Found this for bulk purchase at my local food co-op. The concept of combining a root with puerh is problematic because roots need to be boiled to extract their essence, and puerh needs to be steeped with cooler water. One is better off using squeeze of fresh ginger. However, I got around the problem by a cold rinse, followed by a first steep for 15 seconds in an infuser and then let the leaves sit cold for an hour before steeping again. This tea is purely a digestif for me. The puerh is smooth, no fishy notes, the ginger adds a sour taste. But it clears up a heavy gut in a few hours after two cups. Can’t recommend for pure tasting, however, the ginger will probably wipe your palate.
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Actually, pretty much everyone recommends brewing ripe/shu puerh with boiling (or at the very least nearly boiling water, like 205+) including one or more rinses with boiling water. Personally, I’ve found that using water significantly below boiling on shu puerh not only kills the flavors but makes the texture go all weird and gross
I was instructed by a Chinese tea master to start out with a cold rinse, followed by the boiling rinse. Then I let the leaves sit without water for a few minutes. I personally would not want two boiling rinses if the tea is completely new to me because I want to test a first steep for the quality of the cake. That is going to distinguish the real quality of the tea, because tastes like fishiness will not be masked. A two rinse would be what I would use to rescue a tea that is not the best, not worth throwing away. This is just me, what I would do.
Actually, pretty much everyone recommends brewing ripe/shu puerh with boiling (or at the very least nearly boiling water, like 205+) including one or more rinses with boiling water. Personally, I’ve found that using water significantly below boiling on shu puerh not only kills the flavors but makes the texture go all weird and gross
I was instructed by a Chinese tea master to start out with a cold rinse, followed by the boiling rinse. Then I let the leaves sit without water for a few minutes. I personally would not want two boiling rinses if the tea is completely new to me because I want to test a first steep for the quality of the cake. That is going to distinguish the real quality of the tea, because tastes like fishiness will not be masked. A two rinse would be what I would use to rescue a tea that is not the best, not worth throwing away. This is just me, what I would do.