Pu'er Tea is divided into raw and ripened varieties. Raw tea has a more stimulating flavor, while ripened tea, after pile fermentation, has a milder nature. When brewed, it produces a bright red Infusion, a rich aroma, and a smooth, full-bodied taste; it is suitable for consumption by the general public. brewing delicious ripened Pu'er tea is not difficult; simply use boiling water to bring out the characteristics of the tea.
Pu'er Ripened Tea Brewing Steps
1. Waking the Tea
Pu'er tea is often compressed into shapes like cakes, bricks, or tuos. For compressed teas, you can break up the cake or brick into smaller pieces of about 2 to 3 grams a week in advance and place them in a clay jar to “wake the tea.” This allows the tea leaves to come into contact with more air, moisture, and oxygen, further activating their properties. However, this step is only necessary for compressed teas. If you have a less compressed cake or loose leaf ripened tea, you can skip the waking process.
2. Choosing the Utensil
When brewing Pu'er tea, Yixing clay pots are generally recommended due to their good breathability and adsorption properties, which make the tea liquor smoother. If you don't have a clay pot, a glazed ceramic gaiwan is also an excellent choice. Gaiwans, being commonly used for tea brewing, are convenient and their tight seal helps to produce the infusion faster. Therefore, both utensils have their own advantages, and you can choose based on the age of the tea and your personal circumstances.
3. Tea Quantity/Water Ratio
When brewing ripened Pu'er tea, follow the principle of “prefer light over strong.” The amount of tea used is crucial. Generally, for a 220 ml gaiwan, using around 8 grams of tea is sufficient, with a water-to-tea ratio of approximately 1:30. If you prefer a lighter taste, you can reduce the amount of tea, but it should not be less than 1:50 to avoid a bland infusion.
4. Water Quality
The quality of the water is crucial for the final taste of the tea. For daily consumption, you can choose the most common bottled purified water. Purified water that meets national standards is more stable than tap water from different regions and is also more convenient to use.
5. Water Temperature
In general, ripened tea can be brewed directly with boiling water. For better results, you can adjust the temperature between 100°C and 90°C depending on the grade and age of the tea. If you are on the fifth to seventh infusion, you can increase the temperature or prolong the Steeping time to extract more of the tea's intrinsic substances.
6. Pre-infusion (Washing the Tea)
For most ripened Pu'er teas, pre-infusion is almost essential. It helps activate the tea leaves and also serves as a rinse. Due to less mature Cleaning processes in earlier years, the first two infusions are used to wash away any dust or off-flavors from the production process. The pre-infusion should not be too long; pour in hot water and discard the infusion after about 5 to 10 seconds. You can perform this step one to two times as needed.
7. Pouring Water and Infusing
For aged teas around two years old, pour the water slowly and steadily to ensure a smooth and mellow taste. For older ripened teas like the Lao Banzhang brick, where the leaves are coarser, you can use a high pouring technique, which helps to activate the inner components, ensuring enough flavor and aroma in the infusion.
Brewing ripened Pu'er tea is simple. Pay attention to these brewing techniques and practice them, and you will surely be able to brew a delicious infusion. Ripened Pu'er tea has dark, lustrous dry leaves with golden tips. When brewed, the liquor is bright, the aroma rich, and the taste smooth and full-bodied, with a substantial mouthfeel. The leaves at the bottom of the cup are uniform in color and consistency. Enjoying a cup of ripened tea is not just about its taste, but also about the interesting changes during the brewing process.