Tea with friends 一期一會

一期一會

I met with some old friends from school last weekend. We sampled some 2011 Si Ji Chun Oolong and a 2007 cooked Pu'er cake from　“Qìng fēng xiáng”.

We drank tea from different cups and experienced for ourselves first hand what differences the glaze could make to the colour, smell and taste of tea.

Tea was sweeter in some cups and bland in others.

Tea alone makes for a good time, tea time with friends makes for a great time.

 

Blogeintrag auf Deutsch: Tee mit Freundinnen

Misunderstood pu'er tea

10 year old golden pu'er tea from Yunnan

I used to loathe pu'er, finding it almost disgusting to down. My first impression? Muddy and smelly. Good quality pu'er, however, has a deep, rich and complex flavour that I consider to be earthy with a perfumed aftertaste. In some raw pu'ers, I tend to pick up rosy notes from time to time, knowing very well that there were no additives and this is more likely the result of the post-fermentation process. Nature certainly has its own way of tantalising our senses.

Gradually, I started drinking this tea more often for reasons as mentioned and more importantly, the Qi that this tea brings to my body. Warmth and improved blood circulation, where the most obvious effects are felt at my fingertips.

My experience with high quality pu'er finally opened doors to yet another dimension of tea appreciation also known as 品茶 (pin3 cha2). Notice the three squares in the character 品 (pin3)? This reminds us of how tea can be appreciated - in three sips. It is very enlightening to witness language at work here in conveying the subtleties of enjoying tea in a meaningful way. 

Brewing a good cup of pu'er tea

Storing pu'er after some time will most likely increase its worth, but more importantly, how do we get the best brew out of your pu'er tea collection? Choosing the right tea leaves is a matter of your own judgement. However, let me share a few tips with you to get the best brew from your pot.

1. Flaking the pu'er tea cake and getting the right quantity. Make a small horizontal incision on the side of your cake. Tear the tea cake apart slowly and allow some parts to flake off. As much as possible, do not break individual leaves. This is also why I recommend flaking by hand and avoiding sharp tools.

2. The teapot should be wide enough to accomodate your tea leaves and their expansion during infusion. A pot with a narrow base will only intensify and accumulate bitterness of the tea at the bottom of the pot.

3. Pu'er is best enjoyed in big cups, those that roughly fit the size of our palms. Unglazed ceramic cups are more befitting for this tea and certainly add to the taste, flavour and ambience of your brewing experience.

Article adapted from Teaparker.