Modern methods of packaging products for shipping, preservation, and branding are numerous and diverse. Plastic bubbles, airtight vacuum-sealed bags, drying by means of ultraviolet light or irradiation, and a wide variety of wrappers displaying brand logos and product information exist in a dizzying array of forms. Fascinatingly, many of these techniques and procedures can be traced back to the ancient practice of pressing and transporting tea in large, pressed bricks.
The practice of producing brick tea has long served the functions of moisture control, easy transport, and even early manifestations of branding. Tea that has been overly dehydrated results in brittle product that is difficult to handle, prepare and consume, while under-dried teas retain too much moisture and are susceptible to the growth of molds and fungi. Drying and processing the tea and subsequently pressing it into large square, rectangular, or even circular, disc-shaped bricks can regulate the moisture content and is conducive to easy handling and distribution.
Tea producers typically pressed markings and logos into their molded tea bricks, since the formed bricks were somewhat soft and moldable. In addition to identifying the producer, the markings served as package design, indicating the style, origin, or grade of tea. The markings also beautified the packaging, as is seen in modern product packaging. However, the ancient tea producers did it by using just the project.
In early days of the tea trade, the bricks also served as a convenient way to transport the finished product over long distances. The tea thus was able to maintain its integrity over long periods of time when other agricultural products were subject to rot and decay. The bricks of tea themselves were also used as a form of money in some places such as Mongolia and Tibet. Even today, Tibetan butter tea (wod ja), which is made by boiling chunks of brick tea with butter or cream, is a staple of the local cuisine and, due to its unique taste and cooking properties, is being adapted for use in various fine foods around the world.
Nowadays, with air transport, great packaging, and effective preservation techniques, brick teas are viewed more as a historical relic. But, due to the unique storage technique, a unique flavor is imparted to these teas. And in a field, much like wine, where subtle flavors and differences are appreciated, this aspect is not lost on tea experts and coinnosseurs. So a small faction of the tea community uses modern versions of brick tea today. Due to its potency, it is also well-suited for use in cooking and baking, imparting a recognizable tea flavor into the recipe.
To prepare brick tea, simply break off a piece of the desired size and steep it in the usual manner. Because they retain their flavor characteristics so well, brick teas are often amenable to multiple steepings. Often one can find fermented Chinese Pu-erh teas sold in traditional bricks, usually wrapped in paper. The combination of ancient brick-forms with modern advances in packaging and transportation gives tea lovers yet more avenues with which to explore their favorite beverage.
Add style to your tea time with a cast iron teapot, Yixing teapot, or kyusu.
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