Friends, in this article we will tell you how to make shu pu-erh. How to brew pu-erh at home, what kind of dishes are needed, and how to use them. How much should I put in to get a guaranteed effect? Read, try our advice, and be guided by the only true criterion — your own taste.
Pu-erh and gongfu teapot
If you want to brew pu-erh in the office, we recommend using a teapot. This item is also known as a button teapot or a gongfu glass teapot. Kung Fu (kit. 功夫) translates as the highest skill and indicates the reputation of this type of teapot as an object for brewing. It combines a teapot (a flask with a button), a sieve, and a jug for filling (a flask is inserted there). Three in one! Brew tea by spilling or infusing — this is a universal tool and an affordable solution to the task of brewing tea in the office.
In most models of these types, the spout bends slightly at the end. Thanks to this bend, not a single extra drop falls from the nose of the kettle. You can safely use the teapot in the workplace, without fear of soiling or dripping the table. Cool!
Recipe: how to brew shu pu-erh in a Kung Fu teapot.
Our recommendation would be to use the straight method. So you will get three, five, or more flavors from one brew. Use boiling water.
Take 8 grams of tea if you like a balanced strength. Time of the first welding: 10 seconds. Further straits: 6+ seconds. Do you like strong shu pu-erh? Increase the brewing time to 15-20 seconds, and use 10-15 grams instead of 8.
A 15-second technical welding is required before brewing tightly pressed pu-erh. This will allow you to saturate the sheet with water and soften a broken piece of pancake or brick. After the technical spill, the tea will be brewed stronger.
Pu 'er and gaiwan
Gaiwan (more often porcelain or glass) is a special cup with a lid for brewing tea. The walls of the gaiwan do not absorb the aroma or taste of tea (unlike a clay teapot). With a gaiwan, it is easy to control the drain speed. This is critical because controlled draining plus ease of use allows you to cope with even the most "capricious" tea. When you brew tea in a gaiwan, the reverse side of the lid collects a bright and clean aroma. Pay attention to him. Gaiwan is suitable for those who want to control the brewing process and appreciate the aroma more than the taste.
If you use a gaiwan, it is better to brew tea in spills. Spillage brewing is when you make fast (up to 1 second) brews. Each individual brew is called a spill, because the water does not linger in the dishes, but "spills" through them into a bowl, turning into tea. The first spill is soft and delicate. The second one is visible and bright. There is a mature taste peak in the third spill. The fourth is the beginning of a gradual fading. Together, all brewing is called the "melody of taste". Each tea has its own melody.
How to brew shu pu-erh in gaiwan using the spills method.
Take 5 grams of tea per 100 ml of water. Use boiling water. Warm up the gaiwan. Do not let the gaiwan cool down and immediately put tea in it. When the tea is in a heated bowl, wait 10 + seconds for the tea to soak up the heat. Getting shu pu-erh to the first spill will make the tea tastier.
Time for the first spill: 10 seconds. Further straights: 6+ seconds. If you like strong tea, increase the brewing time to 15-20 seconds to taste.
Pu-erh and Yixing clay teapot
The Yixing clay teapot is a reliable pu-erh brewing machine. The clay is called Yixing in the city of Yixing (Kit. 宜兴, "loyalty to duty and prosperity") in the east of China.
In short, Shu Pu-erh pairs well with the Yixing teapot as well as wine with cheese or tomatoes with cucumbers for a salad. The power of Shu Pu-erh is more often manifested in taste, and the teapot makes the taste of tea more dense and rounded. Thus, if we are guided by the idea of "strengthening the strong and discarding the weak", then the clay teapot is ideal for shu pu-erh.
Recipe: how to brew shu pu-erh in a Yixing teapot.
Take 5 grams of tea per 100 ml of water. Use boiling water. Warm up the kettle well. First brewing time: 10 seconds. Further steps: 6+ seconds. If you like strong shu pu-erh, increase the brewing time to 15-20 seconds to taste or the amount of tea to 7-10 grams per 100 ml of water.
Dishes for brewing pu-erh in a teapot made of Yixing clay (listed according to the degree of need): teapot, bowls, chai. Sieve, towel, tea cup, chahe. Finally, a shepherd, a tea pond, and a tea figurine. Each piece of tableware has a meaning and a purpose. Only the first two are required: a teapot and tea cups. The rest is a manifestation of the degree of interest in tea and the culture associated with it. About the tools in detail.
Everyone makes tea the way they feel comfortable. Because tea is a homemade drink. Everyone has their own way, their own approach. The choice of tea utensils, water temperature, infusion time, and other details of the tea party turn brewing into a gastronomic adventure. Designed for everyone.