It's All About Tea — pu-erh

When buying a pu-erh tea cake in its original packaging, you may notice 4 numbers located on the front of the wrapper. In this article, we will clarify what these numbers mean and why they were initially used. (Read more)

Pu-erh is a unique type of tea. For many, it’s either you like it or you don’t, and there is no in-between. It is a robust tea that has often undergone years of fermentation and has a flavor that is unusual for many.

For some, pu-erh is just not for them, no matter how many top-shelf cakes they have tried. If trying pu-erh for the first time, we always recommend trying a quality sample. Otherwise, you may end up with a ruined pu-erh that will make you never want to experiment with the stuff again.

So how do we determine what constitutes a good pu-erh? (Read more)

Both Hei Cha and Pu-erh are fermented teas, so many wonder what the difference is between the two kinds of tea.

The origin of Hei Cha dates back many centuries. Its production methods are a somewhat iconic part of Chinese tradition, passed on for many years. Hei Cha production has a rich heritage and diverse craftsmanship, spanning multiple Chinese provinces. Hei Cha is a post-fermented tea category that includes teas like Shou Pu-erh, Liu Bao, and Lu An. (Read more)

Raw (Sheng) and Ripe (Shou) Pu-erh age very differently. Sheng has a long arc of transformation – losing bitterness and gaining complexity over decades. Shou changes most in its first 3–10 years, shedding wet-piling notes and gaining smoothness. And older doesn't always mean better. (Read more)

If you are just starting to explore the vast and somewhat mysterious world of pu-erh, chances are you’ve been purchasing samples. The samples are an excellent way to get acquainted with the tea and see what you like before investing in a whole cake. An entire pu-erh cake can be pricey, but it is well worth it if you find one you want, as it will last you for many months, if not years, and often gets better with age. 

After you purchase your first cake or brick, the next step is to break it into a size suitable for one tea session. For this, we use specially designated pu-erh tea needles. Learn about how to properly loosen and break pu-erh tea. (Read more)