Welcome Traveler! (Automatic welcome newsletter)
Welcome Adventurer! Your quest to explore and experience unique teas has begun!
Before you begin, however, we are thought this guide to basic tea equipment may help. It only includes the most rudimentary equipment necessary to fully embark on your adventure, however. You can find much more information by stopping at the Tavern and paging through the Tea Tavern Brewing Guide.
Recommended Supplies for Gongfu Cha (tea)
If you're an Adventurer in a hurry you can skip the search for these items and get them all in our Adventurer's Brewing Kit
- Gaiwan -- This is a small cup, usually made of porcelain and a few inches wide and deep, a rimmed bottom, an outward curved lip, and a lid with it’s own rimmed handle. This is the container in which tea is brewed. Simply place leaves in the gaiwan, pour over water of an appropriate temperature, and put the lid back on. Now - using an Adventurer's good sense and deft skills because the gaiwan is very hot! - grip the gaiwan by its rim and tilt the lid so it is slightly off-kilter and water can pour out. Pour into the justice cup.
- Gong Dao Bei (Justice cup) / Furnace / Serving cup -- Now it is time to exercise a hearty adventurer's wisdom and discernment and (quite literally) mete out justice in the form of tea! The justice cup is made of glass with a pouring spout. By using this vessel to pour out the tea, all your companions are assured of receiving a tea of equal brew strength. If tea is poured from the gaiwan than the first person to receive tea will have the weakest brew and the last person cursed with the strongest -- and perhaps even bitter! -- tea.
- Tea cup / Tasting cup -- These small cups, which can be made of any material but are most often glass or porcelain, are smaller than both the gaiwan and the justice cup. Everyone indulging in the tea will receive the same of amount tea to enjoy.
Tips for a successful quest rest (tea ceremony)
- A heroic Adventurer is always prepared! The short steeping time of most Chinese teas (often as little as 5-15 seconds) means one must be attentive, dexterous, and diligent to create a sublime experience for fellow tea drinkers. Ensure your water heating method -- whether electric kettle or something else -- is at the ready, your tea measured out (this can be surprisingly tricky!), and all quest companions have their tasting cups ahead of time.
- Successful Adventurers employ precision! One can't just wave a weapon about randomly and hope to vanquish enemies, can they? The same is true for tea. Since the size, shape, and volume of Tea Tavern teas can vary greatly, the Tavern highly recommends using a scale and measuring out tea quantities before you begin.
- A Wise Adventurer is always on guard! Though one can linger over a fresh cup tea -- in fact, we highly encourage this -- the brewing process is one that requires complete focus as the difference between an energizing or comforting elixer and bitter, putrid water is a mere matter of seconds.
This should get you started, though of course you must choose the tea best suited to your quest.
Do you wish to regain health and energy to carry on during your long journey? Perhaps Rain of Mosscap is what you need. Or mayhap you wish to simply enjoy a new, exciting flavor surrounded by friends? Jin Jun Mei be just what is called for. Beginning to feel the ill effects of a nefarious spell cast upon you, with troubling signs of illness creeping in? Immunity of the Sacred Blossom may help set you to rights again.
Whatever your heart desires, and wherever you feel called to, the Tea Tavern's Wizard will use the modern, instant "message over Avion Carriers" on your inbox to guide you through the legends, stories, processes and techniques of tea.
If you are eager to delve deeper into the practice of Gongfu Cha but too impatient to await our next edition, send a missive to quests@tea-tavern.com and ask about extra resources or any other questions you have.