Awakening the Tea refers to the process of reviving and rehydrating the dormant or sealed tea leaves through contact with air and moisture, allowing them to breathe naturally and rejuvenate their inherent qualities. To enjoy a Cup of Pu'er tea with optimal flavor, the pre-brewing step of “awakening the tea” is a crucial handling procedure. The term “awakening Pu'er tea” generally encompasses two aspects: one is the awakening before brewing, referred to as dry awakening; the other is the awakening during brewing, known as wet awakening.

Why Should Pu'er Tea Be Awakened?

Why should we awaken Pu'er tea before drinking? Since Pu'er tea is tightly compressed, its aroma is in a sealed state. After awakening, it comes into contact with hot air, gradually releasing its aroma. Long-term storage causes the internal substances of the tea to become dormant, and proper awakening can revive the tea, making the leaves more easily unfolded and flavors more quickly extracted.

For Pu'er tea, whether new or aged, it needs to be awakened. In particular, raw teas within a year are relatively coarse in taste, with strong bitterness and astringency, and are overly stimulating to the mouth. Aged teas may also have a fermentation flavor. After awakening, the internal substances of the tea can fuse more quickly, increasing the harmony of the infusion and reducing the fermentation flavor, thereby significantly improving the palatability of the tea.

For aged Pu'er teas, especially those over ten years old, they are stored in low-oxygen, dry, and dark environments, causing their internal substances to be less active. As a result, the tea infusion tastes flat and has a stale aroma. If the tea is awakened for some time, all the internal substances will become more active, leading to a noticeable increase in the thickness and richness of the infusion and a significant reduction in storage odors.

The Two Methods of Awakening Tea

Dry Awakening

This involves changing the storage method of Pu'er tea to achieve the purpose of awakening the tea's essence and concentrating its aroma.

When freshly unpackaged Pu'er tea is brewed, it cannot fully exhibit its rich and full-bodied character. Through the meticulous process of awakening, the flavor of the Pu'er tea becomes richer and purer.

Each tea enthusiast has their own understanding of dry awakening Pu'er tea, so there are various methods and procedures. Below are some commonly used dry awakening techniques recommended by tea lovers.

Wet Awakening

This is often referred to as warming the tea or the pre-infusion soak. It involves the contact between the tea leaves and hot water, which raises the temperature of the leaves and helps them unfold gradually, fully awakening the tea.

Wet awakening can also remove any dust that might have settled on the tea during different stages of processing. After warming the tea, subsequent infusions can better release the tea's flavors.