The characteristics of aged Tea: high sweetness, smooth mouthfeel, and after brewing, the aged aroma slowly spreads throughout the mouth, especially in the throat where the tea soup seems even smoother. Additionally, aged tea is extremely durable, capable of enduring over 20 infusions, with some vintage aged teas lasting even longer. Even after numerous infusions, much of the tea remains tightly bound together, revealing the degree of fermentation from the outside to the inside at a glance.

To Brew aged tea well, follow these four tips!

1. Washing the tea is essential

Tea enthusiasts can rinse the tea one or two times according to their brewing habits.

2. High water temperature is crucial

The water temperature is incredibly important for brewing aged tea, as only sufficiently hot water can adequately stimulate its aroma and flavor. It is recommended to use boiling water at 100°C.

3. Infusing is possible

Given that aged tea is a byproduct of ripe tea fermentation, it lacks bitterness after fermentation, and due to its tightly compressed nature, it can be appropriately infused. Both during rinsing and normal brewing, the pouring out of the tea soup can be slightly slower than when brewing ripe tea; teapots or infusers are suitable tools for brewing aged tea.

4. Brewing before simmering is preferable

Brewed tea offers moderate flavors suitable for new tea drinkers, while simmered tea provides richer flavors, allowing tea enthusiasts to decide based on personal preference. For example, with Mei Zijing aged tea, brewing before simmering not only fully releases the tea's flavor, making the most of the tea, but also results in a rich, smooth, sweet, and warming Cup.

Is it better to simmer or brew aged tea?

First method: Simmering aged tea

1. First, place the aged tea into boiling water and simmer for approximately three minutes.

2. Once the tea soup becomes thick and the aroma is strong, it is ready to drink. Simmering aged tea is relatively simple.

Second method: Brewing aged tea

1. Before brewing, aged tea must be rinsed. Generally speaking, clean aged tea can be quickly rinsed once. For newer aged tea, a heavy rinse for about 20 seconds, or two rinses of 10 seconds each, is recommended. Some aged tea, despite multiple infusions, may not necessarily disintegrate, but the tea leaves will still be clearly defined, and the degree of fermentation is evident. If the leaves appear as red mud or the tea soup is extremely cloudy, it is advisable not to drink it!

2. When brewing aged tea, white porcelain or purple clay Teaware is best. Before brewing, the teaware should be rinsed with boiling water. This not only cleans the teaware but also warms it up. Then, place the prepared aged tea into the teaware and rinse with boiling water to moisten the tea, washing away any surface dust. Vintage aged tea can be rinsed once, while newer aged tea should be rinsed twice.

3. Aged tea is a type of Pu'er tea with exceptional durability, so when brewing, the water temperature should be high, ideally using boiling water at 100°C. After adding water, cover the teaware and let it steep for one minute. The tea soup will turn dark red, which can then be poured into a sharing pitcher for serving.