In China's long-standing tea culture, there is an interesting folk saying about the number of tea brews: "The first bubble in water, the second bubble tea, the third bubble and the fourth bubble are the essence, the five bubbles and the six bubbles are not bad, and the seven, eight and nine bubbles have a residual fragrance." This sentence concisely and vividly summarizes the changes of tea leaves in many brews, and we will savor the mystery below.
First of all, "head soaking water" usually refers to the first brewing of tea leaves, when the water is mainly used to wake up the sleeping tea leaves and let them gradually unfold, releasing the initial fragrance. The water in this brew is often not drinkable, but is used to preheat the tea set and tea leaves in preparation for the next brew.
This is followed by the "second brew of tea", when the tea leaves have been fully unfolded, and the color and taste of the tea soup begin to appear, which is the first cup of tea in the true sense. The second brew is usually the time when the tea flavor is the strongest, the tea soup is clear, the aroma is tangy, and it is the best time to drink it.
"Three brews and four bubbles are the essence", this sentence indicates that the essence of the tea has been fully extracted by the third and fourth brews. At this time, although the tea soup is not as strong as the second brew, it is more delicate and soft, and the taste is rich, which is the stage loved by many tea lovers.
When it comes to "five bubbles and six bubbles", although the active substances of the tea have decreased at this time, the tea soup still retains a certain flavor, and it is more refreshing, suitable for slow taste. The tea soup at this stage is more about reflecting the durability and aftertaste of the tea.
The last "seven, eight, nine brews with aftertaste" refers to the fact that after many brews, even if the taste of the tea soup has become very thin, you can still feel the unique aftertaste of the tea. This aftertaste is the embodiment of the quality of the tea and a kind of enjoyment in the process of tasting tea.
Of course, the above smooth slip describes the number of tea brewing times under normal circumstances, in fact, different tea types, origins, picking seasons and processing technology and other factors will affect the degree of tea brewing. For example, green tea is usually delicate and resistant to brewing relatively few times because it is not fermented; Tea leaves that have undergone semi-fermentation or post-fermentation, such as oolong tea and Pu'er tea, are more resistant to brewing.
In addition, the method and technique of brewing will also affect the number of times the tea is brewed. The water temperature, the way the water is filled, the time of steeping, etc., all need to be adjusted appropriately according to different tea types and personal tastes.
In short, the brewing of tea is an art and a pleasure of life. By properly mastering the number and method of brewing, we can better experience the multiple flavors and profound cultural connotations brought by tea. The next time you taste tea, you might as well try it according to this slip of the tongue, I believe there will be a different harvest.