Drinkable Antique - Pu'er Tea

I still can’t believe I have received this most sought-after Red Mark Puer tea cake 紅印普洱茶餅 as a gift. This Red Mark tea cake was produced by the state factory in the 1950s. This cake can easily cost a few thousand USD and may not be authentic… It is just so precious! 

Thank you, my dear tea master friend @vintage_hifi_teapot_collector , who has been collecting high-quality teas since he was very young, and he is so kind and generous to share his knowledge and tea collections with me. I am so grateful and honored to have learned so much from him. 

Pu’ er belongs to the dark tea “ heicha” 黑茶 category. The traditional method is to let the tea undergo the complex process of graduate fermentation that allows the tea to age,  to evolve in taste, and to develop its characters and complexity.  These teas are called “shengcha” 生茶 or raw tea. 

Another method is to accelerate the fermentation process, in this process, the teas are piled up and kept moist, in a warm and dark condition; in the result of a darker colored, full-bodied tea. These teas are called “shoucha” 熟茶 or ripe tea. 

As the quality of Pu’er tea improves with age, Pu’er tea is indeed the drinkable antique.

Brewing Tips:

Water temperature: boiling water  100 degree C or 212 degree F 

Brewing time: 15 to 60 seconds, I was advised to start with 15 sec, then adjusting the brewing time according to personal preferences. 

Tea/water ratio: 6 to 10 g : 80ml water