How to Drink Bitter Tea
Bitter tea can be brewed in two ways: alone or mixed with other teas and herbs. When brewed alone, it has a pure and refreshing taste. When mixed with other teas such as oolong, green tea, dragon well, maofeng, and flower tea, it combines the flavors of those teas with the bitterness and throat-soothing properties of bitter tea. Bitter tea is known as the "flavor enhancer" in the world of tea, as it complements the taste of any tea and adds a unique flavor. Generally, the ratio of bitter tea to other teas is 1:9, with a maximum of 2:8. Otherwise, the taste of the other tea will be overshadowed by the bitter tea. Therefore, people in Gugangling and Zhen area like to add a few leaves of bitter tea as a seasoning when brewing tea, treating it as the "MSG of tea".
(I) Brewing Bitter Tea
Characteristics: Bitter taste, neutral nature. Enters the Kidney and Spleen meridians. Nourishes the liver and kidneys, nourishes qi and blood, has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and relieves pain. Used to treat headaches, toothaches, otitis media, conjunctivitis, etc.
Ingredients: 500g bitter tea leaves, 500g tea leaves.
Preparation: Sun-dry the bitter tea leaves and tea leaves, grind them into coarse powder, mix well, add a suitable amount of flour paste as a binder, press into blocks or cakes with a mold, and dry. Each block weighs about 5g. Adults can drink 2-3 blocks a day, 1 block each time, brewed with boiling water.
(II) Key Points of Brewing Bitter Tea
Use boiling water, and the water quality should be good, preferably high-quality water such as mineral water, spring water, or purified water.
Use porcelain or pottery tea sets for better taste.
Use a small amount of tea leaves. Bitter tea has the characteristic of strong flavor with a small amount. Although the strength of tea varies from person to person, it is difficult to generalize. However, for those who are new to bitter tea, if 2-3 tea buds are brewed with 250ml of boiling water, it may be too bitter. Generally speaking, a "Coconut Fairy" bitter tea bud, which consists of one bud and two to three leaves, usually weighs 0.3-0.4g. It is brewed with 1000ml of boiling water and can be drunk immediately. For first-time drinkers, it will not taste too weak. Even if several people are drinking from the same pot, a large amount of bitter tea should not be used to brew. Instead, one or two buds should be used at a time, and more can be added as the taste becomes weaker, and chewing the tea buds enhances the effect.
Drink it hot. Especially for those with stomach cold diseases, but for those without stomach problems, cool bitter tea is refreshing and pleasant.
(III) Medicinal Recipes with Bitter Tea
Bitter Tea: Equal parts bitter tea leaves and tea leaves. Take 4g each time, steep in boiling water, and drink as a substitute for tea. 2-3 times a day.
This recipe uses bitter tea leaves to dispel wind and heat, and tea leaves to clear the head and eyes. It is used for wind-heat in the upper body, dizziness, and red eyes.
Bitter Tea with Fructus Ligustrum: 10g bitter tea leaves, 15g Fructus Ligustrum, 20g raw Rehmannia. Decoction and drink.
This recipe uses bitter tea leaves to clear heat and nourish yin, Fructus Ligustrum and raw Rehmannia to nourish the liver and kidneys and clear deficient heat. It is used for yin deficiency and internal heat, hot flashes and night sweats, or fever in pulmonary tuberculosis.
