If raw Pu-erh were my “desert island tea,” I wouldn’t be surprised. There’s just something about this tea that invites endless exploration. If you’re a seasoned tea enthusiast or a total beginner, this brew session will help you perfect your technique or add a few tips to your repertoire. So, get your kettle ready, and let’s dive into the details.

Why I Love Raw Pu-Erh

Pu-erh is a tea defined by its terroir—the soil, climate, and the natural landscape where it grows. It’s relatively unprocessed, which makes it an ideal tea to truly taste the land and history behind it. The differences in flavor profiles are astonishing. You can experience notes of honey, malt, or even grapefruit zest, depending on where and how it was grown.

Brewing Pu-erh offers endless possibilities, and that’s where the Chinese tea set comes in. Using a traditional Chinese tea set, especially a Gaiwan, allows you to experiment with different infusion techniques, bringing out the rich complexities of the tea. This flexibility is what makes Pu-erh so fascinating, even if it takes some practice to perfect. But don’t worry, I’m here to walk you through it, one infusion at a time.

Tools You’ll Need for Brewing

Before we get started, let’s talk about the key pieces of gear you’ll need:

• Gaiwan (150 ml capacity)
• Gong Dao Bei (serving pitcher)
• Pu-Erh Cake (Today, I’m brewing Nuzzle Diver— a 2018 raw Pu-erh)
• Tea pet (if you want, for a bit of fun!)
• Scale (to measure out about 5 grams of tea per 100 ml of water)

You’ll also need some good, clean water. Water quality makes a huge difference in tea. For this session, I’m using filtered water that’s been softened and mineralized with bamboo charcoal. Trust me, it adds a subtle, but noticeable, layer of sweetness. If you’ve never tried it, you should.

Preparing the Tea Leaves

When working with a Pu-erh cake, you’ll need a Pu-erh knife to loosen up the tea leaves. Here’s how you do it:

1. Take your knife and wedge it gently into the side of the cake. Wiggle it until you can lift out a chunk.
2. Break apart the leaves carefully. Try to separate them without breaking them into small bits. You want whole leaves as much as possible, as they’ll give you a more even brew.
3. Weigh out about 7.5 grams of tea for a 150 ml Gaiwan. I like to use 5 grams per 100 ml, but you can adjust based on your preference for strength.

Warming the Tea Ware

Before throwing in your leaves, it’s a good idea to warm everything up:

• Pour hot water around your Gaiwan and into the Gong Dao Bei and cup to ensure everything heats up evenly.
• This step might seem unnecessary, but it primes your teaware for better extraction by keeping the temperature consistent the moment the leaves meet the water.

Smelling the Dry Leaves

Once your teaware is warm, place your dry leaves in the Gaiwan and get a feel for their aroma. Raw Pu-erh has a complex range of scents depending on the age and origin. For Nuzzle Diver, I’m picking up notes of salted caramel and nougat, with a faint touch of brown bread and sultanas. The dry leaves tell you a lot about what to expect, so don’t skip this step.

Water Temperature and First Rinse

For raw Pu-erh, you want your water to hover around 95°C (205°F) at the start. This pulls out the flavor without overwhelming the tea with bitterness or astringency.

1. Rinse the leaves first. Pour in the hot water and let it sit for about 10 seconds before pouring it out.
2. This step “awakens” the leaves, opening them up for the real brewing. Even the rinse develops a nice aroma—don’t be surprised if it gives you a preview of what’s to come.

Brewing the First Infusion

Now for the main event.

1. Pour around the leaves rather than directly on them. This gentler pour helps preserve the high, bright aromatics of the tea.
2. For the first infusion, I like to brew for 15 seconds at 95°C (205°F).
3. Pour the liquid into your Gong Dao Bei and serve it into your cup.

Key Points to Observe

• Texture: How thick does the tea feel? Nuzzle Diver is giving me a nice medium-thick texture here, which is what you want.
• Aroma and Taste: I’m getting hints of honey, malt, and even some grapefruit zest. It’s a balance of sweetness and a subtle bitterness that really shines through.

Take your time here. Sip slowly—let the flavors dance around your mouth and then notice what lingers.

The Complexity of Soft vs. Hard Brewing

One thing to keep in mind is how “soft” or “hard” you want to brew your tea. This is a balance of temperature, time, and even pouring technique.

• Soft Brewing:
  
  • Use lower temperatures or shorter times.
  • This emphasizes the tea’s brighter flavors and keeps bitterness to a minimum. It’s perfect if you prefer more delicate sips with a lighter aftertaste.
• Hard Brewing:
  
  • Brewing at higher temps or for longer will extract more bitterness and astringency, along with deeper base notes. It also enhances the body and physical sensations of the tea, like dryness and juiciness.

Play around with these variables to find your preference. For my second and third infusion, I added 5 seconds, so brewed for 20 seconds and then 25.

Mastering the Pour and the “Char Dan”

How you pour water over your leaves can also change the results. Pouring directly onto the tea leaves—for instance, aiming for what’s called the Char Dan (gallbladder of the tea)—will pull out more bitterness and astringency.

But if you want a more balanced experience, try pouring around the edges instead of right into the center. This simple adjustment can give you a much smoother brew, especially in early infusions.

If the tea feels like it’s flagging around infusion six or seven, don’t hesitate to shake or flip the leaves. This helps to shuffle things up and can breathe life into the later infusions.

Smell of the Empty Cup

One often overlooked way to measure the quality of your tea is the smell of the empty cup. Once you’ve finished your infusion, take a moment to smell the cup. High-quality Pu-erh will leave behind strong aromas that stick to the walls of the cup. For me, Nuzzle Diver’s leaving notes of honey, bread, and even a hint of sourdough tang. It’s a great indicator of the tea’s depth and complexity.

Wrapping It Up: Key Takeaways

1. Leaf Quantity: Aim for 5 grams per 100ml of water, and adjust as needed.
2. Water Temperature: Stick to around 95°C (205°F), but feel free to adjust depending on the tea.
3. Brew Times: For the first infusion, 15 seconds is great. Add 3-5 seconds per subsequent infusion.
4. Smell and Taste: Don’t forget to enjoy the dry and wet leaves’ aroma. Your nose will tell you a lot about the tea.
5. Pouring Technique: Whether you pour gently around the leaves or break the Char Dan, this can make or break the brew.

The real joy of brewing Pu-erh is that it’s not one-size-fits-all. Play around with these parameters to fit your taste preferences. Keep experimenting and sharing what works for you, because there’s always more to discover.

Conclusion

Raw Pu-erh tea offers complexity like no other. Whether you’re drawn to its brightness or its deep, bassy notes, this tea keeps giving cup after cup. Now it’s your turn to get started—or refine your skill if you’ve been brewing for years.

How do you brew your Pu-erh? I’d love to hear your methods or tricks in the comments below. Let’s keep the tea conversation flowing!

Stay away from those teabags, keep experimenting with good tea, and spread the gospel—nobody should have to suffer through bad tea!