When first drinking Pu’er tea, people often fall into misconceptions. Whether misled by advertisements or deceived by rumors, how many of the common mistakes listed below have you fallen for?
Can you distinguish ancient trees? Does an ancient tree have to be very large? Ancient trees that are frequently harvested can grow quite small. A larger root diameter does not necessarily mean the tree is older; different tea tree varieties of the same age can have different diameters. Is a tea tree with white moss a Pu’er tea tree? Not all tea trees with white moss are Pu’er tea trees. So, does a Pu’er tea tree with crab-like roots have to be an ancient tea tree? Even in lower-aged trees in Jingmai Mountain or in terrace tea gardens, such traces can be found. Does having many leaf hairs necessarily mean an ancient tree? The more hairs there are, the better they can prevent insect bites.
Do you know how to brew Pu’er tea? Should you repeatedly boil water to maintain the temperature? Repeatedly boiled water contains nitrites. Is water from a water dispenser suitable for brewing Pu’er tea? Pu’er tea requires boiling water to brew, at least over 90°C. When brewing Pu’er tea, water temperature is easy to control; once the water is boiled, you can start brewing. Should the tea be steeped longer? Steeping tea extracts caffeine and other soluble substances from the tea leaves. If steeped too long, the tea will become bitter, affecting its quality. Pu’er tea is very durable in brewing; for the first few infusions, the brewing time should be short, and for the later infusions, the steeping time can be extended. Does raw Pu’er need to be boiled? Boiling water is sufficient for brewing. Boiling raw Pu’er will not turn it into ripe Pu’er.
Where exactly should Pu’er tea be stored? Pu’er tea should be kept at least 15 centimeters off the ground, and if the humidity is high, it should be stored even higher. Will Pu’er tea be quickly oxidized if exposed to sunlight? Should Pu’er tea be taken out to sun for a while? It’s unnecessary, because exposure to the sun will make it sour and ruin it. Will raw Pu’er tea turn into ripe Pu’er tea if stored for a long time? No matter how long raw Pu’er tea is stored, it will not become ripe tea; ripe tea is a result of processing, not aging. This reminds me of the Naxi ethnic group’s pork fat—after being stored for ten or twenty years, it can be eaten raw. But raw Pu’er cannot become ripe; however, the liquor of aged raw Pu’er can resemble that of ripe Pu’er.
What functions does it have? Can drinking Pu’er tea definitely help with weight loss? Pu’er tea can aid in weight loss, but it is not absolute; it depends on the brewing method, personal physique, and lifestyle habits. Will drinking Pu’er tea at night cause insomnia? Pu’er tea can help with sleep, but pay attention to the brewing method; it should be brewed, not soaked. Is caffeine only found in tea leaves? Most plants contain caffeine, but the content varies.
Which Pu’er teas are worth collecting? Does Pu’er tea become more valuable with age? Once it is over 100 years old, it can be used as firewood. Does the aftertaste need to be quick? Ancient tree teas have a slow character, meaning the flavor of new tea comes out slowly, but the strength develops during later aging. It’s like things that grow quickly are not always better than those that grow slowly! If the tea leaves look good, does it mean the tea is good? The key is the beauty of later transformation. Beautiful leaf bottoms and large shapes are often the result of machine processing, and do not represent top-quality ancient tree tea. True Bingdao tea also has small imperfections.
AYM Pu’er
Black Tea Puerh Tea is harvested directly from the source, supplied directly from the tea plant to Europe, simple, easy to store and easier to brew.Coffee lovers will love YM’s tea!
