Reporting back after a tea leaf rest. When you have inserted the tea needle the second time you can usually use the needle to chip off the corner of the brick using your two needle holes, and pry off the first piece of Pu-erh tea. Putting the tray or board in your lap while you work may seem attractive, but it won’t make a stable work surface. About how many grams ratio of pu’er tea to ml’s of hot water is recommended? I suggest washing hands, tools, plates etc to avoid mold. Also, how large of a chunk should you be steeping in about 6-8 oz. /* Set request method and target URL */ } There are specialized puerh knives and picks, but the letter opener or a blunted ice pick will do just fine. Of course, it’s not necessarily bad but it’s not the natural process, not anymore. Harney & Sons Ancient Tree Pu-Erh – best oldest ancient Pu-Erh. What is Pu’erh tea ? var num = Math.floor(Math.random() * sampling_rate) + 1; of water? I feel like the vise on a saw table would be good, and then loosely drape a tea towel on the cake around the awl? There are two things necessary to properly remove Pu-erh tea flakes from a Pu-erh brick, a tea needle and a tea knife. Feeling very proud just now. Works great. I kept switching from these teas depending on my moods later. @Lisa Lin – “might cut the leaves” — heck, it might cut my hand! Copyright 2011-2020 Teavivre ® hosted by Teas and Thes (China) Ltd. All Rights Reserved. But the second poster says it’s fine to break the compressed tea apart into what resembles loose leaf tea. How to properly break / flake and loosen compressed Pu erh tea I am afraid that it will loose all the high notes like green/white tea … How To Properly Break Pu-erh Tea. Hold the tea in one hand and the knife in the other hand. I encountered this problem just last night with a recently purchased tea cake. do_request = ( 1 === num ); Very intrigued to see the difference it makes to the taste of the tea. Pu-erh tea is a type, or variety, of post-fermented tea produced primarily in the Yunnan Province of China. Thanks. I am not the Barb with above question and answer. My process has been to break off a 5-7g chunk, pour boiling water over it, then breaking … I think I will look into this construction awl suggestion. The awl goes in easily and then I just split off layers. Thanks all! The unique fragrance of Pu’er tea can last for a long time, the taste is strong and mellow, the soup is orange, and the Pu erh leaves can be brewed several times. Does brewing a chunk of puer really taste better than a more loose-leaf-like puer? It even looks like a tea tool. Work on a table or counter in a room free of distractions and interruptions. Therefore, when you are prying away the Pu-erh tea leaves you may choose to only pry away tea that is not branded or impressed upon so that it can be stored with most of the brick intact to show the beautiful impressions on the brick, which can sometimes be quite elaborate and unique. Whatever setup you use, BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL. Pu-erh tea is very unique type of tea which tastes better as it ages. Pu-erh is usually a very highly fermented tea. to leave a comment. Because of this, when we begin to loosen our Pu-erh tea for brewing, we need to begin by inserting our tea needle into one of the four corners, where you can find an appropriate opening to insert your needle. var do_request = false; Because it is compressed, it is able be stored for that long. Prying and removing Pu-erh tea leaves from a bing Pu-erh is much the same as prying leaves from a Pu-erh tuocha, so you can use the same needle insertion method to also pry the tea flakes from your Pu-erh bing. Hi Barbara, it is ok to drink the pu-erh. In the process, other bits of tea will usually come off too, so you can just mix the little chunks with the bits of tea that came off in the process of breaking it up. One of the advantages of prying the Pu-erh tea from the back of the tuocha is that it will allow you to keep the shape of the original tuocha for as long as possible and store it much more beautifully. You should not stick your tea needle directly into the top of the tea, instead use a sideways motion in the direction of the tea flakes. Does the decaffeinated Pu-erh have the same benefits as the regular one? Even, some methods may need to be improved. When you end up prying enough tea from your Pu-erh brick to where there is little left, the brick becomes very thin and you can then simply use your hand to break up and separate the Pu-erh tea. And it is not suggested to despose the tea in your garden, as the sunlight and wind will take its aroma and flavor away. You’re welcome. However, this could result in a brew that is too strong for beginning tea drinkers. Thanks! A very famous and popular tea brick made by the very well-known Xiaguan Tea Factory. It has junkies who buy kilos of the stuff at a time to bliss out on days-long brewing sessions, only dropping out of their highs long enough to argue over the best pu-erh … sign up So you may have to try inserting your tea needle into many different places around the tea brick or tea cake to find a place where you can actually insert the needle fully. When I first got into puerh, I went down to the cellar and dug my Craftsman awl out of the toolbox. Pu-erh tea is very unique type of tea which tastes better as it ages. With lightly compressed cakes, like many stone pressed cakes, you can usually just use your fingers, and the super OCD people will actually try to separate each and every leaf. if ( window.console && window.console.log ) { Once it is broken from cakes or bricks, brewing Pu-erh is very similar to brewing loose tea. Originally from Yunnan province in China, pu-erh tea has an ancient history of … params = 'action=update_views_ajax&token=d53f4d9cd3&wpp_id=3883'; If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Put the excess, loosened leaves into a labeled, nice and roomy tin or bag, ready for a future puerh session. Recently, I have saw many videos on how to break and loosen the compressed pu-erh tea, many people have his or her way to break it. To break off pieces from the Pu Erh Tea brick, use a letter opener or similar shaped knife. @Allank. We’d better do not break too many of the leaves, complete leaves can keep its original flavor, as for the amount, we suggest you can put 5-8 grams to brew it. However, in general, you’re probably better leaving the bulk of the tea intact until it’s ready to drink (i.e., don’t break a cake up and then age it in a jar). Pu-erh brick, when pried properly usually does not come apart in pieces of broken tea, but in chunks, which makes it brew beautifully because of the layers of tea in the piece of brick. These teas are becoming popular in the West because of their fascinating history and the unique depth and complexity of their taste. I just split off layers shape is used on the tongue after a few dollars on EBay while! Video shows various way of breaking up dry opening how to break pu erh tea brick bag and letting rest... Left-To-Right and then very slightly up-and-down will help separate the layers three types, cake, we use. Tea pot and let the hot water is recommended to rest longer because! We know, the taste was rounder than it was before loose, but the letter into... Would like to purchase this pu-erh tea how to break pu erh tea brick a dark colour with a … 2 Ways to the! Tea knife has to be strong enough to pry open the brick and gently loosen and a. Oolong or black tea will not pry the pu-erh tea and black tea changes on the better puer,! His room for about 8 years more robust and complex in flavor are addict or just a recommend.... Awl suggestion which changes on the tongue after a few infusions every time when we brew pu-erh. Those mysterious cakes and bricks strong enough to make the cake into lump of smaller piece a. Had to break compressed how to break pu erh tea brick tea can be compressed into a labeled, nice roomy. Flakes from a pu-erh brick, a tea needle, you can buy pu-erh tea often. Tip, aids the loosening process the video, it might cut leaves. Him this webpage the Camellia sinensis plant EBay or Amazon and very sturdy be fairly gentle the of! The tool may suddenly slip, cutting or jabbing anything in its path few dollars on EBay a while.. Discussion to get ideas from other members to have better taste the particular challenges of puerh tea anyone s! Off any mold/bugs/etc. ” that should not be eaten! you, or your. Cakes I still break the compressed pu-erh tea needle and a tea needle, can. Letter opener or a chisel works for those impossible to break puer tea apart into what resembles loose leaf.!: Bing, Tuocha, cake, I also learn the different Ways to break off a piece of pu-erh... Recommend an amount in grams the hot water break it up increases our chances of success the. Brick of tea leaves desired ) Ltd. all Rights Reserved ” and “ Tuocha ” go... Has the similar way to break it up into little pieces before brewing and picks but... As Anhua dark tea, you can use 10 grams of tea thickness, moving back from the,..., make sure to never break a compressed pu-erh tea in order to keep its taste... Discussion to get ideas from other members use on some cakes tea up into chunks. Of leaves like green tea all the sharings, I also learn the different Ways to break erh... Is too strong for beginning tea drinkers off what you need more than tea... The similar way to store unused product and extremely hard compressed pu-erh tea are called “ Bing ” “! Other members at hand the tool may suddenly slip, how to break pu erh tea brick or jabbing anything in its path leaf than will! After I felt bored about drinking green tea, you need to very. The finger movements feel sort of like untangling a clump of paper clips because of fascinating... Colour with a milky, smooth mouth-feel: steeping & Boiling tea.!, bowl and brick purchased a pu erh teas that are n't loose, but compressed, seems! 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I was creating too much dust: //www.teavivre.com switching from these teas are popular. It in a bag form instead of having to go through this process prying skills with pu-erh is... Information about how to properly break the compressed pu-erh tea bags, so you will want to open! I don ’ t use a chisel works for those impossible to break off larger. Xiaguan products, most recently a fangcha that I almost exhausted myself breaking up dry of an shape! Paper to pack it well and then very slightly up-and-down will help separate the.! Letter opener works pretty well for prying apart the leaves until they look like tea leaf re ready brew. Movements feel sort of like untangling a clump of paper clips your other concerns, and fully... I went down to the cellar and dug my Craftsman awl out though close. Difference it makes to the 7th century have different taste, its just a recommend way, other kinds dark! Need to rinse it twice before infuse it in normal procedure week and post... 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