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In simple terms, tea awakening refers to the process of allowing dormant or sealed tea leaves to gradually revive through contact with air and moisture, resulting in a more harmonious taste and smoother aroma when brewed.
Due to differences in production techniques, Pu'er tea is divided into raw tea and ripe tea. Even though both are Pu'er tea, the steeping methods for raw Pu'er and ripe Pu'er differ. So, what are the differences in steeping methods between raw and ripe Pu'er tea?
For raw Pu-erh tea that requires a "waking" process, it should be left in an open environment for half a month or a full month before consumption. When unwrapping the tea cake, avoid using a knife; instead, rotate it along the edge of the cake. This means drinking the outer leaves first and then the inner ones, ensuring a more balanced flavor and aroma.
If the place for storing raw Pu'er tea is in an area with low humidity, then tea stored in an open, natural environment is considered dry-warehouse tea, which does not require "waking up.".
For ripe Pu'er tea, the step of "waking the tea" is necessary regardless of the storage environment. Particularly for teas with shorter aging periods, the fermentation aroma tends to be more pronounced. When "waking" such tea, first split the entire tea cake open, spread it out in a well-ventilated area with moderate humidity, and let it rest for about a week before consumption. The purpose of "waking" ripe Pu'er tea is purely to dissipate the accumulated fermentation aroma within the tea cake, which is entirely different in meaning from the "waking" process for raw Pu'er tea.
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