ClassicEasy

Pu-erh Iced Tea

Aged pu-erh — China's most distinctive fermented tea — brewed and served over ice. Earthy, smooth, and with a deep, almost wine-like complexity that no other tea can replicate. An acquired taste that rewards the curious.

15 min
Easy
Serves 4
Video preview
Pu-erh Iced Tea

Instructions

  1. 1

    Rinse the pu-erh first: pour a small amount of boiling water over the leaves, swirl for 10 seconds, and discard. This removes any dust and opens the leaves.

  2. 2

    Steep the rinsed leaves in fresh boiling water for 3 minutes. Strain into a pitcher.

  3. 3

    Taste before adding honey — ripe pu-erh has a natural earthiness and slight sweetness. Add honey only if you want a sweeter result.

  4. 4

    Add the cold water and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until fully chilled.

  5. 5

    Serve over ice with an orange peel curl, expressing the oils over the glass first.

Pro tip

Use ripe (shou) pu-erh rather than raw (sheng) for iced tea — ripe pu-erh is smooth and earthy, while raw pu-erh can be very astringent when cold. The rinsing step is important for pu-erh — it removes the compressed tea's dusty surface and gives a cleaner flavour. Pu-erh is one of the few teas that genuinely improves with age; older cakes (10+ years) are noticeably smoother.

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