Discover the Beautiful Flavors of Pu erh Tea

Pu erh tea has taken the west coast by storm.  Its popularity is due to its probiotic nature, and the potential for huge complexity of flavors.  It has been very popular among Chinese tea drinkers for centuries, who have known of its beautiful flavors and aging potential.  For pu erh tea ages like fine wine, if it is harvested and processed properly. 

Pu erh is not a type of oolong.  Technically, it is a type of fermented Chinese green tea.  It is an unoxidized tea, from the large leaves of the Camelia sinensis plant grown in southern Yunnan, and can be purchased as an unfermented version, known as Mao Cha or “rough tea”.  It is different than standard green tea as it is picked as 1 bud and 3-4 leaves, where green tea is picked as 1 bud and 1-2 leaves.  These older leaves contribute to the qualities of the tea. 

It is a very complex set of processes, which renders many different varieties of Pu erh from Mao Cha, but essentially, it can be aged and matured before being compressed, which gives Sheng Cha, or “raw” pu erh tea, or it can be ripened in a process known as Wo Dui or “wet piling”, to form Shou Cha or “ripe” pu erh.  This ripening process uses a wet fermentation to build its flavors.  Both of these types have undergone secondary oxidation and fermentation, but the different processes render a different result. 

What this all amounts to , is that pu-erh tea is magnificently complex, and is available, similarly to wine, in a huge range of qualities.  When trying pu erh teas, it is a good idea to try a wide range of types.  It ranges from remarkably cheap to wildly expensive, but vary so much by maker and even by the year that if its flavors appeal, it could be a lifetime of flavor journeys in a cup.