There is a systematic method for identifying the quality of Pu'er tea, but overall it can be quite complex. Apart from the overall sensory experience after tasting, the leaf base also holds many secrets. After Steeping and absorbing water, the tea leaves return to their original shape. Therefore, whether the tea has been properly handled from picking through processing and storage will be clearly revealed in the leaf base. So, how do you identify Pu'er tea from the leaf base?
How to Identify Pu'er Tea from the Leaf Base
One: Look at the Degree of Leaf Expansion
After steeping, the tea leaves gradually expand and eventually fully open up. This indicates that the tea was well-made, aged under stable conditions, and has good brewing endurance. Leaves that quickly expand after steeping are typically coarse and old, loosely bound, and generally lack brewing endurance.
Leaves that do not expand or only partially expand even after several steeps indicate a failure in the manufacturing process, poor aging conditions, or excessive high-temperature roasting. The downy hairs on the leaf surface may fall off, and you might feel a slight dryness in your throat after tasting such tea.
Two: Integrity of the Leaf Shape
The more intact the shape of the leaf base, the better. Leaves that are broken and contain fine debris are considered lower quality. There are exceptions, however, such as compressed teas like iron cakes, which may become fragmented due to over-compression.
Three: Leaf Elasticity
Squeeze the leaf base with your fingers; good elasticity indicates proper natural aging, young tea leaves, and appropriate processing. It suggests that the tea was not subjected to damp heat or over-processing. If the veins are prominent, the texture is hard, and there is no elasticity, these are often signs of lower quality tea.
Four: Leaf Color
As raw Pu'er tea ages, the color of the leaf base changes from fresh green to bright Orange-red. Fresher raw tea will have a greener leaf base, which then becomes tender, soft, and bright red through oxidation in the air. Dry-stored raw Pu'er tea has a leaf base color ranging from chestnut to dark chestnut, similar to the leaf base color of Taiwan's Oriental Beauty tea. The leaves are full-bodied, soft, and have a fresh appearance. However, if the tea leaves are not dried immediately after rolling and are left for a longer time, the leaf base may turn dark brown, and the tea soup will also be darker and more concentrated.
The leaf base of ripe Pu'er tea is mostly dark chestnut or black, with the leaves being thin and brittle. If the Fermentation is heavy, there will be obvious carbonization, as if the leaves were roasted by intense fire. Some older leaves may have their surfaces cracked, with veins separating individually, appearing as if the dry leaves had been soaked in water for a long time, becoming brittle and disintegrated. However, if the pile-fermentation period is short and the fermentation degree is not heavy, the leaf base may be very similar to that of raw tea.