Brewing is a ritual
Cloudline is whole-leaf, so it responds to water and time instead of surface area. Longer steep, deeper body. Shorter steep, sweeter cup. Four methods, one leaf.
Method 01 · Gongfu
The traditional Taiwan way. A small claypot lets you taste the leaf change across five to seven steeps — each one a different facet of the same tea.
Use a rinse first — 10 seconds of hot water poured over and off. Wakes the leaves.
Method 02 · Western mug
The everyday ritual for training days. Portion into a mug, steep, enjoy — then add more hot water and steep again. One 2 g portion makes a full morning's worth.
Strainer is optional — whole leaves sink. Drink to the last sip without grit.
Method 03 · Cold brew
The low-maintenance method. No bitterness, no over-steeping. Ideal for long training weeks when you want a bottle of tea ready in the fridge.
24 hrs = delicate and sweet. 48 hrs = balanced. 72 hrs = bold and mineral.
Method 04 · Iced
Fast iced tea when you need it. Brew slightly stronger than usual, pour straight over a full glass of ice. Dilutes to the right concentration as the ice melts.
The thermal shock extracts more aroma. Works especially well with Cloudline Red.
Troubleshooting
Whole-leaf tea responds to variables you can control. When something's off, it's almost always temperature or time.
The cup tastes bitter.
Water is too hot or the steep is too long. Drop to 90 °C and pull the leaves out 30 seconds earlier. Whole-leaf tea rarely needs the full two minutes.
It tastes thin, not much flavor.
Not enough leaf, or the leaf hasn't unfurled yet. Add another gram per 300 ml, or give the second steep a try — Cloudline's second and third infusions are often the best.
How do I measure without a scale?
A level teaspoon of rolled oolong is about 2 g. For loose twisted black tea, one heaping teaspoon is closer to 2 g. A small kitchen scale is worth the $15 — it changes everything.
Can I re-steep the same leaves later?
Yes, within the same day. Leaves left in cold water won't over-steep. If you steeped hot and set the leaves aside, add fresh hot water within 4–6 hours to get another cup.
Before a hard workout — how much?
One 8 oz cup ~60 minutes before gives a clean focus without spike. If caffeine sits heavy on your stomach, drop to half a cup or steep shorter (~90 s).
Green vs. Red — which when?
Green oolong in the morning and before focused work. Red (black tea) mid-morning or early afternoon — it has more body and a slightly longer pharmacokinetic curve. Skip after 2 pm for sleep.