Tea Types

Pu-erh Tea

Unique among tea, Pu-erh is created in the warm, humid, mountainous region of Yunnan in southwestern China, where naturally occurring micro-organisms are encouraged to ferment the tea over long periods of time, similar to red wine or cheese. This results in a unique flavor and aroma - deep, earthy, and full. Some find Pu-erh to be an acquired taste, but quality offerings certainly have their devoted and enthusiastic following.

There are two basic Pu-erh types: 'Raw' (sheng in Mandarin) and 'Ripe' (shou in Mandarin). Raw Pu-erh starts life as fully-fired green leaves which are piled and allowed to ferment, during which time they are turned regularly. Similar to composting, the center of the pile generates a lot of heat and the tea master must take care that the pile does not overheat. The leaves are now undergoing a form of fermentation and, when finished, will be known as Mao Cha. From here, the Mao Cha is pressed into one of many shapes: Cakes, bricks, mushroom shapes, and other styles. The compressed forms will continue aging for years to come and are not considered drinkable until reaching at least six years of age.

Shou Pu-erh is made in a manner that is very similar to the sheng, above, but the final firing is somewhat softer and, after compression into shapes, the discs (etc.) are stored in humid areas and are often wetted down to encourage full fermentation. They are ready to drink after only a couple of years. Pu-erh is often collected and aged discs can be quite expensive and tasty. We offer both sheng and shou varieties here.