The tea soup of ripened Pu'er is characterized by its red, concentrated, translucent, and bright color, with a taste that is thick, smooth, glutinous, fragrant, and mellow. Upon entry into the mouth, it feels substantial, glides smoothly, and has a pure glutinous sensation. To Brew a smooth and sweet ripened Pu'er, in addition to using good water, the choice of utensils is also crucial. The best match for brewing ripened Pu'er is a Purple Clay Teapot, although a white porcelain lidded bowl is also very good.

Brewing Process of Pu'er Ripened Tea

1. For beginners with ripened tea, you don't need too much tea at first; adjust according to your experience. Normally, around 5 grams (enough to cover the bottom of the lidded bowl) is sufficient.

2. Use boiled water that has been allowed to cool slightly, ideally above 95°C.

3. Typically, when brewing ripened Pu'er, a filter bowl should be used as the tea can easily break during fermentation or when breaking apart the tea cake.

4. Generally, ripened Pu'er tea requires two rinses (washing the tea). The first rinse should last more than 10 seconds without bubbling, while the second rinse should be a normal brewing time of about 3-5 seconds before pouring out the tea.

The simplest method for brewing ripened tea is to watch the color of the tea soup and pour it out once it appears, without waiting for a specific time. This ensures that each infusion will have the most attractive color, resulting in a consistent taste profile across infusions.

5. You can typically get over ten infusions, sometimes even twenty or more. For the first ten infusions, avoid steeping the tea. Afterwards, you can let it steep longer or even allow it to sit for a bit. The longer it steeps, the sweeter it becomes.

Consider whether the ripened tea is Compressed tea (such as cakes), loose leaf tea, or tea nuggets. Raw Pu'er is not recommended for boiling, whereas ripened Pu'er can be both brewed and boiled. Loose leaf teas vary in their durability during brewing based on their grade. Loose leaf teas release their flavor quickly and are generally less durable compared to compressed teas and tea nuggets. Therefore, a large Cup, pot, or lidded bowl can be used for brewing. However, do not let the tea steep for too long; instead, pour out the tea quickly. Compressed teas, which are commonly found in the form of cakes, bricks, and tuos, are usually not made from a single type of material. They often consist of different layers, with a core and an outer layer. When brewing, it's best to break off pieces by hand to ensure a balanced taste, incorporating all three layers. The initial few infusions can be allowed to steep briefly to fully open up the tea leaves. After the initial rinsing and awakening of the tea, there's no need for prolonged steeping. Starting from the third infusion, pour out the tea normally. Additionally, make sure to completely empty the pot after each pour, avoiding any leftover tea from the previous infusion.