Pu'er Mixed Drinks: Lemon, Sparkling Water, Fruit, and Mocktails

Pu'er isn't only for sipping infusion by infusion at the tea table. The mellow body of ripe pu'er and the fresh sweetness of raw pu'er both make excellent drink bases. Keep two principles in mind, "the tea must be strong enough, and don't overdo the add-ins," and you can make all kinds of pu'er drinks at home.

The Base: Brew a Pot of Strong Tea First

Tea for mixed drinks should be stronger than usual, because ice, sparkling water, and juice will dilute it:

• Hot-brewed concentrate: 8 g of tea to 200 ml of boiling water, steeped 3–5 minutes.
• Cold-brewed concentrate: 10 g of tea to 300 ml of cool drinking water, refrigerated 10–12 hours.

A raw pu'er base is fresh and sweet with floral and fruity notes, suiting lemon, citrus, and pale fruits. A ripe pu'er base is mellow with woody and jujube notes, suiting apple, longan, brown sugar, and milk. The cold-brew method is in Cold-Brewing Pu'er.

Pu'er Lemon Tea

You can add lemon to pu'er, and raw pu'er works best:

1. 300 ml of cold-brewed raw pu'er.
2. Squeeze in the juice of 1/4 lemon and add 1–2 lemon slices.
3. For a little sweetness, add 1 teaspoon of honey.

Lemon with ripe pu'er works too: the acidity makes ripe pu'er's liquor slightly lighter and brighter, and the flavor resembles fruity black tea. Don't leave lemon slices in too long, or the peel's bitterness comes out; remove them within 30 minutes.

Sparkling Pu'er

1. Fill a glass with ice.
2. Pour in 100 ml of strong tea (cold brew is best).
3. Slowly pour 150 ml of unsweetened sparkling water down the side of the glass. Don't stir too hard, so the bubbles stay.
4. Add a slice of orange or a few mint leaves.

Raw pu'er makes something crisp, like a sparkling white tea; ripe pu'er makes an unsweetened sparkling drink the color of cola. The tea must be cold, since hot tea will make the bubbles vanish instantly.

Can You Add Honey?

Yes. Honey's floral notes pair well with raw pu'er's honeyed aroma, while ripe pu'er suits richer sweetness like longan honey or brown sugar. Add honey once the tea has cooled to warm for a better aroma; for cold drinks, dissolve the honey in a little hot water first.

Pu'er Fruit Tea

• Raw pu'er + green grapes + green apple: 500 ml of cold-brewed tea with sliced fruit, refrigerated 1–2 hours.
• Ripe pu'er + apple + cinnamon: 500 ml of hot tea with apple slices and a short stick of cinnamon, simmered on low for 3 minutes.
• Ripe pu'er + dried longan + red dates: Add a few dried longans and red dates (jujubes) to hot tea; very warming in winter.

Once cut, fruit steeping in tea must be refrigerated and finished the same day.

Mocktails

Make drinks with the layered character of a cocktail using pu'er:

• Pu'er mojito style: Lightly muddle 6–8 mint leaves, add 1 teaspoon of sugar and the juice of half a lime, add ice, pour in 100 ml of cold-brewed raw pu'er, and top up with sparkling water.
• Pu'er citrus: 80 ml of strong ripe pu'er, 80 ml of orange juice, and ice, finished with a twist of orange peel.
• Pu'er ginger: 100 ml of strong ripe pu'er plus 100 ml of ginger ale, over ice.

Can You Make Cocktails with Pu'er?

Yes. Plenty of bars make cocktails with tea or tea-infused spirits. Ripe pu'er's woodiness pairs well with the oaky notes of whiskey and rum, while raw pu'er's floral and fruity notes often go with gin. If you try it at home, it's for adults of legal drinking age in moderation, and don't drive after drinking. For everyday enjoyment, we recommend the non-alcoholic versions above, which the whole family can drink.

A Few Tips for Mixed Drinks

• Adjust sweetness last: Taste the tea and fruit first, then decide how much sugar or honey to add.
• Use large ice cubes: They melt slowly, so the tea flavor isn't diluted too fast.
• Glass looks best: Golden raw pu'er and bright red ripe pu'er with colorful fruit are perfect for entertaining friends.

Quick Pairing Guide for Raw and Ripe

A Pitcher for Friends

For a gathering, prepare a big pitcher of cold-brewed raw pu'er and another of cold-brewed ripe pu'er, and set out lemon slices, orange slices, mint leaves, sparkling water, and honey so friends can mix their own. One tea, ten ways to drink it: that makes a lovely tea party too.

FAQ

Can you add lemon to pu'er? Yes. Cold-brewed raw pu'er with the juice of 1/4 lemon is the most refreshing; remove lemon slices within 30 minutes to avoid bitterness from the peel.

How do I make sparkling pu'er? Fill a glass with ice, pour in 100 ml of cold, strong tea, then pour 150 ml of unsweetened sparkling water down the side of the glass.

Can I add honey? Yes, once the tea has cooled to warm. Pair raw pu'er with floral honey and ripe pu'er with longan honey or brown sugar.

Can you make cocktails with pu'er? Yes: ripe pu'er with whiskey or rum, raw pu'er with gin. Adults of legal drinking age only, in moderation, and don't drink and drive.