Aged Pu-erh


This 2011 ripe mini tuo cha has a luscious yet subtly sweet flavor. Each nest makes 3 cups. Full bodied with a hint of camphor.

  • 1 cake per 24 oz of 212oF water
  • Steep for 5-7 Minutes
  • 1 tsp of tea per 8 oz of spring water

An Overview of Pu-erh Pu-erh, Puer or Puerh is a variety of fermented dark tea produced in the mountains of the Yunnan province, China. Mostly from unoxidized Camellia sinensis, Pu-erh is processed from a large leaf variety of green tea. This unique process creates a tea with a rich, earthy flavor and an unmistakably bold character. Pu-erh tea is also said to have many health benefits, from aiding digestion and reducing cholesterol to boosting metabolism and aiding weight loss.

Sold in loose form, bags or in cakes (similar to small hockey pucks), good quality pu-erh tea has a deep, rich flavor that many consider to be earthy, leathery or mushroomy. Bad quality pu-erh often tastes muddy or moldy. High quality pu-erh often appeals to coffee drinkers and pairs well with rich desserts.

The Legend of Pu-erh

According to legend, the ethnic Pu people in Yunnan began to grow tea and served it as tribute to the emperors as early as in the Chinese Shang and Zhou Dynasties (1066 - 221 BC). During the Tang dynasty (618 - 907 AD), merchants began packing these large tea leaves into compressed bricks to transport by pack animal. Because of the long distances and difficult terrain, it would be months and sometimes years before the tea would reach its destination. Something miraculous occurred during these extended delivery period - the tea changed. Not only did the color of the tea transform from green to amber and eventually to near black, but also the taste of the tea became livelier, richer and smoother. Unbeknownst to the merchants, the tea underwent an aging and fermentation process whereby microbes acted on the tea, causing biological and enzymatic changes. The resulting tea, now known to the Chinese as Pu-erh, became sought-after by royalty, high officials and the literati - and later by tea connoisseurs. Highly prized, the Chinese Imperial Army traded Pu-er bricks with Genghis Khan and the Tibetans for their strong horses and traders used Pu-er bricks as money in China, Mongolia, Tibet and Russia.

Steeping Pu-erh

This tea can brewed several times, for each additional brew, please steep tea an extra 15-30 seconds.

*Our teas are sold by weight and not volume. We offer our one-size tea tin as complimentary with the purchase of 4 or more ounces. For example, dense teas like Ginger Turmeric don’t take up a lot of space in our tin. Conversely, the same weight of  fluffy teas like Chamomile Mint or The Healer would totally fill the tin.

$41.99 Regular price
Unit price
per 

Health Benefits of Pu-erh

In China, Pu-erh is commonly used as a blood purifier, hangover cure and digestive aid especially after a healthy meal. According to WebMD there is interest in using pu-erh tea for lowering cholesterol because, unlike other teas, it contains small amounts of a chemical called lovastatin. Lovastatin is a prescription medicine used for lowering cholesterol. Animal research suggests that pu-erh tea might lower certain blood fats called triglycerides as well as total and bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. It might also raise good high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.