Puer ripe Tea, a fermented food product, is mild and gentle on the stomach; it aids digestion and reduces greasiness; it helps lower the “three highs” (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood Sugar); it assists in detoxifying the digestive system, promoting a sense of lightness and beauty; it has a strong tolerance for blending with other ingredients; its smooth, soft texture is suitable for all ages; and like raw Puer, it can age and transform over time, becoming more fragrant within a certain period…

Although Puer ripe tea offers many benefits and appeals to a wide audience, brewing a cup with excellent color, aroma, flavor, and character is not easy. It's easy to accidentally produce a Brew that looks like “dark soy sauce,” which doesn't mean the tea itself is bad, but rather that it may not have been brewed properly, failing to fully appreciate its qualities.

Amount of tea used: 7g

Gaiwan capacity: 130ml-140ml, do not fill too full with each pour, aiming for about 80-90% full, which is comfortable to handle and facilitates pouring out the liquor.

First infusion: Rinse the tea

Key point: The water temperature must be high.

Ripe Puer is a Fermented tea, and to bring out its aroma and taste, you need high water temperatures, ideally boiling water.

Second infusion: Smell the aroma and observe the liquor color

Aroma, taste: A ripe Puer that has aged for nearly a year will have a very faint earthy or musty smell, which is one reason many tea enthusiasts prefer Menghai ripe Puer. The “Menghai flavor” is closely related to the local water quality and the fermentation techniques used. In recent years, the techniques for fermenting ripe Puer have become increasingly sophisticated, making them incomparable to those of the past.

Make sure to smell the aroma of the empty cup after it has cooled down, as this is an excellent way to determine if there are any earthy or unusual odors in the tea.

A good ripe Puer should not produce overly murky liquor. Another characteristic some tea enthusiasts describe is that the liquor is “clear and bright.” According to professional evaluations, the term “clear and bright” is generally not used for ripe Puer, as it might indicate less substance and thickness. Instead, we usually use “red and bright,” and if the liquor is “red and brilliant,” that is considered very good. For newer teas, we primarily focus on evaluating their aroma, processing methods, and taste.

Key point 2: Ratio of tea to water

A good ripe Puer should have a smooth liquor with body, or a certain aged fragrance, moisture, and sweetness. To bring out its unique characteristics and a good liquor color, it should not appear black or like soy sauce. If unsure about the ratio of tea to water, our first suggestion is: reduce the amount of tea used as much as possible. Lower quantities generally produce better liquor colors.

Second suggestion: If using a gaiwan, we recommend pouring water as precisely as possible (“targeted” pouring).

The fermentation process means that ripe Puer releases its contents, color, and flavors quickly. If the pouring force is strong, the leaves will tumble in the vessel, making the tea more bitter and the liquor murkier. Because the contents are released too quickly, the liquor becomes darker, leading to uneven liquor colors during brewing and reduced durability.

Third infusion:

Smell the aroma of the tasting cup. Sweet fruity and fungal aromas.

Fourth infusion:

Brew with boiling water, pour out the liquor immediately. Good ripe teas have a red and bright liquor with a noticeable golden ring, and they are very smooth upon entry. We suggest smelling the lid aroma at every infusion to enhance the experience.

How to experience the smoothness of the liquor?

In your mouth, let the liquor naturally glide across your tongue, flowing effortlessly towards your throat without any hindrance.

Fifth infusion:

Lid aroma, subtle fungal and jujube aromas; red and bright liquor; the liquor is very smooth, with a glutinous feel.

How to evaluate the body of the tea?

“Thickness,” I like to describe it as “fullness”—the burst of flavor and impact felt by your teeth and mouth after swallowing the liquor. You should feel that the tea is not just water but has substance, weight, and viscosity.

Sixth infusion:

When assessing a good ripe Puer, by the fourth, fifth, and sixth infusions, you can generally judge the quality of the tea. Consider the lid aroma, the lingering aroma in the cup, the aroma on the surface of the tasting cup, and the aroma perceived after the liquor enters the mouth.

Generally, the further back in the mouth the taste is felt, the better the quality of the tea. Good tea produces an aroma and resonance that returns from the throat, what we call deep “throat resonance.”

(To be continued)