Pu-erh - Chinese tea, which is known not only for its excellent taste. He has a healing effect, perfectly tones. But not everyone knows how to brew Pu-erh so that he does not lose his qualities. In our article we will consider the features of this procedure and give some practical tips.
The unique properties of tea
Pu-erh is black tea originally from China, and it should not be confused with the product that is sold in stores called “black tea”. According to the Chinese classification, black tea known to us belongs to the group of red tea, but puer is black. It is worth noting that even in its homeland, it is quite rare.
Pu-erh has a number of differences from the traditional drink:
- Place of growth. To prepare the drink, which we used to drink at home, dried leaves from the bushes are used. But Puer collected from the trees.
- Leaf sizes are about 20 cm. Before going on sale, they are subjected to special treatment. The leaves are first laid out in the sun, where they coagulate under the action of UV rays. Some even fry them first.
The main value of puerh is not only in its great taste, but also in its medicinal properties. Regular consumption of this drink contributes to:
- lower cholesterol levels;
- cleansing the blood vessels, improving their elasticity;
- normalization of blood pressure;
- improving the condition of hair and skin;
- normalization of digestion, especially after ingestion of fatty foods;
- reduce the likelihood of oncology.
Forms and types of Pu-erh
There are three types of this tea:
- shu;
- white;
- Shen.
A type of pu-erh shu is a strong drink that is prepared by artificially aging the raw materials. The leaves are fermented, after which they are made into piles - they are sprayed with water and left for a period of one to three months. After that, the raw materials are dried, pressed and maintained for a year.
You can distinguish quality tea from its cheap counterparts by the smell: it is more pronounced, it smells of dried fruit or tree bark.
Shen is a green and raw kind of tea. Such Pu-erh is prepared without processing: the leaves after pressing are stored for storage, where they undergo fragmentation. Storage time is several years.
White puerh has its differences. For example, this tea smells of honey and meadow herbs, the leaves themselves are white or brown.
Tea is marketed in pressed or loose form. The only difference between them is that it is easier to brew loose tea leaves.
On sale, albeit rarely, you can find the following varieties of this drink (they belong to a more exotic form):
- Wild puer It is formed during the debating of tea leaves in a heap: the upper layer of raw material presses against the lower, resulting in "pebbles".
- Royal. This kind of tea is dried and not dried. Due to this, microorganisms are preserved in it, which makes the drink unique in taste.
What dishes are needed for brewing
To properly prepare this drink, you need to find the right dishes. This includes:
- Gaiwan. This is a cup and saucer with a lid and a side. The drink in it is not only possible to brew, but also to steam. If you could not find such a kit on sale, you can simply use a small kettle.
- Chahai or a small jug. It is necessary to pour the drink after preparation. Thanks to its use, you can save amazing taste and strength.
- An ordinary kettle for boiling water.
- Strainer for separation of welding particles.
And to enjoy the exquisite taste of this drink, you need to purchase small bowls of up to 50 ml.
Step-by-step instructions for brewing Chinese black tea
To make a delicious tea without losing its valuable properties, you need to strictly follow the instructions, not forgetting that some stages differ depending on the type of puer.
Pressed
To make tea, you first need to separate the right amount of tea leaves. The best tool for this is the special tool for pu-erh - a knife resembling a dagger. But an ordinary one will do.
The process itself is as follows:
- Begin to split the brew from the end side - so the blade will fall between the fibers without damaging them.
- Take a piece of about 3 cm thick, break it into segments. At the same time, you should try not to crush the tea, otherwise the tea will get a bitter taste.
- Separate the pieces put in the cup.
In addition, there are several other tips. For example, before brewing tea, the leaves should be washed, which will allow to clear the tea leaves, because it is harvested in its raw form.
Pour boiling water for 20 seconds in the container with the tea leaves, drain the water and repeat the procedure twice.
When brewing, you must comply with the temperature regime, if it is violated, you can spoil the taste of the drink.
Temperature depends on the type of tea:
- For the type of "shu": temperature of about +90 degrees. Insist tea no more than five minutes.
- When brewing tea "Shen", the temperature should be in the region of +80 degrees - if you pour boiling water, the drink will become bitter. Time - a maximum of three minutes.
After the drink is brewed, it is poured into small bowls in small portions.
Pills
Black puerh can also be produced in the form of tablets. To prepare a 0.5 liter of drink, just take half of such a pill. Water temperature for brewing is about +90 degrees. Insist tea for 5 minutes and pour into cups. In this form, it can be brewed for five times - tea will not lose its taste or healing properties.
If you decide to try a drink based on black puer, you need to do the following:
- Rinse the kettle with boiling water.
- Put tea leaves on the bottom and fill with water (temperature - about +90 degrees).
- Infuse the drink for about three minutes.
Dairy Pu-erh is brewed in the same way, only the water temperature should be around +70 degrees. Infusion time - 2 minutes.
Loose
To make 500 ml of tea, no more than 5 g of leaves are needed. Since only a kind of “shu” Pu-erh can be found on sale in bulk form, then the temperature should be appropriate - no more than +95 degrees.
In addition, this tea can be prepared in the "mandarin". To do this, along with brewing in the kettle, you need to throw the rind of this fruit, as a result of which the drink will get a delicious citrus aroma.
Some useful tips
To make tea really tasty, and you could appreciate all its features, do not forget the following rules:
- It is best to use glass or ceramic dishes, in the clay brew is not worth it, because in this case, the dishes absorb everything, because of what the drink will be bland.
- To feel the beauty of this drink, you should not use sugar - it is better to add tea with a piece of dark chocolate and a small amount of honey.
- Before brewing tea, always wash the brew. And for this you need to use filtered water. Also, the liquid must be hot, otherwise all the important elements of the puer will simply evaporate.
And do not forget about the temperature of the water when brewing tea.
These simple tips will help you discover the secrets of the taste of this amazing drink.
