• Species or Names of the Tea?
• Special Teas in Taiwan
• Specialty of Port Tea
• Brew Tea
• QUiz for Art of Port Tea

Brew Tea

The Port Tea of I-Shin Tea Garden was cultivated according to the ancient method. Using the tea seeds to reproduce the tea plant but not by cutting. Insist on manual harvesting by the neighboring and pick only one-tip two-leaf. They also bring in the tea-making technology from the middle part of Taiwan. During the producing process, they always concentrate with all their minds from the beginning to the end to maintain the stability of tea quality. Port Tea has a strong taste. Its brewing method is different from normal tea leaves. To brew Port Tea, one should keep in mind of two things: high water temperature and short steeping time. During the first, second to third infusion, the steeping time better not exceeds 10 seconds. After the fourth infusion, the time could be lengthen to 1 - 3 minutes, varied by individual favor. Port Tea smells fragrant and mellow, its taste a little bitter, but once the tea reaches one’s throat, the sweetness would rebound and filled one’s mouth. The brewing process is as the following:

• 1.The quantity of tea leaves would be 1/3 of the tea pot. After boiling the water, pour the 100 degree water into the pot to fill the tea pot.
• 2.Close the lid of the tea pot for about 10 seconds then the tea could be poured out to the Tea Server.
• 3.For the first infusion, the tea would be evenly poured into each cup and tea server before it was poured away.
• 4.The process from pouring the hot water into the tea pot, closing the lid for about 10 seconds, and pouring the tea into tea server are one complete “infusion.” For the first three infusions of Port Tea, the steeping time (when the tea leaves is brewed by the hot water) could not last over 10 seconds.
• 5.After the fourth infusion, one could decide the steeping time by one’s favor, normally about 1-3 minutes.
• 6.Normal tea leaves could only produce 4 to 5 infusions, but Port Tea could make up to 8 infusions and maintain its strong taste at the same time. That is also why Port Tea is so charming to everyone.

Since the tea leaves of Port Tea are small and fat, the tea tastes stronger. The biggest difference of Port Tea comparing to normal teas is the brewing process. The steeping time when one pours hot water into the tea pot along with tea leaves and leaves them to mix is shorter. So, next time when you hear someone complaining about Port Tea being too bitter and mouth-puckering, they probably should shortened their steeping time!