There are two methods to awaken Pu'er ripe Tea, dry awakening and wet awakening. Dry awakening involves prying open and dispersing the tea leaves, then storing them in a purple clay jar or earthenware container in a cool, dry place for about one month. Wet awakening is performed after warming the Teaware, by placing the ripe tea into a lidded bowl, pouring boiling water over it, and then discarding the water after a few seconds—this is wet awakening.

1. Dry Awakening of Pu'er Ripe Tea

Dry awakening refers to the process before brewing, where the tea is pried open and placed in a purple clay jar for storage for around one month, thus completing the awakening process.

Dry awakening requires that the tea be separated, trying to maintain the integrity of the leaves as much as possible and following their natural structure during the separation. Then, the Pu'er tea should be stored in a purple clay jar with good ventilation, no extraneous odors, and kept dry, allowing it to naturally awaken and regain its vitality.

Purple clay has excellent breathability, as well as good light-blocking and heat insulation properties, which can keep the temperature and humidity inside the jar relatively stable, allowing the tea quality and aroma to quickly coalesce. Note that after being placed in the purple clay jar, the awakening time is approximately one to two months.

2. Wet Awakening of Pu'er Ripe Tea

Wet awakening is relative to dry awakening, and it refers to the process of using boiling water on the first infusion to awaken the tea, revitalizing its activity.

During the awakening process, take an appropriate amount of tea, open the lid of the lidded bowl, and pour 100°C boiling water in a circular manner, allowing the tea to absorb the moisture. Immediately afterward, discard the infused water. At this point, the tea has absorbed heat and moisture, transforming from a tightly compressed state to one ready to release its full potential.

The duration of wet awakening should not be too long, generally around 5 to 10 seconds. Before wet awakening, it's best to preheat the teaware (warm the cups) once with boiling water, which helps to better activate the tea's character.

The number of times to awaken the tea depends on its level of revival. Generally, raw Pu'er needs only one warm-up infusion, while ripe Pu'er also requires just one. Older Pu'er teas and tea nuggets may need 2 to 3 warm-up infusions depending on the situation.

To enjoy a cup of Pu'er ripe tea with optimal flavor, the “awakening” process before brewing is an important step. Awakening involves changing the storage method to revive the tea quality and concentrate the aroma. Even Pu'er teas aged for only seven to eight years can significantly improve in quality through the following awakening steps.