Pu-erh brewing instructions
Pu-erh is a fermented, often aged tea from Yunnan. Ripe (shou) pu-erh is earthy, smooth and dark; raw (sheng) is brighter and changes over years of storage.
- Water
- 98 °C208 °F
- Leaf
- 1 gper 50 ml
- Steep
- 2:00–3:00
- Re-steeps
- 4–8
Good examples: Shou (ripe) pu-erh, Sheng (raw) pu-erh, pressed cakes and tuo cha.
Step by step
- Heat fresh water to 98 °C (208 °F).
- Weigh 1 g of leaf for every 50 ml of water (e.g. 6.0 g for a 300 ml mug).
- Pour the water over the leaves and steep for 2:00–3:00.
- Strain completely so the leaves don’t keep steeping. Keep the leaves for the next infusion.
Getting it exact
- Always rinse: pour boiling water over the leaves, wait 5–10 seconds, discard. This opens compressed leaf and washes off dust.
- Ripe pu-erh likes it near boiling (95–100 °C (203–212 °F)). Young raw pu-erh can be bitter; try 90 °C (194 °F).
- Break cakes with a pick along the leaf layers rather than crushing them; whole leaves give a cleaner cup.
Quick fix: Musty or muddy? Do two rinses, and keep infusions short.
Frequently asked questions
How do you brew a pu-erh tea cake?
Pry off about 5 g along the leaf layers, rinse once or twice with boiling water for 5–10 seconds, then steep 2–3 minutes (or 10–20 seconds gongfu style).
Do you need to rinse pu-erh?
Yes, a quick rinse opens compressed leaf and gives a cleaner cup.