Tea bricks or compressed tea are blocks of whole or finely ground tea leaves that have been packed in molds and pressed into block form. This was the most commonly produced and used form of tea in ancient China prior to the Ming Dynasty. Although tea bricks are less commonly produced in modern times, many post-fermented teas, such as pu-erh, are still commonly found in bricks, discs, and other pressed forms.
Tea bricks can be made into beverages or eaten as food, and were also used in the past as a form of currency. In ancient China, compressed teas were usually made with thoroughly dried and ground tea leaves that were pressed into various bricks or other shapes, although partially dried and whole leaves were also used. Some tea bricks were also mixed with binding agents such as flour, blood, or manure to better preserve their form so they could withstand physical use as currency. Newly formed tea bricks were then left to cure, dry, and age prior to being sold or traded.
Tea bricks were preferred in trade prior to the 19th century in Asia since they were more than loose leaf tea and were also less susceptible to physical damage incurred through transportation over land by caravans on the Ancient tea route
Ingredients: 100% Compressed BlackTea
Recommendations: Recommendations: Heat fresh, cold water until slow steam rises (160° F)(71° C); let steep for 2 min.
Consuming a Teabrick Due to their density and toughness tea bricks were traditionally consumed after they have been ground to a fine powder.
The Beverage In ancient China the use of tea bricks involved three separate steps:
1.Toasting: A piece was broken from the tea brick and usually first toasted over a fire. This was likely done to sanitize the tea brick and destroy any molds or insects. Such infestations likely occurred when the bricks were stored uncovered in warehouses and storerooms or in covered jars underground. Toasting also imparted a pleasant flavor to the resulting tea. 2.Grinding: The toasted tea brick was broken up and ground to a fine powder. 3.Whisking: The powdered tea was mixed into hot water and frothed with a whisk before serving. The color and patterns formed by the powdered tea were enjoyed while the mixture was being imbibed. In modern times, bricks of pu-erh type teas are flaked, chipped, or broken and directly steeped after thorough rinsing. The process of toasting, grinding, and whisking to make tea from tea bricks is now uncommon and not generally practiced.
Health effects: Tea bricks are often made from old tea leaves and stems, which accumulate fluorine. This has led to fluorosis (a form of fluoride poisoning that affects the bones and teeth) in areas of high brick tea consumption, such as Tibet.
