An ancient saying goes: “There is enough in having one good friend,” and Tea and purple clay pottery are just such “good friends.”
Purple clay pots, naturally made from clay and fired in a kiln, and Puer tea, marvelously processed from large leaves under the sun, emit the blessings of nature to mankind in the exchange of fire and water. Their integration is a divine gift bestowed upon Yixing and Yunnan.
Why do people prefer using purple clay pots to brew Puer tea?
The book “Zhang Wu Zhi” records: “It does not overpower the aroma, nor does it give off a boiled water smell.”
Due to its unique porous structure, a purple clay pot can preserve the original flavor of the tea without dispersing its aroma, thus revealing the true essence of the tea.
A purple clay pot and Puer tea share the attribute of being collectibles; they also have the common characteristic of improving with age (“growing stronger with age”). The perfect combination of the two brings boundless enjoyment to tea enthusiasts; when they merge together, they embody the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.
The combined use of tea and the pot not only immerses people in the arts and culture, making them feel refreshed, but also adds a genuine experience of self-cultivation and tranquility.
How to pair Puer tea with a purple clay pot?
Select your water first for brewing tea
The character of tea must be expressed through water. An eight-point tea paired with ten-point water will result in a ten-point tea; an eight-point water paired with a ten-point tea will result in an eight-point tea. Tea is the spirit of water; water is the body of tea.
Mountain spring water is the preferred choice for brewing Puer.
Given the abundance of springs and water systems in Yunnan, mountain spring water is ideal. If unavailable, you may choose purified or Mineral water, which will enhance the aroma and sweetness of the Puer tea.
Next, consider the clay material
Pots made from purple clay, duan clay, and jiangpo clay, especially those with a larger body, are suitable for brewing Puer tea. A taller body is particularly beneficial.
Purple clay, duan clay, and jiangpo clay have relatively loose textures, which help absorb unwanted odors. Their exchange function improves the taste of the tea broth. A taller body is more suitable for Steeping. Note: Overly concentrated ripe Puer tea can cause duan clay to darken.
Purple clay pots with finer texture and higher density produce a clearer aroma and are generally suitable for brewing aged Puer tea. Pots with higher sand content have lower density and produce a more subdued aroma, making them suitable for brewing newly-made raw or ripe cakes of Puer tea.
Choose the shape of the pot
The most compatible shapes for Puer are flat and round pots.
Flat-shaped pots with shorter bodies are less capable of retaining heat and are suitable for brewing newly-made raw Puer, highlighting its fresh and lively characteristics.
Round-shaped pots with large bellies and small mouths retain the aroma well and are easy to keep warm. This shape highlights the rich, lingering aroma and full-bodied, sweet taste of Puer tea.
Finally, categorize the tea type
Puer tea is divided into raw and ripe based on different fermentation conditions, and each has old and new varieties, resulting in four categories: new raw Puer, new ripe Puer, aged raw Puer, and aged ripe Puer.
For brewing raw tea, choose purple clay pots with a large neck and full body. Good water flow is essential, and the mouth cover should generally not be too small, as this would hinder the dissipation of heat inside the pot, particularly when drinking newly-made raw tea, which would increase bitterness and astringency in the purple clay pot.
To quickly reduce the astringency of ripe tea, use pots with thin walls and low firing temperatures that dissipate heat more effectively. Therefore, wide-mouthed, short-bodied pots are suitable for brewing ripe tea.
If you've just bought a new pot, we recommend boiling it with tea water to remove its kiln and earthy flavors. After going through a period of seasoning, it can be used to brew Puer tea, maximizing its effectiveness and achieving “pot ripening and tea fragrance.”
A pot of fragrant tea, returning to simplicity and authenticity; in the process of sipping tea and appreciating the pot, the tea in the cup is the bittersweet journey that nurtures oneself, clarifying the mind and allowing one to taste the gains and losses of human nature in peaceful tranquility.
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