Pu-erh Tea

What is aged tea and why is it so costly? The world of Pu-erh Teas is one steeped in mystery. It does not assist with its case either that lots of farmers and producers of puerh teas in the Yunnan region of China contributes to this idea of confusion with their own practice and individual craftsmanship. What does it mean to “age” the tea? Why is some company selling a tea cake from ten years ago at the rate of $1,500 per piece? Listed below, we will attempt to understand what occurs to the puerh tea throughout the aging process, introduce the kinds of puerh teas, and share some interesting facts to much better help you in understanding this interesting tea and maybe very soon, find out to value its distinct character.

Qualities

The aging procedure of puerh teas uses a smoother and more complicated taste that is frequently eclipsed by the “freshness” from its preliminary harvest. However, it is essential to know that there is a prime-time show to delight in each of the two types of puerh tea.

Raw

Given that this is puerh tea in its most simple type, the raw puerh often has the greatest financial investment worth because of how flexible and varied in flavor it could end up being. Its initial flavors consist of floral notes with ample of grape-like fragrance that looks like a fragile glass of chardonnay. With time, its special will gradually develop and grow to provide a much deeper and earthier tone with a smoother texture and sweet after taste. Raw puerh tea is often cost a much higher rate point than its ripe counter part due to its capability to develop and mature gradually, with almost no expiration date. Connoisseurs typically acquire more than one tea cake each year so that they can keep one saved for aging functions (this can be attained merely by saving the cake in loose packaging in a dark, cool place to guarantee only a minimum amount of moisture and air might reach the tea leaves), while having another tea cake that they can open throughout the years to take pleasure in and taste the distinction. Since raw puerh is very flexible, its ideal time for tasting differs according to personal taste, but it is normally recommended that the tasting takes place after 2 to 3 years from its date of production to ensure that the “roughness” of the tea has actually already been smoothed over.

Within our collection, we are providing the Wild Doe, Silk Road, and Queen Bee (coming soon!) for your consideration. We suggest starting from Wild Doe if you are brand-new to raw puerh as it yields a very smooth and delicately floral cup of golden delight. Silk Road is our newest find and has a slightly more intricate taste with sufficient of space for aging. As for the crown jewel Queen Bee, which belongs to our Bloom Label collection, this marvelous raw puerh was gathered from the distinguished mountain area of Yiwu in spring 2020, and we will be offering it across three kinds for the greatest convenience and enjoyment: loose, cake, and ball.

Ripe

This puerh tea uses a totally various experience than its raw form. Because of the heat and wetness applied to the rough tea during its production procedure, ripe puerh tea frequently has a taste profile of heightened earthiness and woody sweet taste that some may find say it looks like a medical and mossy scent. However, with every infusion and as its aging procedure continues, that powerful earthiness will gently go away to yield a lot more layered flavor with its signature woodiness and a sweet date surface.

We offer ripe puerh in two tea cake type (Dark Stag and Everlasting) and a “loose-leaf” that are clusters formed naturally throughout the stacking procedure, which we called Old Dome. We recommend Old Dome as an intro to ripe puerh teas because of its practical cluster type. Dark Stag produces all the distinct attributes of a ripe puerh, with a tantalizing finish. And as for Everlasting, a member of our Blossom Label collection and was produced in 2015, this premium tea offers the most varied flavors that might just be produced through a number of years of aging. It has actually been inferred by tea masters and specialists alike that the prime-time television to take pleasure in a high quality ripe puerh is in between eight to ten years of aging. [1]

History of pu-erh tea

Pu-erh tea can be traced back to the Yunnan Province during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220CE). Sell Pu-erh tea started in the Tang Dynasty, became famous throughout the Ming Dynasty and was promoted in the Qing Dynasty.

Pu-erh was carried by mules and horses in long caravans along recognized routes that ended up being called the Tea Horse Roadways. Traders would barter for tea in the markets of Pu-erh County and after that work with the caravans to bring the tea back to their respective homes.

The increasing need for a tea that could be easily transported and did not ruin on long journeys sent out suppliers on a frenzy to come up with ways to preserve the tea. It was discovered that with the fermentation of the leaves, the tea not only kept fresh but it in fact enhanced with age. People quickly discovered that pu-erh also helped with digestion, provided other nutrients to their diet, and because it was so budget friendly, it quickly became a popular home facility. Pu-erh tea was extremely valued and it ended up being an effective tool for bartering among taking a trip merchants.

Pu-erh tea today

Today, pu-erh continues to be considered an extremely treasured commodity. Even in contemporary society, a well-preserved pu-erh still maintains its worth and remains a home treat.

In western society, the popularity of pu-erh tea is only just now being presented to the mainstream population of tea drinkers, propagated by brand-new hype created by mass-media about its numerous salubrious results. It is only a matter of time prior to the appeal and advantages of pu-erh tea become prevalent household understanding. [2]

Pu-erh Tea Shapes

Among the more unique characteristics of pu-erh tea is its numerous shapes. Pu-erh typically is available in shaped types, such as bricks, cakes (which are disc-shaped and likewise called ‘bing cha’) and ‘tuo cha’ (which are formed like small bowls). These shapes make the transport and storage of pu-erh hassle-free.

Pu-erh might also remain in loose kind (like other loose-leaf teas) or loaded into pomelo fruit or bamboo stalks. Sometimes, it is offered in teabags. [3]

How it’s made (Sheng Puer or “Sheng Pu-erh”)

Raw puer by standard definition is a simple green tea. It’s picked, pan-fired, rolled, and dried. However there are nuances that make it really various from what we would consider conventional Chinese green tea and facilitate the ability for change in time. Here’s a list of the noteworthy distinctions.

Picking

Since it’s a basic item, raw leaf matters. The specific area of those plants and whether they are wild tea trees or cultivated bushes play substantial functions. For the most expensive puer you are frequently paying for leaves chosen from wild trees from a very particular location. More economical puer is generally made from cultivated plants. The one isn’t constantly much better than the other, however lovers generally take notice of where the raw leaf originates from.

Pan-firing

The leaves are roasted in a big wok to prevent most enzymatic oxidation even more down the line (a procedure known as “kill-green”), but they are not subject to any more hot-air drying to totally de-enzyme the leaves, like green tea.

Drying

Puer is sun-dried, not machine dried, which makes the drying process imperfect and maintains the components for post-fermentation.

After drying, the tea (now referred to as “mao cha” or “rough tea”) is a finished product that can be:.

Packaged up as-is and offered.

Pressed into cakes or other shapes and sold. The pressed cake is formally considered a “final product” and they do look very nice.

Send to become shu or “ripe” puer.

How it’s made (” Ripe” or “Shu” Puer– in some cases spelled “Shou Puer”)

As specified above, “Shu puer” (” ripe puer”) starts as raw puer, which is then subjected to an “sped up post-fermentation” procedure, which is the defining aspect of all “dark tea.” The purpose of this procedure for ripe puer is to imitate the outcomes of well-aged raw puer (which takes numerous, several years) and condense that into a matter of 6-8 weeks. Ripe puer attains this through a method called pile-fermentation.

Completed raw puer is accumulated into long rows or single piles, moistened, and covered with a heavy cloth. This begins a microbial fermentation procedure that will last for one week. The quantity of tea used in each batch is a key decision considering that each stack is its own micro-climate and the amount of tea utilized will affect the results. The temperature level is carefully kept an eye on to remain around 160 degrees. This procedure is not dissimilar from composting, though we was reluctant to mention that. If it reassures you, we drink ripe puer all the time.

Final Drying

After one week the heavy fabric covers are removed. Then a device is utilized to break up the piles for proper air flow and re-piled so it can air dry. This pile is turned roughly when each week till the process ends about four to 5 weeks later on. At this point, ripe puer is a finished product that can be packaged up loose or sent off to be pressed into shapes before being sold (similar to the raw mao cha).

What is with that Pu-erh tea taste?

Puer tea, raw or ripe, has an uncommon taste profile that is unknown to lots of in the west, once you get hooked, you never ever return.

Raw puer tends to have a profile of wild fruit and grain (emphasis on “wild”). There can often be heartier, gamey, borderline smoky elements to them, but all these adjectives are a little stretch, except for using “wild.”.

The shu puer outcome is generally dark, earthy, and smooth. You can steep the leaves as long as you like and not a drop of bitterness will come through. However there is also a leathery, garden compost, barnyard character to them (and we mean this with genuine flattery) that some find to be an acquired taste.

How to Prepare Puer Tea

There is no right or wrong way to make puer tea. It can be soaked numerous ways and with several steeping tools. Here are 2 fundamental approaches to it:.

Western steeping method:

Gongfu preparation of raw (sheng) puerGongfu preparation of raw (sheng) puer.

This is for when you are soaking a lesser amount of leaves for a longer period of time (generally for a single mug or a teapot). This is the most typical technique in the United States and is symbolized by the tea bag. If you are using loose leaf tea (and we recommend you do) our recommended portions for black tea are:.

For Raw Puer:

3-4 grams of dry tea leaves per 8-12 ounces of liquid. Steep for 2-3 minutes with newly boiled water. Constantly adjust to suit your tastes. Re-steep the leaves if wanted.

For Ripe Puer:

3-4 grams of dry tea leaves per 8-12 ounces of liquid. Use water that has just been given a boil and steep as long as you like considering that the tea will not get bitter. If you steep the leaves for short periods of time, there will be more chances for re-steeping of those very same leaves. But long steeps will not leave much flavor in the leaf to extract later on.

Traditional Steeping approach:

This utilizes a larger amount of leaves in smaller amounts of water for much shorter time periods. The leaves will yield lots of steepings in this manner. There are numerous methods to do this and they are a lot of enjoyable to explore (and zero reason to be frightened). The listed below guidelines are an excellent baseline to start from if utilizing a gaiwan, however can be adjusted based upon the equipment you are using:.

Use roughly one gram of tea per fluid ounce of near boiling water in your gaiwan. Steep the leaves for 5 seconds and decant. Discard this short initial steep, which is known as a rinse. Re-steep the exact same leaves now for roughly 15-30 seconds. Decant into your cup or serving pitcher and delight in. Repeat as much as the leaves continue to yield satisfying results– increasing the steep time of each round. Notice not just the flavor in the cup but the fragrance and the appearance of the steeped leaves. This is all part of the experience. Adjust any above-mentioned factor to suit your tastes.

How Much Caffeine remains in Puer Tea?

All tea comes from the same plant (Camellia sinensis), so all tea has caffeine, consisting of puer. There are three elements you control that figure out how much caffeine ends up in your cup:.

1. How much leaf you use (more leaf equals more caffeine available to extract)
2. How hot you high it (the hotter the water, the more caffeine extracts into your cup)
3. For how long you high it (the longer it steeps, the more caffeine is drawn out from the leaf) [4]

8 Health Benefits of Pu-Erh Tea

1. Increases Energy

Thanks to the caffeine in pu-erh tea, drinking a cup a day can help to increase your energy levels and focus. Every 8-ounce cup of pu-erh tea includes about 60 to 70 milligrams of caffeine compared to the 105 milligrams in a basic cup of coffee. This makes pu-erh tea a good choice for people who find themselves too jittery after simply one cup of coffee.

Caffeine can assist to improve mental focus and provide you that extra boost you require to get through hard afternoons. Drinking pu-erh tea can assist you focus much better and settle in to your day. Reserving a few moments to consume a cup of pu-erh tea can assist you relax and refocus before returning to work energized.

2. Promotes a Healthy Heart

By drinking one cup of pu-erh tea a day, you can assist to decrease your danger of heart disease while delighting in a tasty, relaxing drink. Pu-erh tea aids in avoiding heart problem due to the fact that it helps produce lovastatin. This natural statin is commonly used to deal with high cholesterol.

A Chinese research study reveals that pu-erh tea can help to minimize bad cholesterol, also called LDL cholesterol, and prevent obesity-related diseases. This study used pu-erh tea on rats with high-fat diet plans over an eight-week duration.

The rats that received pu-erh tea had lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which are often connected with obesity. At the same time, pu-erh tea increased great cholesterol called HDL cholesterol. Greater HDL cholesterol levels have actually been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

3. Cleanses Contaminants and Free Radicals

Pu-erh tea utilizes its oxidative properties to deliver increased levels of oxygen, which improves blood circulation and blood flow. By delivering more oxygen to the brain, pu-erh tea can help fight headaches and migraines and minimizes complimentary radicals that can trigger severe illnesses.

In traditional Chinese medicine, pu-erh tea has actually been utilized to assist the spleen and stomach in filtering toxins throughout the body. Pu-erh tea includes simple sugars and bacteria that assist the spleen cleanse blood and remove complimentary radicals. You can take in pu-erh tea daily to take pleasure in constant results or use it periodically as a clean to restore your body’s vital functions.

4. Avoids Cancer

Research studies have actually revealed that constant intake of pu-erh tea can fight cancer and prevent the development of brand-new cancer cells. One study by the University of Kunming Science and Innovation showed the ability of pu-erh tea components to target particular tumor cells with very little side effects (3 ). A second study revealed that pu-erh tea has the capability to prevent the development of cancer cells by preventing cell proliferation.

Researchers think the oxidized tea polyphenols are the factor behind pu-erh tea’s possible usage in preventing or treating certain kinds of cancer. These polyphenols work to remove free radicals and help to stop the production of irregular cells. Just like any brand-new treatment, it is very important to discuss your options with a physician before dedicating to any plan.

5. Secures Bone Health

It’s clear that bones lose density and become weaker as you age. The threat of serious bone conditions such as osteoporosis increases as you grow older and can lead to hospitalizations in serious cases.

Many things can contribute to the weakening of bones consisting of inactivity and an absence of essential minerals and vitamins. Smoking cigarettes and drinking can also be contributing factors to developing bone diseases as you age.

Research studies on animals have actually revealed that the polyphenols in tea can help to develop greater bone mass and higher bone strength. These polyphenols also contain antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties that assist to decrease pain and pain.

6. Aids in Weight Reduction

Pu-erh tea enhances digestion and can help ease symptoms of constipation thanks to the presence of lovastatin in these tea leaves. The antioxidants and polyphenols in pu-erh teas also help in food digestion and fat breakdown.

Studies have actually revealed that pu-erh tea can assist you slim down when combined with a healthy diet plan and exercise. Pu-erh tea reduces the synthesis of fats, which can help your body stop producing higher levels of fat. That does not merely indicate you can eat a high-fat diet, beverage pu-erh tea and reduce weight. To achieve any weight reduction, you’ll still need to work out regularly and consume healthy foods.

Pu-erh tea also motivates your body to produce the hormonal agents epinephrine and norepinephrine, which work to lower stores of fats. Consume one cup of pu-erh tea after a meal once or twice a day to enjoy the health benefits that aid in weight loss.

7. Decreases Tension

While pu-erh tea includes caffeine, that doesn’t imply it’ll make you wired or tense. In fact, pu-erh tea can help to minimize stress and its inflammatory properties aid in relaxation when experiencing minor pains and pains.

Pu-erh tea contains the phyto-chemicals GABA and theanine, which have actually been attributed to lower tension levels. These phyto-chemicals increase the production of melatonin, which can help in better sleep and a calmer disposition throughout the day.

8. Avoids Illness

Since pu-erh tea is high in antioxidants and vitamin C, consuming a cup of this brew every day can help avoid health problems such as the cold and flu. Pu-erh tea is fermented, indicating it has greater concentrations of these anti-oxidants than non-fermented teas. Considering that pu-erh tea originates from the Camellia sinensis plant, it likewise has more anti-oxidants and disease-fighting catechins than organic teas. [5]

Why Tea Addicts Go Bananas for Pu-Erh?

n the war on rot, aging food is a tactical retreat. We can’t beat nature at its own game, so we join it, and let microbes have their method with meat or cheese in the hopes of developing much deeper, more complex tastes than the fresh variations can offer.

There’s less rot involved when we age beverages like white wine, beer, and whiskey, but it’s still a testy alliance with nature– quiting the fresh, intense tastes of youth for something deeper, layered, and more mature. Age, though it manifests in numerous forms, has a character all its own. You know it when you taste it; you’re consuming time.

The Western world’s long been keen on aging all type of beverages, however up till the last couple decades or two, the concept of using the exact same concepts to tea was mostly unidentified. Head over to China, though, and you quickly see that aged tea is as much a part of life as 21-year-old scotch and treasured vintages of Champagne.

Why age tea at all? Most tea does not so much age as turn stale and dead. However with the best environment, and the right tea, you get something entirely distinct: a beverage that slips down your throat and hugs your tummy, relaxes your muscles and relaxes your mind. The very best aged tea is medication you want to gulp, loaded with bitter chocolate or stonefruit or wet, sweet soil. And for the intricacy of what you’re drinking, it can cost way, way less per serving than that bottle of old Scotch.

While you can age many kinds of tea (I’m resting on some lovely oolong nearly as old as my moms and dads), none is more lusted after than the pride of Yunnan Province, a tea hundreds– if not thousands– of years in the making: pu-erh.

Pu-erh, which is processed in an unique way to motivate microbial fermentation after the leaves are dried, ages more dynamically than any tea out there. It does not have fans. It has addicts who buy kilos of the stuff at a time to bliss out on days-long brewing sessions, only leaving of their highs enough time to argue over the very best pu-erh blends, growing areas, and storage approaches. There are understanding novices who purchase, gift, and consume the tea to acquire social status amongst Chinese elite. And there are pu-erh investors, too, gambling on a particular tea’s aging capacity, who build growing futures markets and, when it comes to a significant bust in 2007, crash them.

Over in the West, pu-erh is a specific niche market within a specific niche market. However its followers are growing. And if there’s a tea that’s ready for the big time outside Asia, this is it. [6]

Does pu-erh have caffeine?

Pu-erh is a caffeinated tea, with caffeine levels varying depending on elements like high time, water temperature level, and the tea plant itself. Interestingly, the post-fermentation procedure has been revealed to increase caffeine content, suggesting ripe pu-erh is more fermented than raw pu-erh.

Although pu-erh does have caffeine, research studies have hinted at its results on really assisting improve your sleep quality. That’s because it can reduce stress and anxiety, peaceful the mind, and promote melatonin production. [7]

Adverse effects

When taken by mouth: Consuming pu-erh tea is potentially SAFE for a lot of healthy grownups in moderate quantities (about 4 cups each day).

Pu-erh tea is perhaps UNSAFE when taken for a very long time or in high dosages (more than 4 cups each day). Consuming large quantities of pu-erh tea might cause side effects due to its caffeine content. These side effects consisting of headache, anxiety, sleep issues, vomiting, diarrhea, irritation, irregular heartbeat, trembling, heartburn, lightheadedness, ringing in the ears, convulsions, and confusion. Also, individuals who drink a lot of pu-erh tea every day might require to drink more tea to get the very same effects. They might likewise become “dependent” on tea to the point that they develop withdrawal signs if they unexpectedly stop drinking it. [8]

Stopping and withdrawal

Unless you are completely cutting out caffeine, you must have no problems stopping pu-erh tea, and you should not have any withdrawal symptoms.

Nevertheless, if pu-erh tea is the only source of caffeine you were consuming, or if you’re cutting out all caffeine together with pu-erh tea, you might experience some signs of caffeine withdrawal, including tiredness, headaches, and difficulty focusing.

Still, the majority of caffeine withdrawal symptoms only last for about 1 week. [9]

Special safety measures and cautions

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, pu-erh tea in percentages is probably not harmful. However, do not drink more than two cups of pu-erh tea in a day. Too much caffeine may trigger miscarriage, premature delivery, low birth weight, and harm to the infant.

If you are breast-feeding, small amounts in drinking pu-erh tea is likewise crucial. Caffeine enters breast milk, so nursing mothers must closely keep an eye on caffeine intake to make sure it is on the low side. Caffeine in big amounts might be UNSAFE during breast-feeding. Caffeine can trigger sleep disturbances, irritation, and increased bowel activity in breast-fed infants.

Children: Pu-erh tea seems to be safe in children in amounts typically found in foods and drinks.

Anxiety disorders: The caffeine in pu-erh tea may make these conditions worse.

Bleeding disorders: There is concern that pu-erh tea might make bleeding conditions even worse because of its caffeine material. Use pu-erh tea with care if you have a bleeding disorder.

Heart disease: The caffeine in pu-erh tea can trigger irregular heartbeat in some individuals. Usage pu-erh tea with caution if you have a heart condition.

Diabetes: Some research recommends that caffeine might affect the method the body uses sugar and may make diabetes even worse. However the impact of caffeine-containing herbs and drinks such as pu-erh tea has actually not been studied. If you have diabetes, utilize pu-erh tea with care.

Diarrhea: Pu-erh tea consists of caffeine. The caffeine in pu-erh tea, specifically when taken in large quantities, can intensify diarrhea.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Pu-erh tea consists of caffeine. The caffeine in pu-erh tea, particularly when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea and might worsen symptoms of IBS.

An eye disorder called glaucoma: The caffeine in pu-erh tea increases the pressure inside the eye. The boost takes place within 30 minutes and lasts for at least 90 minutes after consuming pu-erh tea.

Hypertension: The caffeine in pu-erh tea may increase blood pressure in people with hypertension. However, this effect might be less in individuals who utilize caffeine regularly.

Weak bones (osteoporosis): The caffeine in pu-erh tea can increase the amount of calcium that is flushed out in the urine. If you have osteoporosis or low bone density, caffeine ought to be restricted to less than 300 mg each day (roughly 2-3 cups of coffee). It’s likewise a great idea to get additional calcium to offset the quantity that may be lost in the urine. Older women with an acquired condition that affects the method vitamin D is utilized should utilize caffeine with care. Vitamin D works with calcium to construct bones. [10]

Conclusion

Pu-erh Tea, a fermented tea that originated from the Yunnan district in the southwestern province of China, has been increasing in appeal over the past few years. This extraordinary beverage continues to be highly related to even after being found thousand years ago due to its special method of production and incomparable taste, taste, and fragrance.

No matter what you choose, whether it be Raw or Ripe Pu-erh tea, you can be ensured that the Pu-erh tea does not just deliver a delightful gustatory experience however also offers a large range of health benefits from weight loss to better skin health. [11]

Recommendations

1. https://www.boontea.com/post/aged-tea-puerh-tea
2. https://www.artoftea.com/blogs/tea-101/what-is-pu-erh-tea
3. https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-pu-erh-tea-766434
4. https://www.teasource.com/pages/all-about-puer-tea
5. https://senchateabar.com/blogs/blog/pu-erh-health-benefits
6. https://www.seriouseats.com/what-is-puerh-tea-where-to-buy
7. https://steepeddreams.com/blog/what-is-puerh
8. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1169/pu-erh-tea
9. https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/pu-erh-tea-benefits#stopping-and-withdrawal
10. https://www.rxlist.com/pu-erh_tea/supplements.htm
11. https://cspuerh.com/blogs/tea-101/pu-erh-tea-101