Mini Tuocha Pu’erh Tea Review by Sherry at Yao

MY BUDDY…TEA!

Believe it or not, in my naivety, I used to consider myself a tea drinker and then I joined YAO and realized I didn’t know squat about tea! Slowly I feel that my knowledge of teas is blossoming but still only touches the top of the so-called iceberg. There is so much to learn about tea and I really enjoy it. Tea is not something to be afraid of. Tea is a friend.

TEA MEDITATION

I believe here in America the art of making tea is at odds with our cultural expectations. I think there can be a perception of how tea should taste or even how we want it to taste and we can tend to want to force that ideal upon it, myself included. I now have a simple yet perhaps odd ritual that I use to decide which tea to drink in the morning. I stand in front of YAO’s tea case and let the tea pick me. There is a symbiotic relationship between a tea and it’s maker, and I am learning to listen to what the tea is saying to me and make it accordingly. Making tea is more of allowing the tea to release it’s own potential. (Yay, YOU go TEA! Pom Poms!) Every tea is different and even the same tea can change on different days, depending on the temperature and humidity). Not to worry, I’ll will give you direction on where to start and then you can also learn to listen to your tea too 🙂

TODAY MINI TUOCHA PICKED ME!

Mini Tuocha Pu’erh. Which broken down translates to Mini (um…yes, got that one) Tuocha (cake of tea or teacake… side note and tiny hint for future use: cha means tea) and Pu’erh pronounced pu are (a variety of fermented tea produced in Yunnan province, China).

BREWING DETAILS

Amount to use:

This tea actually comes as a mini pressed teacake wrapped in tissue paper. It’s really rather adorable. I use 1 teacake to 8-12 oz. of water. *remove tissue wrap before steeping*

Temp:

About 10 degrees under boiling to avoid scalding the leaves, around 202 degrees Fahrenheit works perfect.

How long:

Steep for 3-10 minutes, depending on desired brew strength, then remove tea leaves. Again, this is a forgiving tea. I just love a tea that forgives and who doesn’t need a bit of forgiveness!

Flavor:

Rich and smooth, with an almost softness to it. Subtlety sweet that leaves a slight dryness in the mouth and throat. It reminds me of a damp forest after rain, which may be why this Seattle girl enjoys this tea so much.

Liquor:

Dark reddish-brown color, amber.

How many steepings: 3-4

WHAT MINI TUOCHA SHOWED ME

It does contain caffeine and so it is great on days when you need a little boost. It floods your body with a warming sensation all over when you drink it which is nice on these cooler days we are starting to see. I have also read that Pu Erh tea is also known as “the king of burning fat”, as it accelerates your metabolism and makes you burn fat (build muscle, too) faster. I’m definitely down for some of that. Which probably explains the all over warmth I feel when I drink this tea. WINK

Love.