Wuliang

Pu-erh Tea

Pu-erh is a tea with an ancient history of about 1000 years. It's a kind of fermented tea common in China. Furthermore, it's a regionally specific product with a geographical indication. A National Standard for Pu-erh tea production was issued in 2008. It defines a protected area covering 639 towns in 11 municipalities in Yunnan (including Pu’er, Xishuangbanna, Lincang, Dali, Kunming, Baoshan, Chuxiong, Dehong, Honghe, Yuxi, and Wenshan). Tea leaves must also come from tea trees of the large leaf variety, growing in the defined area, and then processed using a specified technology. Today, in neighboring regions such as Vietnam, Myanmar, and Thailand, tea is grown and processed using pu-erh technology. Technically, it cannot be classified as "pu-erh" under this law. So many traders smuggle tea leaves from these regions into Yunnan, where they are packed, labeled, and sold as authentic Yunnan pu-erh tea.

This tea is indeed complex and exciting. What makes it unique is that pu-erh is a Chinese fermented tea with a robust, earthy, or bitter taste (depending on the type of pu-erh) that can take time to acclimate to for some. However, its benefits outweigh the drawbacks, and what were once drawbacks have become its treasured features. 

Raw Vs. Ripe Pu-erh

There are two types of Pu-erh: Sheng Pu-erh (生普洱) – the "raw", green type; and Shou Pu-erh (熟普洱) – the "ripe", black type. 

Both the ripe and the raw are made from sun-dried leaves – Shai Qing Mao Cha. The leaves for maocha are usually from the Camellia Sinensis var. Assamica tea trees. Aside from pu-erh tea cakes, producers also often make bricks, tuocha, stuffed chen-pi pu-erh, or even leave them as loose leaf tea. After these steps, farmers put the tea out to age. Sheng Pu-erh is usually aged naturally for years, and in some cases for several decades, which gradually deepens the color and rounds the flavor. Shou Pu-erh, on the other hand, gets most of its dark color and mellow character from the Wo Dui (渥堆) – wet-piling process; additional storage fine-tunes the taste rather than transforming it completely.

Raw (Sheng) Pu-erh is processed similarly to green tea. First picked, withered, quickly roasted, kneaded, and sun-dried. The resulting tea is called Mao Cha (毛茶) – "Rough Tea" or "Crude Tea", which is then steamed and compressed into Pu-erh Cakes – round disks of pressed tea. Then, farmers age it until the tea's taste sufficiently transforms. 

Raw pu-erh doesn't undergo the piling process. Thus, it remains with a fresh scent and some bitterness, with a noticeable sweet aftertaste. When left to age, the sheng pu-erh undergoes further transformation of polyphenols, becoming less bitter and astringent, and more sweet and rounded.

Ripe (Shou) Pu-erh, on the other hand, is made from oxidized and fermented tea. First, it goes through the same steps as the raw one. However, the resulting Mao Cha, before steamed and pressed into cakes, undergoes a 'Wet Piling' process (渥堆 – Wo Dui): 

• Farmers pile the tea leaves in a tea factory to a height of approximately 70cm, depending on the tea master.
• They then wet the piled tea with water and cover the pile with a tarp. In this way, producers create a warm, humid environment to accelerate fermentation.
• Under heat and humidity, a complex of fungi and bacteria develops in the tea pile, further enhancing the fermentation process.
• After fermentation lasting several weeks, the tea is unpiled and ventilated.

Depending on the degree of fermentation, pu-erh changes its color. When you drink raw pu-erh, you'll notice that the liquid is lighter, with yellow hues. If farmers age the tea, the liquid gets gradually darker each year. In contrast, ripe pu-erh can be dark red or even black like coffee. You can tell the wet piling degree by the color of the tea – the darker the liquid, the higher the damp piling degree. Furthermore, the piling process alters the tea, making it more earthy, with a thicker mouthfeel.    

With the recent pu-erh tea craze, it's important to note that while aging can enhance the depth and complexity of Pu-erh tea, not all teas benefit equally from this process, and quality must be judged alongside aging. Undoubtedly, there are some older-aged pu-erhs with mind-blowing taste. However, age alone shouldn't be your area of focus when buying this delicious fermented tea from China.

Pu-Erh Tea Benefits 

Many societies recognize the benefits of this exceptional Asian tea. Throughout Southeast Asia, pu-erh is an integral part of the food culture. Furthermore, many people regularly drink it after a meal as it's known for aiding digestion.

People have used pu-erh tea as a fundamental part of Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries, way before it became a beverage of enjoyment. Moreover, pu-erh contains a decent dose of caffeine, making it an excellent energizing tea. The beauty is that it keeps you feeling alert, focused, and creative, yet not jittery like in the case of coffee. Pu-erh tea was a key commodity traded along the ancient Tea Horse Road, and its high caffeine content and distinctive fermentation process made it popular in Tibet and other regions for sustenance and energy.

Acidity Of Tea

What is the pH of tea? Of course, it differs slightly depending on the type of tea. For pu-erh, the acidity of tea generally ranges from 5 to 6. Furthermore, scientists discovered that the pH level of cultivated pu-erh tea is usually slightly higher than that of Gu Shu pu-erh (ancient tea trees).

How To Brew Pu-erh Tea

Most pu-erh teas brew best with boiling water. The beauty of this fermented tea from China is that it's hard to ruin with high temperatures. Some even choose to boil it.

If enjoying pu-erh as per the ways of Gong Fu Cha, we recommend brewing it in Zisha Yixing teapots or gaiwan. This porous clay teaware rounds out unwanted sharp notes, making the tea mellow and enjoyable. Tea connoisseurs prefer to keep Yixing teaware just for one tea type, in this case, pu-erh. 

Pu-erh Tea Taste

In terms of taste, raw and ripe pu-erh are nothing alike. Sheng Pu-erh exhibits a certain degree of bitterness and, at times, astringency. This bitterness is a quality that many seasoned tea enthusiasts seek out in their fermented tea. Those new to the world of Chinese tea believe that astringent and bitter qualities are inferior and that tea should only be sweet. In reality, if present in tea in moderation, these qualities elevate tea. Furthermore, these qualities are signs that the tea will age well.

On the other hand, ripe pu-erh is characterized by a distinct earthy flavor. Ripe Pu-erh often has a rich, smooth mouthfeel, which can range from silky to creamy, depending on the tea’s age and fermentation. With each sip, you can feel a thin film coating your entire oral cavity. Notes of tobacco, moss, black walnuts, tree bark, and an enigmatic molasses finish.

What Is Hui Gan?

Loosely described, Hui Gan (回甘) refers to the pleasant sweetness that lingers after the initial bitterness fades, a prized quality in high-quality Sheng Pu-erh. When drinking high-quality Sheng Pu-erh, we might have an initial sensation of bitterness. It will gradually subside, ending with sweetness. Hui Gan is also a poetic term used in the tea ritual, comparable to the elusive concept of Cha Qi. 

From Chinese, we can translate Hui Gan as "returning sweetness." It is this beautiful, sweet finish that lingers on your palate while drinking the tea and afterward. Do all teas have it? Surely not! However, quality raw pu-erh is quite well-known for it.

What Is Hei Cha?

Hei Cha is a type of post-fermented tea. Essentially, Shou Pu-erh is a kind of Hei Cha. In addition to Shou Pu-erh, Hei Cha includes teas such as Liu Bao, Tian Jian, Liu An, and Hua Juan. Additionally, well-aged and fully transformed Sheng Pu-erh is also considered Hei Cha.

Hei Cha (黑茶) translates as "black tea". "Dark tea" is used to avoid confusion with what Europeans call "black tea", referred to as "red tea" or hong cha by the Chinese. This tea has a history of 1000+ years. Undoubtedly, the processing methods of Hei Cha have evolved with time. Nevertheless, it remains a beloved tea throughout China as a historical attribute and a regional specialty. Brought in by Chinese tin miners, Liu Bao Hei Cha is especially popular in Malaysia.

Hei Cha is dark, ranging from deep red to black as coffee. A well-made, well-aged Hei Cha is very low in astringency and leans sweet and woodsy, though younger or more robust examples can still show some tannic bite. Hei Cha is often aged for several years, resulting in a round, mellow flavor.

How Is Liu Bao Hei Cha Made?

Originally, farmers produced Hei Cha for export to border regions via routes such as the Tea–Horse Road (茶马古道). They typically compressed the tea into large bamboo baskets to make transport easier and help the tea withstand the long journey. However, nowadays, Liu Bao can also be pressed into bricks or tea cakes. The original processing techniques of Liu Bao Hei Cha served as the basis for modern-day Ripe Pu-erh. 

The production process of Liu Bao tea has evolved gradually from the Qing dynasty to the present. Here is its most modern version: First, farmers pile the tea leaves and expose them to humidity to stimulate the formation of bacteria and subsequent fermentation. Afterward, they steam the leaves and press them into large bamboo baskets. After packing the tea leaves into baskets, they leave them to air-dry for several months. Afterward, they continue aging them further. 

Liu Bao, like most non-Pu-erh Hei Cha, is fermented through a slower, more gradual process compared to Shou Pu-erh. While Shou relies on the Wet Piling (渥堆 – Wo Dui) method, in which leaves are heavily moistened, heaped into large piles, and turned under hot conditions to accelerate fermentation, Liu Bao is fermented with less moisture and heat, often starting while the leaves still retain some moisture. This gentler approach helps preserve the tea’s subtle sweetness and layered character. Another key difference is the leaf material: Pu-erh is typically made from large-leaf assamica varietals, producing a bolder, earthier brew, while Liu Bao is made from local medium- to small-leaf cultivars, resulting in a smoother, more refined taste.

Back in the day, you could only buy Liu Bao Hei Cha in giant baskets of 40-50 kg. Of course, nowadays, with the increased popularity of this tea type, you can buy it in various amounts and forms - in baskets, loose-leaf, and compressed. 

Does Tea Go Bad? 

Can tea go bad? One fantastic thing about pu-erh is that it doesn't go stale like many other teas. You can keep a cake of raw pu-erh your whole life! Flavor-wise, most tea enthusiasts will put a cap on these cakes for about 25 years. This is where it should be excellent to drink.

On the other hand, we suggest enjoying your ripe pu-erh within 5-10 years. It will not deteriorate from extended storage. Albeit, the taste probably will not change drastically either.

Pu-erh Tea Caffeine

Does pu-erh tea have caffeine? Yes, it does. All teas derived from the Camellia sinensis tea plant contain caffeine. However, a common misconception is that the caffeine content of pu-erh tea is higher than that of other teas, which is not necessarily true. 

In determining tea caffeine content, it's essential to note many factors:

• cultivar (var Assamica contains more caffeine than var Sinensis)
• age of tea trees (the older the trees, the more caffeine they may contain)
• brewing time (the longer we brew, the more caffeine gets released. This will also be evident by the astringency of the tea)

On the spectrum of all tea types, pu-erh has mid-range caffeine content, neither the highest nor the lowest. This makes it an excellent tea that helps you focus on getting work done, writing a poem, or meditating.

What Is Cha Qi?

In Chinese, Qi (气) is the life force behind all things. 

Cha Qi (茶气) roughly translates as "the energy of tea." However, it is so much more, and it is something we feel rather than can explain.

Indeed, it is an exceptional quality that is most apparent in aged pu-erh. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, it's of utmost benefit. It relaxes our muscles and warms our bodies. Furthermore, it gives us a light and airy feeling. Gradually, the mind becomes relaxed with an overall sense of well-being.