How to Brew Laochatou and Sui Yinzi
In the ripe pu'er family, there are two teas that look like little stones: one is irregular little clumps called "laochatou" (old tea heads), and the other is small, square or round, glossy, hard nuggets called "sui yinzi" (broken silver), also known as "tea fossils." Both are dense and long-lasting, and they're brewed in much the same way.
Getting to Know Them
- Laochatou: during wodui for ripe pu'er, the pectin and sugars in the leaves turn sticky in the heat and moisture, and with repeated turning and pressing, some leaves stick together into small clumps. These are picked out during sieving, and they're laochatou. The big ones are the size of a peanut, the small ones the size of a soybean. Details are in Laochatou.
- Sui yinzi: mostly ripe tea, reprocessed, compressed, and cut into small pieces. Accounts of how it's made vary: one says it's reprocessed laochatou, another that it's pressed from fine loose ripe tea, and there's also "sticky-rice sui yinzi" with nuomixiang leaves added. It's extremely hard and clinks when tapped. Further reading: Sui Yinzi (Tea Fossils).
Why They Last So Long
What they share is "density." With the leaves stuck or pressed together into pieces, hot water can only work inward layer by layer from the surface, which stretches out the release of flavor: the first few infusions are light, the middle ones strongest, and the later ones still sweet. A pot of laochatou giving 10–15 infusions isn't unusual.
How to Brew Laochatou
| Item | Suggestion |
|---|---|
| Teaware | 120–150 ml Yixing pot or gaiwan |
| Leaf | 7–8 g |
| Water temperature | 100°C, boiling |
| Rinse | Twice, 5–10 seconds each |
| Infusions 1–2 | 15–20 seconds |
| Infusions 3–5 | 10–15 seconds |
| Infusions 6–10 | Add 10 seconds each |
| Infusion 11 onward | 30 seconds to over 1 minute |
Large clumps of laochatou can first be gently split into 2–3 pieces with a tea needle; small ones can be brewed as they are.
How Many Sui Yinzi to Use
Sui yinzi vary in size, generally about 3–8 grams each; the per-piece weight on the package is the most accurate guide when buying.
- 110–150 ml gaiwan: 6–8 grams, usually 1–2 pieces.
- 300–500 ml mug or thermos: 1 piece is enough, about 3–5 grams.
- Boiling 800–1,000 ml: 1–2 pieces.
Sui yinzi are extremely hard, so you can rinse twice for 10 seconds each, steep the first infusion 20–30 seconds, and then adjust each infusion by the liquor color.
What If They Won't Open?
- Fixed-point pouring: for the rinse and the first two infusions, aim the stream straight at the chunks.
- Let it sit after rinsing: after pouring off the rinse water, cover and let it sit 30 seconds to 1 minute so the chunks loosen in the residual heat.
- Use a tea needle: after the second infusion, gently pry from the side with a tea needle; don't jab hard.
- Switch to a pot that holds heat: Yixing pots and Jianshui purple pottery pots coax chunks open better than thin-walled gaiwans.
- Just boil it: the easiest option.
Boiling Laochatou and Sui Yinzi
Laochatou and sui yinzi are both ideal for boiling: 5–8 grams with 800–1,000 ml of water, starting from cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 3–5 minutes; or after 10-plus infusions, put the chunks and spent leaves in a pot and boil them. Sustained heat draws flavor from inside and out, giving a bright red, sweet, smooth liquor. The method is in Boiling Pu'er.
Taking a Thermos to Work
Rinse 5 grams of laochatou twice with hot water, put it in a 500 ml thermos, add boiling water, steep 5–8 minutes, and pour the liquor into another cup, leaving the chunks in the thermos to steep again in the afternoon. Keeping the liquor and leaves separate stops it from getting too strong.
What They Taste Like
Laochatou and sui yinzi give a deep red liquor that's thick, smooth, and very sweet, often with glutinous (nuo), jujube, and caramel-like sweet aromas; bitterness and astringency are very low, and they're especially popular in winter. Sui yinzi with nuomixiang leaves added carry an extra aroma like steamed sticky rice.
Laochatou and Sui Yinzi Side by Side
| Laochatou | Sui yinzi | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Clumps that stick together naturally during wodui | Ripe tea reprocessed, compressed, and cut into pieces |
| Appearance | Irregular, varying sizes | More regular small pieces with a glossy surface |
| Hardness | Dense | Very hard |
| First few infusions | 15–20 seconds | 20–30 seconds |
| Aroma | Nuo, jujube, caramel | Aged and sweet; sticky-rice versions add a sticky-rice aroma |
FAQ
How long should laochatou steep? After two rinses, 15–20 seconds for infusions 1–2, 10–15 seconds for infusions 3–5, then add 10 seconds each infusion.
What if laochatou won't open? Pour at a fixed point, cover and let it sit 30 seconds after rinsing, pry gently with a tea needle, or just boil it.
How many sui yinzi should I use? 6–8 grams in a 110–150 ml gaiwan, usually 1–2 pieces; 1 piece is enough for a mug or thermos.
Why do they last so long? The leaves are stuck or pressed together into pieces, so hot water has to work inward layer by layer, stretching out the release of flavor; they often give 10–15 infusions or more.