Wondering how to brew raw Pu-erh tea? To bring out the best flavor, besides the quality of the tea leaves themselves, water quality, leaf-to-water ratio, and steeping time are all crucial. Here is our guide to brewing raw Pu-erh tea, along with its benefits:
Raw Pu-erh Brewing Guide: Preparation
You will need water, tea ware, and quality raw Pu-erh tea. Spring water or well water is ideal; if unavailable, store-bought bottled water works well, or tap water left to sit for 24 hours. Avoid distilled or purified water. For tea ware, a Yixing clay teapot (best) or a gaiwan (simple and beginner-friendly) is recommended. The ideal leaf-to-water ratio is 1:20, meaning 5 grams of tea for a 100ml pot.
Starting to Brew Raw Pu-erh
- Bring water to a boil and pry off a portion of tea from the Pu-erh cake.
- Place 5 grams of tea into your teapot or gaiwan.
Pour in boiling water just to cover the leaves, discard it after 3 seconds. This rinse step washes away any dust or potential mold on the leaves. - For the first steep, fill the pot with boiling water, steep for about 20 seconds, then pour out and serve.
- Subsequent infusions can be done 7 to 10 times, increasing the steeping time by 5 to 10 seconds with each new brew.
Raw Pu-erh Brewing Tips
- Beyond the tea quality itself, water quality is the most critical factor. For tap water, Northern Taiwan’s Feitsui Reservoir has wonderful water quality. Tea lovers in central and southern regions should evaluate their local water—if tap water is hard, opt for bottled water. Remember to avoid purified or distilled water.
- Water temperature matters. Raw Pu-erh is best brewed with 100°C (212°F) boiling water; if the temperature is too low, the leaves won’t fully unfurl, and the flavors won’t properly infuse into the water.
- The amount of tea used is important. While 1:20 is standard (5g of tea for a 100ml pot), it’s not set in stone. You can use 2g, 8g, or even 10g depending on the characteristics of your tea and personal taste.
That covers the best ways to brew raw Pu-erh tea. For your first session, you can follow these steps to get a preliminary feel for the tea’s profile, then fine-tune your leaf amount and steeping time. After brewing it two or three times, you’ll find the sweet spot for this particular tea.