Shu Pu-erh

Pu-erh tea: the wine of teas. I know by now that some of you know what Pu-erh is based on my article on Chinese Mythology: The Legend of Pu-erh. But those of you who had not read it, here’s a quick rehash as to the 101 on Pu-erh tea:

Pu-erh is characterized by the fact that it is packed into tight, hard cakes and allowed to go through an aging process of fermentation (very similar to wine) for a determined amount of time based on the taste and texture that the tea producer wants (also similar to wine!)

There are two main types of Pu-erh tea based on their characters. Today we are going to talk about Shu Pu-erh:

Shu Pu-erh is also known as “ripened” Pu-erh, created in the 1970s to accommodate the growing need for aged Pu-erh in China and Taiwan. In order to make Shu Pu-erh, you will find that there are a lot of similarities between Sheng Pu-erh and Shu Pu-erh until the initial drying.

Once picked, the leaves are withered then heat treated with a wok to stop oxidation. Then the leaves are left to dry in the sun. If the weather is not favorable, the tea is then heated in a large oven to try and replicate the process. This is not preferred because it can change the quality (and therefore taste of the tea). Then the leaves are arranged in piles and allowed to ferment in a way that is not so dissimilar to compost. Tea producers actually need to be careful with this step because if left to run amok, then the tea can actually decompose and lose any appeal. This process can take up to 60 days depending on the tea producer. Once finished the tea is steamed in order to be pliable again and shaped into the typical cake shape.

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Sheng Pu-erh

Pu-erh tea: the wine of teas.  I know by now that some of you know what Pu-erh is based on my article on Chinese Mythology: The Legend of Pu-erh.  But those of you who had not read it, here’s a quick rehash as to the 101 on Pu-erh tea:

Pu-erh is characterized by the fact that it is packed into tight, hard cakes and allowed to go through an aging process of fermentation (very similar to wine) for a determined amount of time based on the taste and texture that the tea producer wants (also similar to wine!)

There are two main types of Pu-erh tea based on their characters.  Today we are going to talk about Sheng Pu-erh:

Sheng Pu-erh is also known as raw and green Pu-erh tea (Chinese: 生茶; pinyin: shēngchá or Chinese: 青茶;  pinyin: qīngchá)

.  There are two types of Sheng that are solely based on whether or not they are completely post-fermented or not.  For this type of tea, the longer it is aged, the more complete the polyphenols saccharomyces and non-saccharomyces oxidations are.

In fact, there are those that liken Sheng Pu-erh to simple green tea (with a few notable differences)

Sheng is normally left in the sun to dry naturally.  However if the weather is not permitting then the tea producers will continue this process but through light heating.  This is not done lightly as it can affect the quality of the tea.  Afterwards the tea is pan fried in a wok to stop any natural oxidation from occurring.  Then the leaves are rolled and rubbed to be shaped, dried again and then finally placed into stone molds to give them that characteristic Pu-erh ‘shape.’

What do you all think? I would like to try this Pu-erh.  I know that it would have the similar ‘grassy’ flavor of a green tea…but the shapes must be fun, too.  Right?

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Pu'erh

To many tea connoisseurs, the leaf is like a fine wine what with its colorful flavors, delightful scents and beautiful array colors. There is also another attribute that tea has in common with wine: that their flavor (for some teas) grows better with time.

Pu-erh tea is just that…a tea that is stored for a period of time where its flavor matures and improves with time. However, it is not just stored in loose leaf form, it can also be packed tightly into balls or disks or other fun shapes.

How is it that flavor can improve with time? Well, like wine (or beer) Pu-erh goes through a fermentation process while stored which changes the chemical make-up of the tea thus giving it a different flavor. It even changes its color!

Isn’t that cool? It makes you wonder who came up with that idea. Well, never fear, dear readers, there is a legend for that!

According to some , tea merchants of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A. D.) began packing the teas into bricks, which were easier to load and transport. It would take these teas month to reach their destination. These destinations ranged from Tibet to India to Beijing. During the extended travel and the ever changing climates something happened: the tea began to change. The aforementioned fermentation process occurred during transport. This made the tea’s color change from green to dark and the flavor became richer and more complex.

The tea was called Pu-erh after the town of the same name which is located in central Yunnan. The teas did not actually originate from this village; however, it was a centralized trading post for teas harvested and made from the nearby areas before being sent to faraway lands.

I thought this was such a fascinating and unique take on tea. I think it would make such a great gift idea! Think about it… It would make a great wedding or birthday gift. Each year or anniversary, the tea can be enjoyed because it will continue to improve.

What do you think, dear readers? Any other ideas of what you could do with this tea?

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