In the Pu'er Tea community, there is a shared understanding that only those who have tasted or personally brewed aged tea can truly appreciate the essence of Pu'er tea and understand the significance and value of its improving with age. Here, aged tea generally refers to the “numbered grade” and “stamped grade” teas. However, Pu'er teas from the “seven sons cake era,” now over 30 years old, are also gradually being included in this category, such as the 88 Qing, thick-paper 8582, Snow Seal, and Seven Sons Small Yellow Seal.

Through numerous cycles of change, Pu'er tea has accumulated a depth and richness unmatched by other teas due to the time, endurance, and confidence invested into it. Aged teas are expensive, valued for their scarcity and the value of time. Therefore, very few people have the opportunity to come into contact with aged teas, mostly those at the pinnacle of Pu'er enthusiasts.

When it comes to brewing aged teas, our first thought is often of Mr. He ZuoRU. Mr. He is not only a renowned entrepreneur but also a famous collector of aged teas and one of the most complete collectors of aged Chinese Pu'er teas. He is considered a master in brewing aged Pu'er tea. Most of the well-known figures in today's Pu'er community are his juniors.

I have been fortunate enough to witness Mr. He brewing aged teas on multiple occasions and have tasted the aged Pu'er tea he has served. In this article, I feel unqualified to instruct others on how to Brew aged teas. What I can do is record my observations of Mr. He ZuoRU's process of brewing aged teas and share his experiences with you.

The Brewing Equipment

Mr. He ZuoRU always carries a suitcase, which he jokingly refers to as his “equipment.” This suitcase contains nearly half of an aged tea museum, from stamped grade teas to numbered grade teas.

He enjoys sharing and is willing to serve a cup of tea to anyone, regardless of their status, tirelessly sharing his insights about Pu'er tea. More like a missionary, he uses genuine aged Pu'er teas to brew and serve, allowing more people to understand the unparalleled excellence of aged Pu'er teas.

Mr. He's suitcase contains the following equipment:

Three old Zhu Ni Yixing clay teapots, one 80cc, another 125cc, and a third 130cc. The capacity of the Teapot is chosen based on the number of guests present. All three teapots have a common feature: a wide body and smooth water flow;

An hourglass used for precise timing of the infusion;

A probe thermometer for accurately measuring the temperature and boiling point of the water;

An electronic scale for precisely measuring the amount of tea used;

An old Japanese Nanbu iron kettle, which increases water temperature and retains heat well, making it suitable for brewing aged teas;

A German electric stove that allows precise temperature control;

A stack of deep-mouthed blue-and-White Tea cups from the Republic of China period. These cups gather aroma and qi more effectively, and the old pieces from the Republic of China era have already lost any fire taste, so they do not overpower the flavor of the tea;

A small bottle containing a solution and a TDS test pen used to measure the pH value and mineral content of the tea brewing water.

The rest are various containers holding the tea, including bamboo tubes, boxes that once held biscuits, and ordinary paper packaging.

Strict Water Requirements

Mr. He ZuoRU is very strict with the water used for brewing aged teas. After all, such precious aged teas are legacies left to us by our ancestors, drinkable antiques that become scarcer with each serving. Each serving must be treated with reverence and respect.

Therefore, even slight differences in the acidity, hardness, and mineral content of the water can affect the aroma and taste of the aged tea.

Before each brewing session, Mr. He tests the water. He fills a cup with water, adds a few drops of the solution from the small bottle, and observes the color change. If the water turns light blue, indicating it is weakly alkaline (with a pH value around 7.5), it can be used. If it turns light red, it is weakly acidic and cannot be used. A TDS value that is too high or too low is also unacceptable. If the water quality does not meet the standards, Mr. He may even abandon the brewing, regardless of inconveniencing his guests, out of concern for wasting the precious aged tea. I have experienced this once, when Mr. He was unsatisfied with the water for brewing and waited for a case of Nongfu Spring water sourced from the depths of Qiandao Lake to be purchased before beginning to brew tea. The entire table of guests waited with him for nearly an hour, but he did not seem to mind.

In addition to water quality, Mr. He also has requirements for water temperature. Before each brewing session, he uses a probe thermometer to measure the boiling water's temperature by inserting it into the spout of the kettle. Boiling water reaching 100°C is ideal, while a regular kettle typically reaches temperatures just above 90°C. Especially in high-altitude areas like Yunnan, where atmospheric pressure is lower and the boiling point is around 93°C-95°C, achieving 100°C is almost impossible. That is why he brings his own thick-walled iron kettle, to increase the temperature of the boiling water as much as possible. For aged teas, even a 1°C difference in water temperature can result in variations in aroma and taste.

Leaves and Buds in Balance

Professor He always prepares the tea in advance, allowing it to air. Typically, tea broken from bricks, cakes, or tuos is placed in a Yixing clay jar for over a month to complete the airing process.

The tea we drink has already been aired by him. When taking tea, he pours all the tea from the box onto a white sheet of paper and then carefully scoops it into the tea container on the electronic scale, usually following the standard of 7.5 grams per 100cc of water. This is a precisely calculated optimal amount of tea. When scooping the tea, he pays attention to balance, taking some older leaves, some stems, and also a bit of tea dust. This ensures that the tea brewed from one pot to the next does not differ significantly.

The Water Warming Method, Removing Unwanted Flavors

The “water warming method,” commonly used now for brewing aged teas, was invented by Mr. He ZuoRU. The “water warming method” involves repeatedly pouring boiling water over the dry tea in the Yixing clay teapot to quickly raise the internal temperature, activate the tea's character, and remove unwanted flavors and storage odors. During the intervals between pourings, the teapot is wrapped in a tea towel and shaken up and down a few times by hand, further aiding in the dissipation of unwanted flavors. This process is repeated about three to four times.

Rice grains found in the dry leaves of Songpin brand tea

Watering and Pouring, Quantifying Time

With everything prepared, the brewing finally begins. During the watering and pouring, Mr. He is very focused and rarely speaks, as both the watering time and pouring time have been quantified by him using precise timing. He is a true old-school engineer!

When Mr. He ZuoRU brews aged Pu'er tea, he never rinses the tea. Instead, he sets aside the first two infusions, warming them on an alcohol stove. Toward the end of the brewing session, after the tea has settled, he mixes these infusions back in to maintain consistent concentration and richness. He has tested and found that in aged teas over 50 years old, beneficial microorganisms have long dominated over harmful ones. After brewing with 100°C boiling water, there are virtually no harmful bacteria