Many people have the habit of Drinking Tea, and there are various types of tea, with Pu'er tea being one of them. Brewing Pu'er tea can be quite enjoyable and help you relax both mentally and physically. Drinking it in moderation can also have beneficial effects on your health. Below is a guide on how to brew Pu'er tea.
The Brewing Method for Pu'er Tea Cake:
1. Breaking the Tea Cake
Prepare a tea needle or a tea knife and insert it along the side edge of the tea cake, then apply upward force to break off pieces. To avoid damaging the integrity of the tea leaves and prevent the tea cake from becoming too fragmented, try to push the tool further into the cake. Typically, you should break off as much as you need for brewing; a general guideline is 5 grams for aged tea and 8 grams for raw tea.
2. Waking the Tea
Use a 110 ml white porcelain gaiwan for brewing. Discard the first Infusion, which serves as a rinse and helps to wake up the tea. For older aged teas, use water at boiling point (100°C) for direct brewing, while for newer raw teas, you can use slightly cooler water.
3. Pouring Out the Infusion
The steeping time for Pu'er tea should not be too long. After the second pour, let it steep for 3 to 5 seconds before pouring out the infusion into a pitcher, then decant it into tasting cups to savor. Good Pu'er tea may have some initial bitterness or astringency, but these flavors should dissipate quickly and be followed by a sweet aftertaste that promotes salivation.
The temperature of the water used to brew Pu'er tea is crucial. Generally, boiling water (100°C) is used. If the Teapot does not retain heat well, ensure that the water is brought to a boil before each infusion to maintain a temperature around 100°C. This helps to extract the flavors effectively. Before brewing, rinse the tea to remove any dust accumulated during storage. This process also warms and wakes up the tea. Rinse the tea quickly to avoid affecting its taste.