How To Brew Yellow Tea
Yellow tea is a delicate variety of tea, and should be brewed so that the different facets and layers in the flavor and aroma are presented to the best effect. This means that the tea should generally be treated gently, both when storing it and especially when brewing it.
Storing yellow tea
Like green and white tea, yellow tea is only lightly oxidized by the manufacturer. This means that the shelf life of yellow tea is relatively short, and the tea will lose its best qualities if stored for long under less than ideal conditions.
"Ideal conditions" in the case of yellow tea means that it should be stored in a dry, dark, and preferably cool place. It is often recommended that the tea be kept in an airtight container, be it a tin or a plastic container of the Tupperware variety. These factors will slow the oxidation process, and the tea will remain fresh for longer.
For larger quantities of yellow tea, it can sometimes be a good idea to divide the tea into smaller potions and store it in several airtight containers. That way, only some of the tea will be exposed to air every time the container is opened and closed.
Brewing
Yellow tea can and should be brewed much like white tea. The water should not be boiling - that will scald the tea and make it bitter. Ideally, it should be around 170-180° F, or 80° C, when the steeping takes place.
The amount of tea one should use depends on the volume of water. Use one tablespoon of loose tea leaf (about two grams) for five ounces (150 ml) of water. This is subjective, of course, and there's no amount of tea that is set or "correct". Most tea aficionados develop their own process and experiment until they have found the quantity of tea leaves that will result in a finished brew that is right for them.
The first steeping should only last from one to three minutes, depending on your individual preferences. This short infusion time is generally sufficient to bring out the best qualities in the yellow tea.
Yellow tea can take multiple steepings without losing its flavor, but subsequent steepings should be progressively longer. Many tea lovers feel that yellow tea can take more infusions than green tea before the taste becomes to subtle to sense.
Tea will take on a bitter aftertaste if it is left to steep for too long, so it is a good idea to only steep as much tea as you are going to drink right away. That's why pots for green, white and yellow tea are often quite small.
Enjoy your yellow tea!