Pressed Shu Pu-Erh Tea "Jiu Bao Peng" Qi Zi Bing, 357g

About the tea: Jiu Bao Peng (meaning "Nine Precious Treasures") Shu Pu-Erh is a high-quality pressed pu-erh made from selected large-leaf material. 🌿 The tea is harvested from high-altitude tea plantations in Menghai, in the Chinese province of Yunnan. The cake has a large number of tea buds, indicating its high quality. The fermentation process takes about 50 days, giving the tea its unique character and a soft, rich flavor.

Flavor associations: When dry, the tea has an aroma of chokeberry and wood. When brewed, more complex notes of floral and woody tones are revealed. The taste is soft and rich, with distinct woody notes. 🪵

Caffeine/Theanine: This pu-erh has a moderate caffeine content. ☕ It provides a gentle and steady energy boost, helps with concentration, and improves mood without causing nervousness.

Health benefits: Shu Pu-Erh is known for its beneficial properties for digestion. It improves the function of the gastrointestinal tract, aids in weight loss, and removes toxins from the body. 🏃♀️ The tea also helps to lower cholesterol levels and normalize blood pressure. 💚

History of the tea:

Pu-Erh is one of the most ancient types of tea in China, with a history that dates back to the Tang dynasty. Shu Pu-Erh (ripe pu-erh) was developed in the 1970s to speed up the natural fermentation process, which takes many years. The "wet piling" technique allows for the flavor characteristics of aged pu-erh to be reproduced in just a few months. ⏳ The name "Qi Zi Bing" (Seven Sons Cake) refers to the traditional packaging where seven pu-erh cakes are tied together into a single column for easy transport and storage. 📦

Brewing methods:

1. Gongfu brewing (multiple infusions):

• Tea: 5-7 grams per 100-150 ml of water.

• Temperature: 95-100°C. 🌡️

• Steps:

  • Break off a small piece of the cake and rinse the tea with hot water (3-5 seconds) to wash the leaves and awaken them. 💧

  • Steep the first infusion for 10-15 seconds; for the second and subsequent infusions, gradually increase the time by 5-10 seconds.

  • The tea can be brewed up to 10-12 times, with each infusion revealing new flavor notes.

2. Brewing in a large teapot:

• Tea: 7-10 grams per 500 ml of water.

• Temperature: 95°C.

• Steps:

  • Rinse the tea with hot water.

  • Fill the teapot with hot water and steep for 3-5 minutes.

  • You can brew it multiple times, increasing the steeping time.

3. Boiling pu-erh:

• Tea: 10-15 grams per 1 liter of water. ☕

• Temperature: Bring to a boil.

• Steps:

  • Rinse the tea.

  • Add it to cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 2-3 minutes on low heat.

  • This method produces a very dense and rich infusion.