What is Puer tea?
Pu-erh tea is a fermented tea traditionally produced in Yunnan Province, China. Due to different tea-making processes and quality characteristics, Pu erh tea is divided into raw and ripe pu-erh tea. Raw puerh tea refers to tea made from fresh leaves that have not been processed through pile fermentation, which may develop complex flavors over time. Ripe pu erh cha refers to tea that has been processed through pile fermentation, a process that accelerates the aging of tea leaves.
2008 Chinese Yunnan Gushu Raw Puerh Tea Sheng Puer
Puer tea has the characteristic of "The more it ages, the more fragrant it becomes" and is also known as "Drinkable Antiques". Pu'er cha is stored and aged in non-sealed containers like red wine before it can be consumed. This is why it has long been a standard practice for all types of Pu-erh tea to be marked with the year of production and place of origin.
Does Puerh Tea Contain Caffeine?
Pu erh tea is a fermented tea with a relatively low caffeine content. According to research, the caffeine content of Pu erh tea is about 20-30 mg per 100 ml of tea soup, while the caffeine content of coffee is generally 60-80 mg per 100 ml. It can be concluded that Puer tea has a lower caffeine content and may be a better choice for people who are sensitive to caffeine or want to reduce their caffeine intake.
However, it should be noted that there are many factors affecting the caffeine content of Pu-erh tea, such as the types of tea, origin, picking time, processing technology, etc. From the perspective of time, the caffeine content of new tea is higher, while the caffeine content of old tea is relatively lower; from the perspective of Pu'er cha making process, the caffeine content of ripe puerh tea is generally lower after pile fermentation, which is a good choice for people who like low caffeine.
How to brew Pu Erh tea?
Generally, the brewing container for cha Puer is Yixing purple clay teapot.
The purple clay teapot has a small spout, a tight lid, and a relatively rough interior, which can better retain the aroma of Pu'er cha; on the other hand, the purple clay teapot is not glazed inside and outside, has tiny pores, good air permeability, and strong adsorption.
Let's take our 2017 aged 7-years royal grade ripe Puerh tea as a tea sample to share how to brew a good Pu erh tea.
Tea to water ratio 1:20/1:25
Water temperature: just boiled hot water (100℃/212℉)
Brewing method: You can use the small pouring method, slowly pour water into the purple clay pot along the edge of the pot, keep your hands steady and the water fine, so that you can ensure the water temperature and slowly release the essence of the tea leaves, and the taste of each sip of tea will be more stable.
First brewing called rising tea and we don't drink it. Duration of brewing: 1st to 6th brewing time: Pour out the soup within 10-15 seconds after adding water. Don’t steep for too long time.
The 7th to 12th brewing: the soup can be made in 15-20 seconds longer
Control the soup brewing time according to your own taste: it can be brewed more than 10 times
