In recent years, with the growing fame of Anxi Tieguanyin and the strong promotion by Anxi County, this tea has become extremely popular in the tea market. As everyone knows, drinking Anxi Tieguanyin is a form of enjoying Gongfu tea, which is quite particular about its preparation. Xiangnan Tea Company acknowledges that truly appreciating Anxi Tieguanyin to its fullest extent is not an easy task, even with their fresh interpretation over the past decade, they cannot claim to fully express the unique charm of Tieguanyin.
After careful research by Xiangnan, the stringent conditions required to brew a perfect pot of Anxi Tieguanyin have been identified.
As the ancients said: "Water is the mother of tea, and the vessel is the father of tea!" Among the three essential elements for brewing Anxi Tieguanyin, having good tea leaves goes without saying, but water and teaware also play significant roles. Only with excellent water and fine teaware can the unique spirit and charm of Anxi Tieguanyin be fully expressed. Based on Xiangnan's decade of experience, the best water is mountain spring water, though purified or mineral water is also acceptable. As for teaware, nothing surpasses "Yi陶 Jing瓷" (Yixing pottery and Jingdezhen porcelain).
Next, let's talk about the software aspects, which refer to the amount of tea placed in the teapot, water temperature, steeping time, and number of infusions. Generally, the size of the teapot should be chosen based on the number of people drinking tea, and then the amount of tea placed should be determined according to the capacity of the teapot. Nowadays, the quantity of Anxi Tieguanyin is usually predetermined at the tea shop, generally around 7g~8g per serving, but it can still be adjusted according to personal taste. Regarding water temperature, Xiangnan typically boils the water while brewing, allowing certain special aromatic compounds in Anxi Tieguanyin to release under high temperatures. For brewing Anxi Tieguanyin, the first infusion is usually discarded, then the second infusion should be steeped for about 45 seconds before being poured out for tasting, the third infusion for around 60 seconds, and each subsequent infusion should add about ten more seconds. Anxi Tieguanyin is renowned for its "remaining fragrance after seven infusions," so if done properly, each pot can be infused seven times or more.