I know of three methods for brewing Pu-erh tea. The first is the roasted tea method of Yunnan's ethnic minorities, where the tea is roasted before brewing. The focus of this method is on "brewing," as the tea in the pot is usually completely consumed before a second infusion. The second is the Han Chinese method of throwing tea leaves into a cup and adding water for brewing (also involving long steeping times). Generally, water is only added after finishing the cup. The third is the Gongfu tea ware method, which is the most common brewing method today. The focus of this method is on "pouring" rather than "brewing," so the water must be poured out of the gaiwan after a certain time. So, from a brewing perspective, how should Pu-erh tea be brewed to be considered good tea?

A senior tea master once said, "A good and qualified tea art master brews Pu-erh tea to taste the same in every infusion." This is correct from the perspective of human skill. However, it depends on the context; serving old tea enthusiasts in this way would surely invite criticism.

Generally, tea leaves have a tea juice extraction curve: low — high — low.

Starting from the first infusion of waking the tea (why not washing the tea? Can water above 90°C sterilize in十几秒? I didn't read much, don't骗我!), the tea begins to release its inherent substances upon contact with water. Usually, the 4th to 7th infusions are the peak for substance release. Then it begins to decline again. Of course, if you steep each infusion for 10 seconds, you probably won't experience the surprise of a tea's varying flavors—what's the惊喜 in such a flat profile?

Having explained the basic characteristics of tea, let's discuss the几种感觉 tea enthusiasts enjoy: one taste, following the tea's nature, following personal preference.

"One Taste"

This often appears in merchant sales. The tea is highly resistant to overbrewing, tastes sweet, but almost loses the tea's true nature. Then you buy this pleasant-tasting tea home and brew it yourself. Why doesn't it taste as good as at the merchant's? Some might think they bought fake tea.

"Following the Tea's Nature"

This is a relatively neutral brewing method. Here, "following the tea's nature" isn't what others say, but refers to the common characteristic of every tea: the "tea juice extraction curve" — low — high — low. This isn't very obvious with raw Pu-erh, but it's十分明显 with ripe Pu-erh. If you don't pour quickly during the 4th to 7th infusions, it will become like soy sauce soup.不信你试试.

"Following Personal Preference"

When you brew and drink tea yourself, you often brew according to personal preference. You might brew one infusion, drink it, do something else, then come back to brew another, with steeping times not consistently increasing or varying greatly between infusions. Tea brewed this way can become very bitter and astringent, yet also have intense huigan (sweet aftertaste) and生津 (saliva production). Once you form this habit, tea brewed by others might not taste good to you.

After all this, what actually constitutes good tea from a brewing perspective? It depends on accurate guidance from "knowledgeable people." If the guidance is wrong, those guided will continue to be mistaken.

【Editor's Note】

From a brewing perspective, choosing a specific brewing method and then drinking Pu-erh tea brewed by others will yield different flavors even from the same tea. What kind of Pu-erh tea is considered good tea? There is no specific answer, but there is a standard answer: not bitter, with a sweet aftertaste (huigan), and moderate concentration. Different tea friends have different preferences; the best Pu-erh is the one that suits your own taste.

Related links: Golden Flower Pu-erh Tea, Golden Flower Fu Brick Tea