How to brew pu-erh: sheng and shu

A gaiwan or small teapot, scales and pleasant-tasting water are enough to get started. Porcelain works for any pu-erh; you do not need to buy a Yixing pot.

These recipes are starting points for short infusions. Young sheng can be bitter and astringent, while shu usually brews darker. Shu can still become too strong, so let the taste of your tea guide the next pour.

Brewed pu-erh in a glass teapot and cup.
Photo: soultea.de /André Helbig · CC BY 3.0

Steps

Measure the leaves and water. Start with 4–5 g per 100 ml of water for shu or aged sheng, or 3–4 g for young sheng. Use the amount of water you actually pour, rather than the vessel’s capacity to the brim. For 150 ml, multiply the leaf weight by 1.5.
Separate a portion of compressed tea. Ease a small piece off the cake along its layers, keeping the leaves as intact as you can. Use a tea pick on a stable surface and keep your free hand out of its path. If the tea will not separate, do not push harder. Loose pu-erh only needs weighing.
Heat the water and warm the vessel. Try 95–100 °C for shu or aged sheng, and 90–95 °C for young sheng. These are starting temperatures, not a rule against boiling water for sheng. Use a thermometer or temperature-controlled kettle: a minute of cooling does not give a predictable temperature. Warm the brewing vessel, then empty it.
Rinse if you wish. A rinse can help wet compressed tea, but it is optional. Add water at your chosen brewing temperature and start pouring it away after 3–5 seconds. A tightly pressed piece can rest briefly while damp before brewing. Age alone does not call for a second rinse. Rinsing cannot make spoiled tea fit to drink.
Brew, then drain fully. Start timing as you begin adding water. For shu or aged sheng, start pouring out after 10–15 seconds; for young sheng, try 5–10 seconds. Drain into a pitcher or cup, let the tea cool to a comfortable drinking temperature and taste it. If tight compression makes the first infusion weak, give the next one a little longer.
Adjust the next infusion by taste. If the strength suits you, use the same steeping time. As a compressed piece loosens, it may brew faster and need a shorter infusion. When the flavour fades, add 5–10 seconds, or more towards the end. For unpleasant bitterness, pour sooner or use less leaf next time; with young sheng, you can also try water 5 °C cooler. Stop when you no longer enjoy the flavour. There is no required number of infusions.

Questions and answers

Can I brew pu-erh in a mug?

Yes. Use 2–3 g per 250 ml and a roomy removable infuser. For shu, try 95–100 °C for 2–3 minutes. For young sheng, start with 2 g and 90–95 °C water, then taste after a minute. Leave it longer if weak, then remove the infuser.

Should I use a whole mini tuo?

Only if its weight suits your water volume. A mini tuo is not necessarily one serving for a small gaiwan. If it is too heavy and tightly pressed to separate easily, use a larger vessel instead of forcing a blade through it.

Why won’t my tea nuggets open up?

Lao cha tou are dense clumps of shu that form during wet-pile fermentation. They can hold their shape for a long time. If the tea tastes weak, steep longer; the nuggets do not need to break apart completely.