Leaf to water ratio help

[plant partaker]

I would like to know how much (in teaspoons) of leaf should I put in 4 ounces of water? 1 teaspoon? The directions I was given was for a tea pot, not individual cups. Please help thanks.

[debunix]

This is a nonsensical question unless you can give us more information about your tea & brewing times.

Puerh density varies more than any other tea--from loose mao cha to extremely dense bricks. Grams per ounce water is the better way to measure. And since I just bought a handy digital scale (for my expanding empire of places to drink tea) for just 6.99, I can't believe that the price of the scale is such an obstacle to anyone who is getting started with puerh.

The brewing time is also hugely important--for gongfu style brewing with a small pot, you use more leaf per infusion, certainly several times what you would use for a single cup brewed 'western style' as a single infusion.

The amount I would use for one of my puerhs in a 4 oz pot or gaiwan could vary from less than 1/4 teaspoon (for a very dense brick tea brewed western style/single infusion) to more than a tablespoon of mao cha brewed in a series of quick gongfu infusions.

See the problem here?

If you're completely at sea, start with 1 "teaspoon" of your tea, and boiling water, and infuse for 10 seconds. Pour a few drops into your cup, and sip it fast. If you like it, pour out the rest, and repeat. If it's too light, wait longer, pour out another sip, and taste again. If it's too strong, try a 5 second infusion. Keep playing until you get something you like.

If you like what you brew, then the conditions were appropriate!

[plant partaker]

I just brewed some green pu erh and it was very subtle. I decreased the amount of water and still the same. I believe the tea is just that subtle. It is the Gu Hua rice pollen green tea puer. I used 185 degree F water and brewed for 30 seconds. I also tried 10 seconds as well as 20 seconds. I think this tea is a nice crisp not strong pu erh. Have you had it?

[debunix]

I have not heard of that tea. Did you try it with boiling water first?

[plant partaker]

Its from pure puer. Yes I did. I also am trying this shu pu. I'm on the second infusion. It doesnt seem that strong either. I am hoping with the third infusion, some other flavor comes out of it. For the first infusion I did 10 seconds. The second one I did 20. And the third one I will do 25. you can check out these teas at pure puer.com

[spinmail]

I know some will find this controversial, but my recent experiences with puerh might shine some light on your problem.

First, you're brewing tea using green, raw puerh. There's nothing necessarily wrong with this, since quite a few tea drinkers say they enjoy it. However, puerh is said to reach its peak after aging for several years. With ripened puerh, you have a better chance at a satisfactory brew without waiting the years to mature. Un-aged, it can sometimes taste like a bland green tea. Replying more directly to your question, I use around 5 grams of puerh per 8oz of water.

Second, with young, green puerh, expect the resulting tea to act in some ways like a green tea. Brewed at typical puerh temperatures (200 degrees F), the tea may taste harsh. Some people like this harshness; I don't. However, brewed at lower temperatures (around 120 degrees F), there's no harshness anymore - but you begin to appreciate the actual flavor of the leaves. If it tastes bland - as I gather from your text - the leaves lack quality and/or have insufficient flavor resulting from lack of aging.

If your immature puerh isn't what you like, I'd suggest either finding more mature puerh, or enjoying un-aged leaf teas. Like any discussion involving taste, these conclusions are my own. But I've found that a tea like puerh, which was designed for long-term aging, is best enjoyed that way.

[plant partaker]

The raw green pu is a 2006 which it's a nice tea, it's just not strong. The flavor is weak. The other tea I am brewing is a shu pu and it is a 2007. I can taste that pond earthy flavor, but it's very minimal and it just tastes like water after that. The green one said to use 185 degree water. And It wasn't harsh at all. The black one said 205 and it wasn't strong. I have no clue what to do. I think these teas are actually like this.

[TIM]

May I suggest half the volume of tea to brewing vessel for your raw puerh. Boiling water flash rinse. Sit for 1 min, same water for 15 sec / 25 sec / 35 sec and 1 min. If it's still bland, then trash it and get something better

[plant partaker]

So fill up half the vessel with leaf? Would I use the same amount of water?

[TIM]

of course.

[plant partaker]

Please excuse my ignorance. I am new to pu erh. Tim, what vendor would you recommend ?

[TIM]

No worries. Try Yunnan sourcing first, since it's cheap and good for beginners, then move up to Nada or The Tea Gallery. Good luck,

[plant partaker]

Thanks. I just brewed how you said and I think its a little bitter, so I am going to decrease the water temperature with the same amount of leaves as you said.

[Maitre_Tea]

May I suggest half the volume of tea to brewing vessel for your raw puerh. Boiling water flash rinse. Sit for 1 min, same water for 15 sec / 25 sec / 35 sec and 1 min. If it's still bland, then trash it and get something better

+ 1

This is actually I brew all my teas, and with high-fired TGY I've often gone for a 1:1 ratio of leaf to pot size. Young sheng brewed this way will probably taste bitter, but with more and more sessions you'll be "numbed" to the bitterness.

[plant partaker]

I think I just had to increase the amount of leaf.