Brewed whole, xiaoqinggan gives a gentle citrus aroma; cracked open, it's rich and direct, and you can even adjust the ratio of peel to ripe pu'er yourself. Whether to rinse first, what to do when the peel is too strong, and how many infusions one gets, from gaiwan and thermos to cold brew.
Laochatou and sui yinzi are both tightly bound little pieces of ripe tea, and they need a "slow-warming" approach: boiling water, two rinses, a little extra time for the first few infusions, and they can be boiled in the later rounds. How many pieces to use, what to do if they won't open, and why they last so long, all explained.
The first pour of pu'er is usually discarded; this is called rinsing, washing, or awakening the tea. Why do it, how many times, and how fast? Plus how to "awaken" tea that's been in storage.
Loose tea has loose leaves and releases flavor quickly; cakes, bricks, tuocha, and dragon pearls are tightly pressed and open slowly, infusion by infusion. How do leaf amount, rinsing, and steeping times differ? Can you drop a whole chunk in? How do you brew broken tea without it getting too strong? All explained here.
Ripe pu'er is low in bitterness and astringency and releases flavor quickly, so boiling water brings out a deep red liquor. How many rinses, how to avoid a stuffy taste, how to rescue a brew that's too strong, and which pot suits it best, plus variations for mugs, thermos steeping, boiling, and milk tea: everything about brewing ripe pu'er in one article.
You don't need an expensive full tea set to brew pu'er. What a gaiwan, fairness pitcher, tasting cups, strainer, tea pick, and kettle are for, and what to look for in each.
In raw tea stored for many years, the aroma lies deep within the tea and needs time and heat to wake up. How long should it rest? A Yixing pot or a gaiwan? Can it be boiled? From prying and resting to the rhythm of each infusion, here's how to bring out aged tea's aged aroma and sweet smoothness.
Young raw tea made within the last year or two has a lively aroma, but it's often noticeably bitter and astringent. Use a little less leaf, slightly gentler water, and quicker pours, keep the water off the leaves, and brew in a thin-walled white porcelain gaiwan, and young raw tea comes out sweet rather than harsh.
A pot of pu'er often gives 8–12 infusions, and laochatou even more. Why does pu'er last so long? How can you get more infusions? What can you do once it's spent, and when should the leaves be thrown out? From material, processing, and compression to brewing, here's everything about pu'er's staying power.
With the same tea, water temperature, and time, the way you pour changes how gentle or intense the liquor is. What fixed-point pouring, circular pouring, pouring along the side, "pour high, serve low," and sitting time mean, which suits which tea, plus pouring walkthroughs for young raw tea and ripe pu'er.
How many seconds for the first infusion? How much to add after that? What happens if it steeps too long? Do aged and young tea take the same times? One rhythm chart lays out steeping times for each infusion of pu'er, and we show you how to watch the liquor color as you drink and adjust the next infusion as you go.
Ripe pu'er and aged tea suit a Yixing clay teapot, while a gaiwan shows the layers of young raw tea more clearly. Learn about teapot shapes, capacity, and seasoning, and the habit of one pot per tea.
Thank you for your order!
Order no. , Amount .
A confirmation email is on its way to your inbox.
The shop will contact you about payment and start preparing your order once payment is received.
This order is cash on delivery: pay at the convenience store when you pick it up. No need to pay now.
This order is cash on delivery: pay the courier when it arrives. No need to pay now.
Please transfer the payment to this account
Your cart is empty.
View my ordersYour receipt and shipping updates will be sent to this email.
Pickup store
No store selected yet.
The map opens in a new window. Your choice will be brought back here automatically.
This is cash on delivery: pay at the convenience store when you pick it up. No need to pay online.
This is cash on delivery: pay the courier when your order arrives. No need to pay online.
The final total (including shipping and discounts) is confirmed when you place the order.
By placing this order, you agree that we use the contact details you entered to process it. See our Privacy Policy and Returns Policy.