Most people who drink Pu'er Tea know that it is divided into raw and ripe varieties. Raw Pu'er has a strong taste, primarily characterized by bitterness, astringency, and a quick return to sweetness, which can be an acquired taste. Therefore, it's essential to “awaken” the tea before drinking. After purchasing, store it appropriately to allow aging until it becomes smooth and mellow after several years. The storage process of Pu'er tea is essentially a slow oxidation process of its chemical components.

After a certain period of storage, the infusion color transitions from the yellow-green or orange-yellow typical of raw Pu'er to the rich, bright red of ripe Pu'er. The taste becomes smoother and silkier, with increased sweetness due to the reduction of polyphenol oxidized ester catechins and an increase in soluble sugars. The astringency decreases, and the bitterness fades, giving way to a sweet taste and a unique aged aroma.

How to Brew Aged Pu'er for the Best Taste?

Step 1: Awaken the Tea

Determine the amount of tea you will use and take it out in advance. Use a ceramic or purple clay tea jar to let the dry tea breathe, allowing it to make full contact with the air. This awakened tea will produce a better flavor when brewed.

Step 2: Rinse the Tea

When brewing Pu'er tea, many people choose a purple clay Teapot. However, aged Pu'er tea should not be directly brewed in a purple clay pot with strong adsorption properties. The reason is that aged Pu'er may contain some residual oxidation products and stale flavors. It's better to use a high-density Gaiwan for brewing, infusing water and letting it sit for about one minute. Use a bamboo stick to stir the tea, washing away the oxidation products and impurities. Then, pour the tea through a filter into a pitcher. If the Pu'er has been stored for a long time, this rinsing process can be repeated twice.

Step 3: Pour Water into the Purple Clay Pot and Add the Tea

Now we can use the purple clay pot. Fill half of the pre-prepared purple clay pot with water and use a bamboo branch to transfer the rinsed tea from the gaiwan into the pot. Each rinse can also be used to wash the tea. Since the tea has already been rinsed, this infusion will be relatively clean and can be used to soak the lid of the purple clay pot, allowing both the lid and body to absorb the tea's essence.

Step 4: Pour the Tea Infusion Back into the Gaiwan and Soak the Lid

The next steps are straightforward and follow conventional brewing methods. Pour boiling water (100 degrees Celsius) into the purple clay pot and then directly into the pitcher.

The taste of aged Pu'er tea is warm and mellow, with a rich and full-bodied texture and a smooth mouthfeel. The essence of time is captured in the aged tea. To fully appreciate its richness and depth, it's crucial to brew it correctly, allowing the tea's flavors to develop fully and express themselves completely.