Pu-erh is a post-fermented tea known for its rich, earthy flavor, abundant health benefits, and unforgettable tea high. With its ever-increasing popularity, the myths surrounding this tea are also gradually growing. We will tackle the top 10!
First, What Is Pu-erh Tea?
Starting from Yunnan Province of southwestern China, pu-erh tea has a documented history of more than 1,000 years.
There are two types of Pu-erh: Sheng Pu-erh (raw) and Shou Pu-erh (ripe). Both Shou and Sheng Pu-erh teas are made from maocha, a sun-dried tea. After roasting and fermentation, pu-erh tea is aged for many years. The result is a dark-colored brew with a bold yet mellow flavor.
Much like Champagne and other regionally specific foods and beverages, pu-erh is a geographically indicated product. This means that pu-erh can only be produced and fermented in southern Yunnan. Learn more about the history of pu-erh.
How Do You Pronounce Pu-erh?
Pu-erh is most commonly pronounced 'poo-AIR' in English, though the original Mandarin pronunciation (Pǔ'ěr) sounds closer to 'poo-uhr.' You'll also see it spelled Pu'er, Puerh, and Puer, all referring to the same tea.
Pu-erh Tea Myths
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Myth: Old Sheng Pu-erh turns into Shou Pu-erh.
Reality: Shou Pu-erh and Sheng Pu-erh are processed using completely different techniques. The processing method of Shou Pu-erh includes the wet piling process (渥堆 – Wo Dui), while Sheng doesn’t.
Sheng Pu-erh can be consumed while it's young, but it is also made for long-term, gradual aging, often taking 10-15 years to develop real complexity and continuing to improve for decades, sometimes 30 years or more. Shou, on the other hand, is designed to be enjoyable soon after it’s processed; while it can still improve over the years, most of its improvement occurs within the first 5-10 years. Read more.
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Myth: Because pu-erh tea is fermented, it is normal for it to have a fishy smell.
Reality: A fishy smell is common in very young Shou Pu-erh (roughly under 3 years old). Usually, it’s just residual Dui Wei (堆味 – Pile Smell) from the Wet Pilling fermentation process, and it typically fades with airing. However, a fishy smell that persists in Shou older than 3 years, or appears at all in Sheng Pu-erh, is a red flag for poor storage conditions or low-quality production. Earthy, on the other hand, is perfectly normal at any age. Read more.
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Myth: Shou Pu-erh is a healthy tea that was drunk for many centuries by nobles, the imperial court, and farmers alike.
Reality: Shou Pu-erh is indeed a very healthy tea. However, it was developed only in 1973. Liu Bao, on the other hand, has a long and rich history. Read more.
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Myth: Pu-erh can only come from Pu-erh City in China.
Reality: "Pu-erh" is indeed a region-specific name, which means it can only be produced in Yunnan province of China. However, this type of tea is produced in many different areas close to Yunnan (Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos), though technically it cannot be called "Pu-erh".
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Myth: Pu-erh tea is produced from different types of tea leaves, small and large.
Reality: Pu-erh should only be produced from a large leaf tea tree variety. Pu-erh cakes made from a small leaf variety are, in fact, technically not pu-erh.
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Myth: Pu-erh made from “ancient tea trees” or wild tea trees is always better than plantation tea.
Reality: Most of the most famous, high-value pu-erh cakes in history are actually made from plantation tea, not ancient trees. Classic numbered recipes like 7542 and 8582, including the legendary 88 Qing Bing, are deliberate blends of plantation-grown maocha, made at the scale only large factories can achieve. Ancient trees do have deep taproots that can draw out genuine complexity from the soil that plantation shrubs can't access, so gushu tea has a real basis for its reputation. But that potential is no guarantee, and pu-erh history shows that skillfully made plantation tea can be exceptional.
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Myth: All Pu-erh is made from sun-dried maocha.
Reality: Yes, all pu-erh is made from maocha. However, with the increasing demand of pu-erh, and Yunnan’s climate, it is not always possible to sun-dry the tea leaves. Nowadays, some tea leaves are dried artificially in factories.
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Myth: Big-name pu-erh producers will always have better tea than small ones.
Reality: All big-name brands once started as small. Although big companies have now established followings that enjoy their recipes, small companies are always improving and working hard to compete. Ultimately, we always recommend trying and experimenting. Purchase samples, compare, and see which tea speaks to you more.
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Myth: The older the pu-erh cake, the better
Reality: This depends heavily on the type. Shou Pu-erh's improvement tends to plateau sometime after year 10, since its fermentation is already mostly complete from Wo Dui. Sheng Pu-erh, on the other hand, can continue to develop for 20, 30, or 60 years if stored properly. There's no single universal ceiling, but extremely old cakes of either type should still be evaluated on taste and condition, not assumed to be better simply because of their age.
What are some other common pu-erh misconceptions that you are aware of?
