How do I brew this?

For more complicated instructions, refer to this:
http://www.thechineseteashop.com/gong-fu-cha.html

When they say that you can get 3-4 steep, do you steep once at a certain time, then couple hours later steep again at a longer time? This confuses me. I usually steep once, 2 minutes, any teas and then throw away the leaves. Can you also keep it in the tea pot for the next day?

Couple hours, couple minutes, couple seconds even as some people combine the first few steeps into one mug. The most I’ve left leaves in between steeps has been 14 or so hours and they’ve been fine. Some teas successfully re-steep more times than others, but I have yet to find a tea that doesn’t at least steep a second time.

Thanks so much, I did a test today. I have a nice green tea, I rinsed 5 seconds and then steep 20 seconds. Such a nice flavor. I used to wait 2 minutes. Now I have discovered that I don’t have to do that. I will steep in one hour for a second steep and see if it taste different.

put it in the perfect tea maker and fill it about 1/2 full of boiling water, 20s rinse, add more boiling water steep until dark. The perfect tea maker looks like it can hold up to 16oz. Most pu erh tea pots hold 5-8oz water. You can always double the amount of tea and make a full 16oz if you please… The loose leaf you probably won’t have to rinse or steep as long. The brick chunk and mini tuocha (pearl bowl thing) will take longer to steep.

Can I make a 16oz cup from the mini tuocha?

As well with the brick chunk?

Yeah, you can, but you’ll probably have to steep it longer and it will be weaker overall but it will work. These teas you can steep over and over often times upwards of 10 times or more. With 16oz you will probably only get 2-4 quality steepings.

So generally what would you suggest steep time should be for a 16 oz cup? How do I then store it for later use?

It’s probably going to take 60-120 seconds. I just judge by color, it should be good and dark. With the perfect tea maker you can just leave the leaves in the tea maker or take them out into a small bowl and save for later, what ever you prefer.

This part is off topic but I leave my oolong leaves in the perfect tea maker, does it oxidize the tea at all, I keep the lid closed, but I can clearly see moisture, should I throw it out?

Tea should be fine in there for several hours, but most people will toss leaves over 24 hours old, some might go longer but it’s personal choice. I’ve heard of people taking leaves out and drying them out to use later which is a possibility, but I’ve never done it personally.

Thank you for all your help!

You are welcome!