Black Brick Tea, as one of the traditional Chinese tightly pressed teas, has attracted more and more tea lovers with its unique flavor and rich health benefits. For those who are new to black brick tea, how to brew black brick tea properly may be a little challenge. In fact, as long as you master the basic methods, you can easily enjoy a cup of delicious black brick tea. In this article, we will provide you with detailed information on how to brew black brick tea, so that you can experience the authentic aroma of the tea at home.
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Understanding the characteristics of black brick tea
Black brick tea belongs to a kind of black tea, which is made through a number of processes including fermentation, kneading and pressing. Its tea leaves are tightly pressed into a brick shape, hence its name. Black brick tea has the characteristics of strong aroma, mellow flavor, and resistance to brewing. Long-term consumption of black brick tea is beneficial to the digestive system, and can also help reduce fat and weight loss, regulate blood sugar, antioxidant and so on. Understanding these characteristics of black brick tea will help you better master its brewing method.
Preparing the utensils for brewing Black Brick Tea
To brew black brick tea, you need to prepare some basic tea utensils, including a teapot, teacups, tea clips, tea pins or knives, tea tray and strainer. If you like the traditional tea ceremony, you can also prepare the Six Gentlemen of the Tea Ceremony (Tea Rule, Teaspoon, Tea Leak, Tea Clip, Tea Needle and Tea Dial). Of course, the most important thing is to choose a piece of high quality black brick tea so that you can brew a fragrant tea soup.
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Steps for brewing black brick tea
Now, let's introduce the steps of brewing black brick tea in detail.
1. Tea breaking
As black brick tea is a tightly pressed tea, you need to use a tea needle or tea knife to pry it open. When prying the tea, pay attention to the technique and try to keep the integrity of the tea leaves. You can start from the edge of the tea brick, slowly pry it open, and then pry the required amount of tea leaves.
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2. Tea washing
Tea washing is to remove dust and impurities from the surface of the tea leaves while awakening their aroma. Put the pried tea leaves into a teapot or a covered bowl, fill it with the right amount of hot water, shake it gently and pour it out quickly. Generally, one or two washes are sufficient.
3. Water injection
After washing the tea, it is time to brew formally. The temperature and quality of the infused water have a great impact on the taste of the tea soup. Black brick tea is suitable to be brewed with boiling water at 100℃, which can better stimulate the aroma and flavor of the tea. The best choice for water quality is soft water, such as mineral water or pure water.
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4. Soaking
Fill with water and cover with a lid to allow the tea to fully steep. Control the time for the first brew to about 20 seconds, then pour out the tea quickly. The next few brews can appropriately extend the steeping time by about 10 seconds each time. Black brick tea is very resistant to steeping and can usually be brewed seven or eight times, or even more.
5. Tea tasting
The tea broth should be evenly divided into cups, so that the concentration of each cup of tea is consistent. Black brick tea is red, thick and bright, mellow and smooth in the mouth, with a unique aroma of aging. When tasting the tea, you can take a small sip and feel the change and sweetness of the tea in your mouth.
Daily Preservation of Black Brick Tea
In order to maintain the quality of black brick tea, daily preservation is also very important. Black Brick Tea should be kept in a dry, ventilated and light-proof place to avoid contamination from humidity and odor. Specialized tea tins or sealed bags can be used to store black brick tea to ensure its good preservation environment.
Health Benefits of Black Brick Tea
Long-term consumption of black brick tea helps digestion, lowering fat, regulating blood sugar, antioxidant and so on. The polyphenols and tea pigments in black brick tea have strong antioxidant effects, which can help scavenge free radicals in the body and slow down aging. For the digestive system, black brick tea can promote gastric juice secretion and help digestion. In addition, certain components in black brick tea can also play a role in reducing fat and weight loss, which makes it a favorite healthy drink for many people.
wrap-up
The brewing of black brick tea may seem complicated, but as long as you master the basic method, you can easily brew a cup of fragrant tea soup. Choose the right tea utensils, pay attention to the water temperature and steeping time, you can also enjoy authentic black brick tea at home. I hope this article can help you understand how to brew black brick tea, so that you can find a peace and satisfaction in your busy life.
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