The Ritual · The Brewing Companion

One leaf, more than one cup.

Whole orthodox leaf gives more than a single pour. Choose a tea and the house shows you how it takes water — and how to steep the same leaves again. This is guidance, not a rule; the second steep is where most lots are at their best.

A cup of HOA is not made quickly. It should not be.

Three things decide the cup: the heat of the water, the weight of the leaf, and the patience of the steep. Get these right, and the garden arrives on its own.

The Heat

80–90°C

Green, white and the oolong at 80–85°. The black leaf at 85–90°. Never a rolling boil — stop the kettle when the small bubbles line the sides.

The Measure

2–4g · 150ml

We give the weight, not the spoonful: a spoon of silver buds and a spoon of black leaf are not the same thing. Two grams for a single cup, half again as much when you mean to return to the leaf. Either way, never past five minutes.

The Patience

3–5 min

Three minutes for spring; four for autumn; five for the whites. Decant fully — then steep the same leaf again.

Choose a tea

The ritual · how to pour it

Whole leaf orthodox

Water

85–90°C

Leaf / 150ml

Steep

5 min

Infusions

Once

One unhurried pour, when a single cup is all the moment asks for.

The companion

Fresh water, off the boil

Draw water fresh and let it fall just off the boil — greens and whites want it cooler still.

Warm the pot

Rinse the pot with hot water first, so the leaf meets warmth, not a cold wall.

Give the leaf room

Whole leaf needs space to open. A generous pot beats a crowded one.

Trust the second steep

Do not discard the leaves. The second, sometimes the third, is the cup you remember.

Times and temperatures are a starting point — trust your own palate over the timer.