Pu-Erh Tea Basics:
Pu-Erh tea comes from the same plant green and black tea does, but it is fermented and oxidized. This process gives the tea a unique deep and earthy flavor. This also allows for a long shelf life and the tea to age well.
Taste:
Quality, organic pu-erh tea has a deep, rich and earthy flavor that often appeals to coffee drinkers. This tea often blends nicely with cocoa, mint, and chai spices.
Benefits:
Pu-Erh tea is widely celebrated for its ability to aid in lowering cholesterol. This tea can also help improve mental alertness and focus. The natural caffeine content makes this a great coffee alternative. Pu-erh also improves digestion due to the natural probiotics properties.
Compare Pu-Erh to Other Teas
Caffeine Content:
- Although Pu-Erh tea is more caffeinated than some teas, it has less caffeine than yerba mate and matcha. This is because Pu-Erh can lose its caffeine content the longer it ages.
Antioxidants:
- Pu-Erh Tea does contain antioxidants, but has less antioxidants compared to green tea and black tea.
Flavors:
- Pu-erh Tea: Earthy, smooth
- Green Tea: Fresh, grassy
- Black Tea: Malty, robust
- White Tea: Delicate, subtle
Fermentation:
- Pu-erh tea is fermented while other teas are usually oxidized or unoxidized.
Sheng Pu-Erh (raw) v.s Shou-Pu-Erh (ripe)
Sheng Pu-erh is the traditional, naturally aged form of pu-erh tea. It begins with sun-dried Yunnan large-leaf tea that undergoes slow, long-term fermentation as it ages. This process can take place over decades. In its youth, sheng tends to be bright, lively, and astringent, with notes ranging from floral and fruity to vegetal. As it matures, microbial and oxidative changes deepen the flavor, developing smoother textures, honeyed sweetness, and complex earthy or dried-fruit notes. Its aging process is gradual and highly sensitive to the environment, which is why sheng pu-erh expresses such a wide range of profiles depending on age, storage conditions, and leaf quality.
Shou Pu-erh uses the same type of raw material as sheng, but it undergoes an accelerated fermentation process known as wo dui (“wet piling”), developed in the 1970s to replicate the aged flavor of older sheng. During this controlled fermentation, tea piles are moistened, turned, and monitored over several weeks, producing a darker, richer, and more mellow tea. Shou typically has smooth, earthy, woodsy, or cocoa-like notes with much lower astringency than young sheng. Because the fermentation is rapid and intentional, shou pu-erh tends to have more consistent flavor across batches and is ready to drink immediately, offering an approachable, comforting profile compared to the evolving and more variable nature of sheng.
Best Ways to Make Pu-Erh Tea
We recommend you steep 1-2 teaspoon of the tea leaves in 8oz of water for 5-7 minutes. If you like your drinks on the sweater side, try adding some honey, or another natural sweetener. Another great option for enjoying pu-erh tea is as a tea latte. Steep your tea in half water and half warm milk of choice. Mix in your sweetener of choice and you have a pu-erh tea latte.
* Looking for something highly caffeinated? Check out the Organic Royal Blend. This tea features Pu-erh along with organic oolong, organic assam, organic hojicha and organic cacao nibs.
More Pu-Erh Teas from Full Leaf Tea Co.
A Quick History of Pu-Erh Tea
Pu-Erh tea dates back thousands of years and was popular due to the ease of transporting it due to the tea ability to improve with age and its fermentation process. This tea was moved along the Silk Road and traded in Eastern and Western markets. (Source: https://www.ice.edu/blog/a-history-of-puer-tea)
How to Store Pu-Erh Tea
Best practices for storing tea:
- Avoid storing in direct sunlight: Light can degrade the leaves and affect the tea’s flavor over time.
Limit Handling: Try to handle the tea as little as possible. Oils from your hands can affect the leaves, so use a clean spoon or scoop when portioning out your tea.
- Keep in a cool, dry place: Store at room temperature in a stable, non-humid environment.
Explore Organic Cocoa Pu-Erh
What does Pu-Erh tea taste like?
This tea has a deep, rich and earthy flavor.
Can I mix Pu-Erh tea with other teas/herbs?
Absolutely! Popular additions include cocoa nibs, peppermint and chai spices. You can mixin other black teas for a stronger flavor.
What is the caffeine content?
8 oz cup of Pu-erh contains about 30–70 mg of caffeine, depending on steeping time, temperature, and quantity of tea leaves used.
