Puerh is an elite Chinese tea, the taste and aroma of which have been appreciated not only by gourmets, but also by amateur tea-lovers. Some people appreciate this amazing drink for its special taste and invigorating effect, while others - for its medicinal properties. But in order not to experience disappointment from the first "meeting" with this extraordinary representative of the tea family, pu-erh needs to be brewed correctly.
Use soft filtered water to brew pu-erh tea. To soften the water, place shungite stones in it and let it stand for a day: such water will not only become softer, but also clear of harmful impurities. To conduct Gongfu Cha (the so-called tea ceremony) according to all the rules, you will need special dishes and accessories. Firstly, it is a gaiwan - a kind of mug with a lid and wide rims, as well as a saucer. You can brew a tea drink in this dish and even drink it. If you don't have gaiwan, it doesn't matter: this "mug" can be replaced with a porcelain or glass teapot for brewing, or, in extreme cases, with a cup and saucer. Secondly, you need a chahai - a small jug where pu-erh is poured after brewing it. Thanks to the use of this vessel, each gourmet's cup of tea will have the same strength, taste and aroma. Also for the tea ceremony you need a kettle for boiling water, a thermos, a strainer for filtering and small cups or bowls. As a rule, for 100 ml of gaiwan or a teapot, take 7-10 g of dry tea. Before brewing pu-erh, dry tea leaves should be rinsed. This step is mandatory. It will allow you to clean the raw material from dust and "dirt". The next step is to warm up all the dishes that will be used in Gongfu Cha. Bring the water to a boil (but don't boil it) and rinse the tea utensils. Pour the remaining hot water into a heated thermos: this way it will retain its high temperature for a long time. Place the washed tea leaves in a gaiwan or a teapot and pour boiling water over it. Do not insist on the drink: immediately drain the infusion. This "brewing" is an additional cleaning of tea from dust. And besides, under the influence of hot water, the tea leaf begins to open. Use this infusion to wash chahai and bowls. Cover the gaiwan and let the steamed tea “steam” for 40-50 seconds. Then fill the tea leaves with hot water. The optimum water temperature for brewing Shu pu-erh is 98 degrees, for brewing young Sheng pu-erh - 80-90 degrees, and for aged Sheng pu-erh - 85-95 degrees. Let the tea steep for 30 seconds and pour into the chahai. You can brew pu-erh from 4 to 8 times (it all depends on the quality of the raw materials and the type of tea), while increasing the duration of each subsequent brewing by 10, 20, 30, etc. seconds. Pour the brewed pu-erh into cups from the chayah and enjoy the unrivaled taste of this healing drink.
