Ripened Pu'er Tea
If the first life of ripened tea comes from the raw materials picked from the branches;
then its second life is given through the pile-fermentation process;
and its third life is during the brewing.
From dehydration to rehydration, then drying again and rehydrating, a piece of ripened tea completes three rounds of tempering, revealing the most splendid part of its existence.
Its mildness, richness, and sweetness bring warmth and health to people.
Ripened tea can be said to be the mildest among all types of tea, due to its highest fermentation degree (excluding aged naturally fermented teas).
In fully fermented teas, it has a higher fermentation time and degree than Black Tea, Anhua dark tea, and others.
Thus, the brewing requirements for ripened tea are relatively low. As long as the quality is excellent, it can be brewed to a suitable strength and will taste good no matter how you brew it.
For example, the popular method of brewing with an insulated cup in the tea community is usually reserved for ripened tea.
Of course, some brewing techniques can enhance the flavor of ripened tea and also mask certain defects in its processing.
Quick Brewing Methods for Ripened Tea
The above describes the traditional brewing method for ripened tea, which requires a complete set of tea utensils.
However, ripened tea is also a daily tea for everyday consumption, which means it should be available anytime, anywhere.
Therefore, when working in a busy office, on the go without proper equipment, or simply feeling lazy and wanting convenience, we can choose some quick brewing methods:
ONE
/ Brewing with a Drifting Cup
The drifting cup became popular alongside the rise of Pu'er tea.
It is indeed convenient and quick, requiring just one pour and one press.
It is best suited for use in the office.
However, because of its material, the drifting cup does not retain heat well and is not airtight.
It can only meet the daily need for Drinking Tea, not for savoring it.
Moreover, I personally find that the drifting cup has one fatal flaw: it is unattractive.
TWO
/ Boiling Method
Select an electric teapot with a metal strainer;
Generally, use 10 grams of dry tea for every 500 milliliters of water. Place the tea in the strainer and pour in half a pot of boiling water to rinse the tea;
Pour out the rinse water, then add another 500 milliliters of cold water and start boiling the tea.
Turn off the heat within a minute after the water boils.
Generally, you can boil the tea for 2 to 3 pots, increasing the boiling time for the subsequent pots.
Boiling is only suitable for high-quality ripened tea.
It is best if it is made from naturally grown ancient tree tea.
High-temperature boiling can easily extract harmful substances from the tea;
If the ripened tea contains excessive pesticide residues and heavy metals, these harmful substances will more easily dissolve in the tea liquor.
However, truly good ripened tea, when boiled, allows its inner contents to be fully released;
The tea liquor easily becomes viscous, showcasing the richness and smoothness of the ripened tea.
THREE
/ Insulated Cup Infusion Method
The insulated cup infusion method is a popular way to brew ripened tea in the Pu'er tea world recently;
Generally, using 3 grams of ripened tea for a 500 milliliter insulated cup is optimal, as a larger amount can make it too strong.
After pouring in boiling water, cover and infuse for at least 3 minutes.
If using compressed or loose leaf ripened tea, it is recommended to use a disposable small tea bag before brewing to filter out the tea residue.
The insulated cup infusion method is perfect for drinking tea while traveling, not only because it is convenient and quick but also clean and hygienic.
More importantly, through the high-temperature infusion of the insulated cup, aromas that are not easily obtained by regular brewing methods can be extracted.
Such as aged fragrance and ginseng-like aroma;
Additionally, the tea liquor after infusion becomes viscous and smooth, like rice water.
However, the prerequisite is that the tea must be of good quality, without obvious processing defects or pile odor and foreign odors.
Otherwise, these flaws will be continuously magnified by the infusion.
It can be said that infusion is one of the effective methods for testing the quality of ripened tea.
Excerpted from “Pu'er” Magazine, March 2020 Issue
“Brewing Ripened Pu'er Tea to Perfection”
Written by Huang Zhenzhen / Photography by Susam [except where credited]
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