There are many options for brewing Pu'er Tea. You can use a lidded bowl, a purple clay pot, a leisure cup, and more. Among these, the leisure cup is the most convenient, but Pu'er tea brewed in a leisure cup isn't as good as that brewed in a purple clay pot; the taste may not be as harmonious. If you choose to Brew with a purple clay pot, you can better control the entire brewing rhythm, and the taste and flavor will be richer.
The steps to brew Pu'er tea with a purple clay pot:
1. Warm the pot (cup) and rinse the cups: First, scald the tea utensils with boiling water. This primarily serves to warm the pot and cups, and also cleans the utensils.
2. Add tea: Place the tea into the lidded bowl or purple clay pot. The amount of tea used depends on the size of the brewing utensil. Generally, for a 120cc lidded bowl, the amount of tea is 7-9 grams.
3. Awaken the tea: Place the tea in the cup and let it sit for a while so that its inner substances can contact the air. This makes the tea broth more mellow when brewed.
4. Rinse the tea: Pour boiling water into the lidded bowl or purple clay pot containing the tea, then after 8-10 seconds, pour out the water into a fair cup to rinse the utensils. This step is also known as rinsing the tea.
5. Pour out the tea: After the Pu'er tea has been awakened, pour boiling water into the lidded bowl or purple clay pot, wait for about 10 seconds, and then pour it into the fair cup.
6. Enjoy the tea: After Pouring out the tea, distribute the tea from the fair cup into small cups. When enjoying the tea, first smell its fragrance, then Drink when the temperature is appropriate. Let the tea linger in your mouth for a moment to fully appreciate the mellow taste of Pu'er tea. Roll your tongue around to experience the smoothness and sweetness of the tea in every part of your mouth.
Advantages of Brewing Pu'er Tea with a Purple Clay Pot
1. Longer-lasting aroma
The unique shape of the purple clay pot, with a small spout and tightly fitting lid, means that the aroma of the Pu'er tea after brewing does not dissipate easily and lasts longer. Furthermore, since the inner wall of the Teapot is relatively rough, tea residue tends to adhere to it, gradually forming a layer of tea scale over time, which is much loved by seasoned tea drinkers.
A good aged purple clay pot will still emit an enticing tea aroma even if you just pour hot water into it without any tea leaves. This is an advantage that most other tea utensils do not possess.
2. Good breathability
The inside and outside of a purple clay pot have tiny, densely packed pores that allow for good breathability while remaining impermeable. This means that the tea will not spoil even if left for a long time after brewing, a characteristic often referred to by tea enthusiasts as “staying fresh overnight even in summer heat.”
For a purple clay pot that has been used to brew tea overnight, simply rinse it with hot water and then cold water after emptying it.
3. Excellent thermal shock resistance
Everyone knows the principle of thermal expansion and contraction, but the material of the purple clay pot is not very sensitive to temperature changes and won't be damaged by sudden changes in temperature. Additionally, because of its poor thermal conductivity, the pot won't become too hot to handle when brewing tea.
Even if you place a purple clay pot directly on an open flame to boil tea, there won't be problems such as cracking due to poor heat resistance.
4. Becomes shinier with use
As everyone knows, Pu'er tea has the characteristic of becoming more fragrant with age. Similarly, a purple clay pot becomes shinier and smoother with use. Over time, repeated brewing and wiping of the pot play a role in “nourishing the pot.” A well-used, aged purple clay pot is like a “precious gem” for seasoned tea drinkers, cherished dearly.