As a famous traditional Chinese tea, Puerh tea is loved by tea lovers for its unique fermentation process and rich flavor. A good cup of Puerh tea not only requires high quality tea leaves, but also needs to master the correct method of tea brewing. In this article, we will introduce the steps of brewing Pu-erh tea in detail to help you make a good cup of tea with full of aroma.
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I. Preparatory work
Before we start making tea, we need to prepare the following utensils and ingredients:
- Tea set: Purple clay pot, covered bowl or glass pot, etc. (capacity of about 100-200 ml)
- Tea: Premium Pu-erh Tea (5-8 grams)
- Water: good quality mineral water or purified water (avoid tap water)
- Others: Tea Seas, Fairway Cups, Tea Strainers, Tea Cups, etc.
Second, wake up and wash the tea
Awakening is to awaken the aroma and flavor of the tea leaves, while washing is to remove impurities from the surface of the tea leaves.
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The specific steps are as follows:
- Put the right amount of pu-erh tea into a teapot or a gaiwan.
- Pour in hot water at 90-95℃, quickly cover the lid, shake slightly for a few seconds and pour out the tea immediately.
This process lasts about 5-10 seconds and should not be too long as the tea will lose its fresh flavor.
III. Formal brewing of tea
After washing the tea, we can start the formal brewing process. The time and number of times in brewing will vary for different types of Puerh tea, but the overall steps are similar:
- Pour in hot water of 90-95℃ again, the amount of water should be enough to submerge the tea leaves.
- Cover and steep for anywhere from 10-30 seconds, depending on the tightness of the tea and personal taste preference.
- Pour the tea broth into a sea of tea or a fairway cup and divide it evenly into each tea cup.
The first two brews are usually shorter, and each subsequent brew can be extended by 5-10 seconds until the tea flavor becomes bland.
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Tea Tasting and Tea Appreciation
Tea tasting is not only the enjoyment of taste, but also a kind of relaxation of the mind. We can savor the unique flavor of Puerh tea through the following steps:
- Color: Observe the color of the tea broth, Puerh ripe tea is usually reddish brown, while Puerh raw tea is golden yellow.
- Smell: Lightly smell the aroma of the tea broth, and feel the unique aroma of aging, wood or flowers of Puerh tea.
- Taste: Take a small sip of the tea and savor the layers of the tea leaves and the sweetness of the aftertaste.
V. Preservation of Pu-erh Tea
Correct preservation methods can extend the shelf life of Puerh tea and make it more mellow as time goes by.
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Pu-erh tea should be stored in a ventilated, dry and odorless environment, avoiding direct sunlight and humidity. Pu-erh tea can be placed in purple sand jars, ceramic jars or special tea tins for sealed storage.
VI. Frequently asked questions
During the process of brewing Puerh tea, you may encounter some common problems. Here are some solutions:
- Tea soup is too bitter: the steeping time is too long or the water temperature is too high, shorten the time or reduce the water temperature appropriately.
- Tea soup is too light: the amount of tea leaves is not enough or the steeping time is too short, you can increase the amount of tea leaves or extend the time.
- Tea leaves do not unfold: you can extend the tea washing time or stir the tea leaves gently.
Brewing a good cup of Puerh tea requires many attempts and experience. We hope this article can help you better master the brewing method of Puerh tea and enjoy the pleasant time brought by the aroma of tea.
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