwan, and we've got a Mei Leaf glass Gaiwan [DON TAKES OUT
THE GLASS GAIWAN AND PUTS IT ON THE TEA TRAY], which is suitable for green teas.
[DON PLACES LID OF GLASS GAIWAN UPRIGHT BETWEEN THE BASE AND BODY OF GAIWAN] Again, just putting
the lid inside, on the side like this, is very easy, and [it's] a really nice way of
keeping the lid neatly.
[DON TAKES OUT ANOTHER GAIWAN FROM CHINA AND PLACES IT ON THE TEA TRAY] This Gaiwan here
we purchased in China.
It's a beautiful Gaiwan, [with] a lovely design on it, [and] I really, really like [it], but
something that really, really annoys me is this [DON ATTEMPTS TO PLACE LID BETWEEN THE
BASE AND BODY OF GAIWAN BUT THE HEAVY LID RAISES THE BODY] Look at how it lifts up the
bowl, which is kind of annoying.
So it's always nice if you get a chance to just play with your teaware before you buy
it, because that's kind of an annoying thing, whereas this [DON PUTS THE MEI LEAF GAIWAN
ON THE TEA TRAY AGAIN] is so much nicer.
You just slot [the lid] in and it stays in there.
So, I'm going to now enjoy my tea [DON POURS TEA LIQUOR FROM SERVING CUP INTO TEACUP].
[This] young Gu Shu, 2016.
I brewed [it] quite strong because I was talking a lot, [DON SIPS TEA] but it's still incredibly
smooth.
Wow!
[It] has a lovely, minty sweetness to it.
[It's] a gorgeous tea, and we'll do a video on that in the future.
I hope that this has given you a very basic understanding of how to brew with a Gaiwan,
and taken away all of those fears that some people have about Gaiwan brewing.
I encourage everybody out there to try Gaiwan brewing.
It's a great way to have a really direct and authentic brewing experience.
That's it tea-heads.
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If you have any questions or comments then please fire them over.
Other than that, I'm Don Mei from Mei Leaf.
Thank you for being a part of the revelation of true tea.
Stay away from the tea bags, keep drinking the good stuff, and spread the word, because
nobody deserves bad tea.
[WAVING] Bye.