In the southwestern part of China, where Yunnan Province is located, a special kind of tea is produced, called Puer. Only specially trained people can make it, since it takes a lot of effort to make it endow with its original rich taste and aroma, as if breathing antiquity. Now more and more people have begun to enjoy this drink. But in order to feel its taste, it is important to know how to brew and drink Puer tea, which will be discussed in this article.
A little bit about grade
Before proceeding to consider information on how to brew and drink puer at home, you need to know a little about the tea itself. It belongs to the group of fermented teas, characterized by a huge number of useful properties. With proper preparation, it can even reduce your weight, since puer is able to melt the fat accumulated in the body.
Tea has a pleasant deep reddish-brown tint, and its taste is quite mild, but at the same time it gives off with earthy notes. However, before using puer directly, it is best to rinse a little to wash all impurities that were used during leaf treatment.
Place of origin
The question of how to drink puer tea is very important, since this art has evolved over millennia. The history of this drink, which is produced in only one place in the world - the Chinese province of Yunnan, has been counting for so many years.
In fact, this region has long been considered a true Mecca of tea, because it produces a number of the most famous varieties around the world. In addition, it is worth noting that puer is one of the aged teas. And in some way it resembles vintage wines, because in order to get its own special aroma and color, it needs to be matured first.
Chinese brewing method
There are several ways to properly brew and drink puer, which will be discussed in this article. However, the first thing to consider is the Chinese method, since it best discloses all the desired taste of the drink.
So, for brewing you will need a glass teapot. And if there is an opportunity, it would even be better to purchase a special small teapot made of Isin clay.
Preparatory stage
Here we will consider the preparation of a drink in a clay teapot, as experts on how to drink Puer tea correctly agree that this is the best way. The following sequence of actions should be observed:
- The first step in brewing puerh is to prepare a teapot. To do this, it must first be warmed up a little. It is not difficult to do this, just pour the kettle with boiling water. Moreover, not only the teapot should be warm, but also a filter, a serving jug and cups.
- After that, rinse the tea leaves. To do this, put the puer in a teapot and pour a little boiling water on it. Do not use a large amount of water, since it is enough to cover the leaves with liquid. This will be the first rinse, so it should not last longer than a couple of seconds.
- The need for a second rinse depends on which type of puer is used. If it is raw tea, then one rinse will be enough, but if it is a ripe variety, then you need to rinse twice.
Making tea
The preparatory phase is over, now you should go to the next step of brewing puer tea. To do this, the right amount of boiling water is poured into the kettle, and the top is covered with a lid. After that, a small amount of boiling water is also washed on the lid. This helps to maintain the desired temperature in the teapot. After the water on the lid of the kettle dries, it usually takes about 10-20 seconds, you can start pouring a drink for drinking.
It should be remembered that in this way puer can be brewed several times, and the better the quality of the leaves, the more infusions are allowed. However, the best option is not to brew tea more than 10 times, because after this the drink will gradually lose its properties. It should be noted that with each new brewing, puer should be infused for about 5-10 seconds longer.
Traditional chinese ceremony
If you want to conduct a real Chinese tea ceremony for puer, then in addition you will need to purchase a few additional accessories. These include haivan, which is a bowl with a lid, which is used to store tea and brew leaves. In addition, you will also need an “honest cup” in which tea is poured before it is poured into cups. And the last thing you need is not pressed puer leaves, but detachable ones.
For the Chinese ceremony, the temperature of the water is very important - it should be approximately 100 degrees Celsius. The prepared drink will have a bright red-brown color, as well as a very deep and earthy, but soft taste. Puer prepared in this way with each brewing changes its character and aroma, so that the drink will constantly change.
European brewing method
Those who are interested in how to drink Chinese puer tea, but do not want to waste time on the Chinese brewing method, can prepare a drink in the European style. This method is much simpler, so to get a cup of fragrant and tasty tea you will need:
- Choose a suitable type of puer and place it in a teapot.
- Rinse the leaves several times with hot water. The procedure should last only a few seconds, and after each of them you need to pour water to release the leaves from all impurities.
- Add the right amount of boiling water to brew tea. It is best to choose purified water or fresh spring water. It should be noted that the higher the temperature of the water, the stronger the drink will turn out, so you can experiment with the depth of aroma and taste.
- You need to brew puer about a couple of minutes, although time can be increased at will depending on your own preferences.
This way of how people drink puerh is easier because it does not require the purchase of special dishes and skips several steps typical of the Chinese method.
Benefits of Puer Tea
All those who are interested in how to drink puer, should know that this drink is not only excellent in taste, but also has great benefits. It is especially popular among women who want to maintain their beauty for many years, because it improves the condition of the skin and hair. In addition, the drink is excellent for those who want to lose excess weight, because it improves the effects of diet and exercise when burning body fat. In addition, scientists have found that the constant addition of puer tea to your diet helps reduce blood cholesterol.
How to drink Puer with milk
Now, many people are trying to come up with new ways to drink this wonderful drink. Usually they do not take root due to the fact that the tea itself is very aromatic. However, one option is very popular. This is a recipe for puer with the addition of bee honey and milk.
For its preparation, you will need to pre-brew tea twice with hot water, and then spread the cooked leaves into cups. After that they are poured with hot milk. The drink should be allowed to cool slightly, and only then add honey. Everything is well mixed and drunk warm.
This recipe for puer is significantly different from the classic one, therefore the taste is softer and sweeter. Such a drink perfectly helps during colds, and also removes harmful toxins from the body.
Conclusion
There are several ways that different people around the world drink puer. This proves that this type of tea is becoming increasingly popular. And this is understandable, because it is not only very tasty, but also helps to lose excess weight and improves skin tone. In addition, Puer tea perfectly helps to calm the raging intestines.
For millennia, this variety of tea was considered a real treasure and treasure of China - for a long time it was even used as a currency. So it’s worth at least once in your life to brew it correctly and enjoy the original flavor and aroma combination of the drink, which definitely leaves no one indifferent. Be sure to experiment with different types of puer to choose the most suitable for yourself.