Pu-erh Tea
Deep within the mountains of Yunnan Province, China, vast tracts of ancient tea forests have been growing for hundreds of years. The heartland of Pu-erh production is in the tea-tree and tea-bush covered mountains that lie in and around the tropical region of Xishuangbanna and are located north, east, and south of Yunnan’s historic Lancang ( Mekong ) River as it winds its way south into the Southeast Asian countries of Laos and Vietnam. (Of course, this great river acts as Yunnan’s border with Burma for a good portion of its run along the western border of China.)
Pu-erh is one of China’s most interesting and unusual teas, which is a pretty grand statement for a country that makes so many astonishingly diverse teas. Pu-erh belongs to a family of both un-fermented and fermented tea known as Hei Cha. Pu-erh is the largest member of this family of tea and is also the strongest tasting, most diverse and most complex in flavor. Pu-erh is made differently than other types of Chinese tea, and considering the variations in fresh leaf that can be used in the blends, the degree of aging, and the processing methods that can be called upon, the variations in finished product become vast.
Pu-erh is often purchased as a compressed disc of tea known as a beeng cha, or a bird’s-nest-shaped piece called a tuo cha. Other shapes, such as rectangles, squares, small and large ‘melons’, and ‘mushrooms’ are made as well. Loose-leaf Pu-erh is also made from fresh leaf harvested from various mountain villages and local and regional geographic areas of Yunnan.
A Note About Tea Trekker’s Pu-erh Selection (effective July 2019):
We are not sourcing full-size Pu-erh cakes as actively as we once were.
When a special tong or two come our way we will grab it, and we will continue with the very drinkable and ‘drink-up-able’ 100 gram size of beeng, as well as the loose-leaf sheng and shou forms that are basically ready-to-drink; but there are so many dedicated tea people who are really concentrating on Pu-Erh as their primary focus that we will gladly yield to their discoveries in all the various price points. We really need to focus on what our special expertise is, which is East and South Asian tea, as those require all the time that we have available in our busy days!
We usually have several full-size beengs in the pipeline and some that we have been aging, but their arrival and release will be sporadic. Over this summer/autumn (2020) we expect to re-inventory and release some of the Pu-erh beengs that we have collected and been storing, and we will increase our hei cha selection, but we no longer have the time to explore and source either Pu-erh or hei cha above a certain price point.
We were once quite enthusiastic about compressed tea and the whole category of Pu-erh, hei cha, etc, and the wonderful story of fermented tea in the history of China and tea, but one can only do so much in a day; so we are now committed to focus on what we know that we can accomplish, rather than tease you and not produce.
For us, Pu-erh will now be a fun add-on, rather than an expansive or expanding category. Pu-erh is quite complex and really deserves more attention than we can give to it at this time.
We strongly encourage our customers to be enthusiastic about all ‘dark teas’. The only caveat that we put forward is that it is critical that you, as a consumer, are careful and vigilant (especially above a certain price point), as Pu-erh can be very difficult to authenticate. So buyer beware!
I definitely encourage you to have an interest in all things tea,
Bob
This tea was first made during the Tang dynasty (618-907) when tea was traded for horses with people who lived along China’s borders. Tea trading became so important that the Tea Horse Route was established from southern Yunnan up over the mountains into Tibet and beyond. Caravans of men and horses endured perilous journeys that took as long as six months in each direction to reach their destination over dangerous and isolated mountain routes while precariously transporting large cargoes of valuable tea.
Happily, this historic tea continues to be made today. The most sought after versions of Pu-erh are made from the leaf and buds of ancient tea trees, or those that contain a high percentage of this leaf material. Ancient tea trees are those that are more than 100 years of age and 20-30 feet tall that grow organically in a natural forest setting. Most ancient tea forests are under the care of ethic people such as Hani, Lahu and Yi who live in villages scattered throughout the tea mountains of Yunnan.
The manufacturing process used to make Pu-erh tea is very different than that of other Chinese teas. And, the two types of Pu-erh, sheng and shou, are made quite differently from one another. Both types of Pu-erh are made as compressed tea and loose-leaf tea.
Sheng Pu-erh: the un-fermented version of this tea. It is made by a natural traditional process that preserves the presence of live microbes on both the loose-leaf and the compressed shapes of this tea. It is these microbes that are responsible for transforming this tea by slow fermentation (over years and decades) into something magnificent, rich and full in the mouth. Slow, natural fermentation is the sheng Pu-erh style. This tea can be drunk when young, either as loose-leaf tea or as compressed tea. Sheng Pu-erh is prized by tea collectors and tea enthusiasts for its ability to age and transform over time.
Shou Pu-erh: the fermented version of this tea. Shou Pu-erh undergoes an accelerated, rapid microbial fermentation process (wo dui) in the tea factory. Shou Pu-erh is ready for drinking right away or can be stored to mellow and sweeten over time. It will not completely transform the way that sheng Pu-erh does. A well-made shou Pu-erh beeng cha can hint at how a well-aged, transformed sheng Pu-erh beeng cha might taste following years of proper storage. Shou Pu-erh is made for immediate drinking and is the most common style of Pu-erh enjoyed in households throughout China.
View our Selection of Pu-erh:
China Sheng Pu-erh (un-fermented)
- Compressed
- Loose-leaf
- Compressed
- Loose-Leaf
Myanmar Sheng Pu-erh (un-fermented)
further reading:
Pu-erh steeping instruction tips
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Aged & Rested
Aged Bu Lang Shan Shou (Fermented) Pu-erh Beeng Cha
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Aged Bu Lang Shan Shou Pu-erh Beeng Cha
2006 Spring Pluck / Pressed in 2016 (10-years-aged)
approx. 12.8 oz (357 grams) -
Aged Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh / Organic
Aged Shou Pu-erh -
Aged & Rested
Bang Dong Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh Tuo Cha
Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh
Bang Dong Village Pu-erh Tuo Cha
2012 Spring Pluck (8-years aged)
Price is for one tuo cha -
Aged & Rested
Extra-Ferment Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Extra-Ferment Shou Pu-erh
2014 Spring Pluck (4-years aged) -
Aged & Rested
JingMai Purple Leaf Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh
Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh
JingMai Purple Leaf Sheng Pu-erh
2018 Spring Pluck (2-years rested) -
Aged & Rested
Naka Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh
Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh
Naka Sheng Pu-erh
2016 Spring Pluck (4-years aged) -
Aged & Rested
Vintage 1995 Wild Arbor Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Vintage 1995 Wild Arbor Shou Pu-erh
1995 Spring Pluck (23-years aged) -
Aged & Rested
AiLao Shan Shou (fermented) Pu-erh Tuo Cha
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
AiLao Shan Pu-erh Tuo Cha
2002 Spring Pluck (14-years aged)
Price is for one tuo cha -
Aged & Rested
Bing Dao Village Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh Mini Beeng Cha
Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh
Bing Dao Village Pu-erh Mini Beeng Cha
2012 Spring Pluck (4-years aged)
Price is for one mini beeng cha -
Aged & Rested
Boyou JYMT Shou (fermented) Pu-erh Brick
Shou ( fermented) Pu-erh
Boyou JYMY Pu-erh Tea Brick
2010 Spring Pluck (6-years aged)
Price is for 1 brick -
Aged & Rested
Bulang Mt. Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh Mini Beeng Cha
Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh
Bulang Mt.Pu-erh Mini Beeng Cha
2012 Spring Pluck
Price is for one mini beeng cha -
Da Qing Shan Arbor Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh
Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh
Da Qing Shan Arbor Sheng Pu-erh
2014 Spring Pluck -
Aged & Rested
Emperor’s Royal Pleasure Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Emperor’s Royal Pleasure Shou Pu-erh
2007 Spring Pluck (11-years aged) -
Aged & Rested
Imperial Gong Ting Shou (fermented) Pu-erh Mini Beeng Cha
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Imperial Gong Ting Mini Shou Beeng Cha
2012 Spring Pluck (7-years aged)
Price is for one mini beeng cha -
Aged & Rested
Jingmai Qiao Mu Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh Beeng Cha
Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh
Jingmai Old Tea Tree Sheng Pu-erh Beeng Cha
2011 Spring PluckLIMITED INVENTORY
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Aged & Rested
Lancang Shou (fermented) Mini Fang Zhuan Pu-erh Brick
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Lancang Shou Mini Fang Zhuan Pu-erh Brick
2010 Spring Pluck
Price is for one mini Fang Zhuan brick -
Liming Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh Tuo Cha
Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh
Liming Sheng Pu-erh Tuo Cha -
Aged & Rested
Manzhuan Ancient Tree Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh
Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh
Manzhuan Ancient Tree Sheng Pu-erh
2015 Spring Pluck -
Aged & Rested
Menghai Langhe Shou (fermented) Pu-erh Mini Beeng Cha
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Menghai Langhe Shou Pu-erh Mini Beeng Cha
2008 Spring Pluck / Manufactured in 2009
(10-years aged)
Price is for one mini beeng cha -
Menghai Old Tea Tree Shou (fermented) Pu-erh Beeng Cha
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Menghai Old Tea Tree Shou Pu-erh Beeng Cha
2012 Spring Pluck / Pressed in 2013 (3-years aged)
approx. 12.8 oz (357 grams) -
Aged & Rested
Mengku Shou (fermented) Pu-erh Mini Tuo Cha
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Mengku Shou Pu-erh Mini Tuo Cha
2011 Spring Pluck (5-years aged)
12-mini tuo chas to a package -
Aged & Rested
Myanmar Kokang Region Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh Mini Beeng Cha
Sheng (un-fermented) Pu-erh
Myanmar Kokang Region Sheng Pu-erh Mini Beeng Cha
2006 Spring Pluck (10-years aged)
Price is for one 3.6 oz (100 gr) mini beeng cha -
Aged & Rested
Nan Jian 855 Shou (fermented) Pu-erh Beeng Cha
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Nan Jian 855 Shou Pu-erh Beeng Cha
2007 Spring Pluck (9-years aged)
approx. 14.1 oz (400gr) -
Aged & Rested
Nan Jian Jin Hao 801 Shou (fermented) Pu-erh Tuo Cha
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Nan Jian Jin Hao 801 Shou Pu-erh Tuo Cha
2009 Spring Pluck pressed in 2010 (6-years aged)
Price is for one tuo cha -
Aged & Rested
Old Aroma, Old Taste Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Old Aroma, Old Taste Shou Pu-erh
2007 and 2012 Spring Plucks
Proudly selected and blended by Tea Trekker
Batch #5 – Summer 2020 -
Aged & Rested
Phoenix Shou (fermented) Pu-erh Mini Beeng Cha
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Phoenix Shou Pu-erh Mini Beeng Cha
2009 Spring Pluck (7-years aged)
Price is for one mini beeng cha -
Pu-erh Cake Loosening / Separating Pick
Wood-handled Pu-erh pick with round shaft & flat pointed tip
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Aged & Rested
Shengpu Shou (fermented) Pu-erh Mini Beeng Cha
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Shengpu Shou Pu-erh Mini Beeng Cha
2011 Spring Pluck (5-years aged)
approx 5.3oz (150gr) -
Aged & Rested
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh Rectangle Recipe #7572
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Shou Pu-erh Rectangle Recipe #7572
2001 Spring Pluck (pressed in 2002)
Price is for one brick -
Aged & Rested
Yiwu Tong Qin Hao Shou (fermented) Pu-erh Mi Zhuan
Shou (fermented) Pu-erh
Yiwu Tong Qin Hao Shou Pu-erh Zhuan
approx 8.1 oz (250 grams) -
Aged & Rested
Yunnan Shou (fermented) Xiao Yuan Iron Cake
Shou ( fermented) Pu-erh
Yunnan Xiao Yuan Shou Iron Cake
2010 Spring Pluck (6-years aged)
price is for box containing 4-iron cakes