Puerh Preparation
There are several schools of thought on how to best prepare Puerh tea. Fortunately, Puerh is very versatile and forgiving. Infused light it is perfect for regular drinking, but it can also be made very strong for small sips after greasy meals. Always blanch the leaves well before infusion with boiling water. Use a genuine Yixing pot for best results.
In contrast to preparing other kinds of tea Puerh does not require a long infusion time. Rather, all Puerh tea is traditionally prepared in the gongfu style using an Yixing teapot or a gaiwan with a high leaf to water ratio and many short infusions. We recommend using between 5 and 8g per serving. The first infusion rinses and "wakes up" the tea and is then discarded. According to one school of thought subsequent infusions are brewed in sort of a "touch and go" style. As soon as the water is poured, the lid is replaced and the tea liquor is immediately poured into a chahai, or serving pitcher. We recommended accumulating the 1st and 2nd infusions in the pitcher in order to even out the flavor and taste. For each subsequent brewing, no more than 5 to 30 seconds is recommended. By brewing in this fashion you will get as many as 20 infusions. The other school of thought is slightly different with respect to the timing. This one starts with an infusion time of 30 seconds, increasing the time with each subsequent infusion. Using this method will provide 8 to 10 infusions. Fortunately, both methods produce a delicious tea, so you can easily play with it until you find your own preference.
Brewing Instructions
Water Temperature: Boiling
Water Quality: Best with Spring Water
Amount of Leaf (per 6 fl oz water): 5 to 8 grams
Steep Time: 5 to 30 seconds
Number of Infusions: up to 20