Does Pu'er Really Need Lots of Teaware and Fuss?
People who've watched a tea ceremony often think pu'er is a lot of trouble: prying tea, warming cups, rinsing, timing, serving... In fact, that's one way to drink tea, not the only way. Pu'er can be very refined, or very simple.
Does Brewing Pu'er Really Need Lots of Steps?
Not necessarily. The full gaiwan method has its reasons: every step is there to make the tea taste better and to show its changes more clearly. But for everyday drinking, three things are enough:
- The water must be hot enough: Use boiling water for ripe pu'er and dragon pearls;
- Don't use too much tea: 3–4 g or one tea bag per 300 ml cup;
- Separate them when time is up: Don't leave the leaves steeping in the water.
Do these three things, and you'll have a good cup of pu'er.
Can You Drink It Without Teaware?
Yes. You surely have these at home:
- A mug: Add a tea bag or pried tea, and take it out after 2–3 minutes.
- A strainer or coffee filter: To hold back the leaves when pouring.
- A glass bottle: For cold brew.
- A small pot: For simmering ripe pu'er or making milk tea.
These are all you need to drink pu'er; once you're hooked, it's not too late to buy a gaiwan. The most minimal teaware setup is in Starter Teaware Sets.
Lazy Methods
| Method | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Tea bag in a mug | One tea bag, 300 ml of boiling water, lift out after 2–3 minutes | Every day |
| One dragon pearl | One 8 g pearl with 300–500 ml of hot water, pour out after 1–2 minutes | When you want whole leaf |
| Cold-brew bottle | 8–10 g of tea, 500–600 ml of cool drinking water, refrigerate 6–8 hours | Summer, prepared the night before |
| Thermos steeping | 3–5 g of ripe pu'er, 500 ml of boiling water, steep 3–5 minutes and pour out | Taking with you |
| Small pot | 5–8 g of ripe pu'er, 800 ml of water, simmer on low 3–5 minutes | Winter, the whole family |
Details are in How to Brew Pyramid Tea Bags, Cold-Brewing Pu'er, Thermos Brewing and Steeping, and Simmering Pu'er.
How Working People Can Drink It
A working day's rhythm might look like this:
- Before leaving home: Pour cold brew made the night before into a travel bottle, or steep a cup of ripe pu'er in a thermos.
- At the office: One tea bag and one mug, brewed with hot water from the dispenser or a kettle, to start work feeling alert.
- After lunch: A cup of ripe pu'er to refresh the palate after a rich meal, and it helps digestion too.
- Afternoon: Re-steep the tea bag once, or refill the morning's dragon pearl.
A box of tea bags, a lidded mug, and a small dish for the used tea bag on your desk are all you need. Ways to drink at the office are in Drinking Pu'er at the Office.
Which Pu'er Is Easiest to Start With?
- Pyramid tea bags: One bag per cup, the simplest of all.
- Dragon pearls, mini tuocha: One per brewing, no prying, no weighing.
- Loose ripe pu'er: Low in bitterness and astringency, and hard to over-steep into bitterness.
- Xiaoqinggan: One per brewing, with an appealing citrus aroma.
Whole raw tea cakes require prying and more careful brewing, so buy them once your interest grows.
When You Want to Get More Particular
One day, when you want to sit down and properly brew a pot of tea, you can start with a white porcelain gaiwan:
- Warm the vessel;
- Add 6–7 g of tea;
- Rinse once with boiling water;
- Pour off the first 3 infusions after about 10 seconds;
- After that, add 5–10 seconds per infusion.
It looks like a lot of steps, but after 2–3 times it becomes habit. The method is in Brewing Pu'er in a Gaiwan. Simple drinking and careful drinking can alternate on different days; either way, it's pu'er.
FAQ
Does brewing pu'er really need lots of steps? Not necessarily. Hot enough water, not too much tea, and separating leaves from liquor when time is up are all it takes to make good pu'er.
Can I drink it without teaware? Yes. With a mug, a strainer, a glass bottle, and a small pot, you can steep, cold-brew, and simmer it.
What are some lazy methods? A tea bag in a mug, one dragon pearl per cup, cold brew made the night before, ripe pu'er steeped in a thermos, or ripe pu'er simmered in a small pot.
How can working people drink it? Bring cold brew or thermos tea from home, brew a tea bag at the office, have a cup of ripe pu'er after lunch, and re-steep once in the afternoon.