As one after another of the aged tea competitions came to an end, those who won the award returned triumphantly with the banner of victory, which added considerable confidence to the market of rock tea aged tea. The wind of aged tea finally blew.
The rock tea and aged tea market has seen a rise in popularity, with more and more people selling aged tea and drinking it. Even those of us who don’t stick to old tea have been digging deeper and deeper lately.
As a rising star in the field of rock tea and aged tea, it is essential to worship and learn from the two industry giants, Pu erh and white tea; As frontline tea makers, we are more concerned about how to brew aged tea to fully showcase its irresistible charm?
That young man, Rock Tea, must humbly seek advice like two martial arts masters. As members of the old tea industry, are their brewing methods the same or vastly different? Is there any fusion between old teas?
In order, they were Baihao Silver Needle in 2010, Blue Seal Born Er’er in the 1990s, and Rock Tea Iron Arhat in the 1980s
In order to maintain the reputation of being the most fond of rubbing tea and the best at brewing tea in the rock tea circle, and to be able to brew more old tea with our own hands in the future, we adhere to the spirit of breaking through the sand pot and asking to the end. We search from all directions, learn from masters and seek skills, explore the true meaning of brewing good old tea, and strive to figure it out!
PART.01 Different paths lead to the same destination, the commonality of brewing old tea.
The reason why Chen tea is called Chen tea is because it lies in the “Chen”. It has been dormant for many years, and tea lovers want to swallow it and enjoy its deliciousness!
As an old tea, everyone cannot do without the step of “being awakened”. If suddenly awakened, it is unknown whether the soul of the old tea will be lost. Therefore, I prefer “awakening”. Take out the amount of tea you want to drink recently, place it in a clean and sealed container, let it slowly relax, and accept the fresh breath. Whether it takes three days or ten days and a half months depends entirely on its condition. Only with slow work can you produce fine work.
If Pu erh or white tea is pressed into cakes, it should be pried open before being placed in a container, but attention should be paid to the integrity of the strips when prying the tea.
In addition to waking up in this way, you can also wet wake up. Wet wake up is very convenient for every aged tea. Discard the first course of aged tea and start drinking from the second course; However, we have also seen the practice of roasting Pu erh tea over an open flame when waking up.
Can’t you make old tea? Then you’re absolutely wrong! No matter who to soak, ‘the water must boil’, even picking silver needles with sharp buds is no exception. It seems that they are more durable as they age and require high temperature watering.
Before officially brewing, make sure to heat the vessel to create a damp and hot environment for the old tea, allowing it to breathe in the evening heat. And remember not to cut off the water temperature at 100 degrees, and the brewing interval between each brew should not be too long. It seems that the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind are in harmony when brewing good old tea~
PART.02 Although they are all old teas,The place of origin is different, and the soaking method is also different.
Several elderly people are different in terms of geography and craftsmanship. Pu erh, the big brother in the martial arts world, has a unique geographical climate, and even Dian Hong tea is the same. While other people’s black tea is loved by others, Dian Hong tea is not inferior to women!
As for Old White Tea, it seems that besides being picky about storage, it is really a very easy to talk to. From new to old, it has a calm and non competitive temperament.
The newly emerging rock tea has the most complex craftsmanship and is a difficult subject to handle.
In terms of tea utensil selection, Pu erh and rock tea are a team of people. When it comes to old tea, purple clay teapots must be present in every setting. It seems that they are the only ones who come from the same school. In terms of utensil design, it is also necessary to choose tall and powerful ones to facilitate the spread of leaves in one’s arms.
Old white tea, on the other hand, is a refreshing drink, especially the well stored Old Silver Needle, which is regarded as a precious gem in the palm of the hand. Judging from the many Old Silver Needles served to us by fellow white tea enthusiasts, when brewing Silver Needle, we prefer to choose a covered bowl or a silver pot, which has a great temperament and a more authentic taste. Only when soaking the eyebrows of the elderly can one see the side of purple clay.
In terms of tea water ratio, Pu erh tea is actually on par with white tea, both with a 1:20 tea water ratio. However, Pu erh tea has more tolerance, with any pot having a capacity of 200cc or more. On the other hand, white tea is much more elegant, with 130cc being the best;
The process of rock tea is the most complex, requiring a high ratio of tea to water. On the basis of 1:13, an additional 0.5g-1g can be added, resulting in a balanced and long-lasting release of tea soup.
The soaking time is crucial when brewing old tea, especially Pu erh tea, which is often stored in the form of cakes. When brewing, it is in a broken state, which results in more facets and faster dissolution rate. After moistening and awakening the tea, the time for the soup to emerge is extremely slow. Looking at the increasingly intense color of the soup, one can tell that it is not only old but also powerful, as those who have not tasted it know the power of raw Pu erh tea.
Rock tea belongs to the type of first fast and then slow. In the first three or four steeps, the spirit is aroused and the soup quickly comes out. Later, when the tea soup stabilizes, you can enjoy it slowly without exceeding the limit.
The old silver needle is layered with buds and leaves, and the extraction is slow, slightly slow or fast, but the rhythm should be stable. Even if the tea soup is accidentally muffled for a long time, it can still enter the mouth. It’s really a thoughtful little cotton jacket. Peony, Gongmei, and Shoumei are harvested according to their grade, while leaf tea has a longer soup making time compared to bud tea. Old tea Shoumei is brewed a few times and then boiled to drink, truly a great pairing in winter.
In terms of brewing techniques, Lao Yinzhen has always been the one treated gently, and even as one ages, they should still be elegant; The principle of elegance: hands should be steady, water should be fine, flow should be slow, and the cultivation should be like being motionless.
Compared to rock tea, Pu erh tea, and delicate silver needles, they appear older and thicker. Usually, they have thicker water flow, stable strength, low to medium water injection, and do not require rolling. If there are some relatively broken tea bases, then you can change your mindset and think carefully.
As you get old, you can never withstand the turmoil. It takes ingenuity to brew the brilliance of old tea. The road to brewing tea is long and winding. As a tea brewing player in the Fujian tea region, I am still playing tricks in front of Big Brother Pu’er. I kindly ask the experts in the martial arts world to provide more guidance in the comments section.
The wind of old tea rises, and the weather is cold. The 2006 tea bricks from Zhuyuan Hall are classic works of old tea bricks, with a heavy emphasis on the 2011 series of silver needles, peonies, and longevity eyebrows; They are the spiritual nourishment that we cannot do without in winter.