How to steep huo shan huang ya (gongfu)?

I have found that brewing it like a green works really well, because of the various yellows this one is very similar to a green tea. It is also pretty tasty bowl style (just toss some leaves in a bowl, add hot water, sip and refill until the leaves are done) or if you are lucky and got a really high quality one it can take some heat and give you quite an adventure. Think 195 with a really short 10 or less second steep. This really only works with higher quality ones though or it will be bitter I have found.

That’s some cool tea you got! Like Amanda mentioned, try steeping for a shorter time first if you aren’t sure about the quality of the leaves. I got some Huo Shan Huang Ya from Anhui a few years back and those leaves could be steeped for 1 minute for the first steep without getting bitter. Another trick I learned from the lady who sold me the tea was “continue with the water”. This means start the second/third steeps within a minute or so after the previous steep. Or else you may get a much flatter cup for your next infusion. This may have to do with the left over heat and moisture that continues to extract fragrance and flavor out of the leaves.

I like to steep my Huo Shan Huang Ya at a lower temperature (170F) for longer (~ 1 min). I personally find the second steep to be the most chestnut-like. Try it out and let us know how it goes!