The Tea Detective
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea
Pu-erh Tea - The Inside Secret
Pu-erh tea is truly in a class of its own.  Even though it starts out fresh from the field just like the  
other teas, inside there is a secret weapon - bacteria.  During processing pu-erh tea receives a
unique step where bacteria is placed both on and
in the tea leaves.

Now I know what you're thinking.  You regularly
use a ton of Lysol to kill bacteria - so why in the
world would you voluntarily drink it?  

Well, because this is a special type of bacteria, one
that is actually healthy when processed and aged
with the tea in a particular way.

In China pu-erh teas are known as medicinal teas.  
And lately they've been attracting attention in the
West for their particular health benefits, some of
which the other teas (also known for their many
health benefits), may not equally share.
Lose Weight - Lower Cholesterol
Studies have shown that pu-erh tea helps reduce blood cholesterol
levels and improves fat metabolism, and drinking three cups a day, or
one cup with each meal helps stimulate weight loss. (Silver Leaf Tea
also offers a great weight loss tea-SLT Weight Loss Tea).

There are two main types of pu-erh tea.  Shou pu-erh, a quick aging
version devised to meet the ever rising demand for pu-erh teas, and
sheng pu-erh, also called Mao Cha (meaning "young green"), the an-
cient traditional method of producing pu-erh tea, and the manufactur-
ing process we'll examine first.

                                             Sheng pu-erh or Mao Cha, is an ancient process which requires         
                                              the tea to be properly stored and aged for up to ten years.  Pu-erh   
                                              tea is one of the largest and oldest of tea leaves, with a deep           
                                              green color, and large leaves.

                                             The manufacturing process begins with the plucking and cleaning      
                                              of the leaf, before being left to briefly air dry (in the sun if possible).  
Then it's quickly fired to remove any excess surface moisture that the larger size tea leaves often
attract.

The next step depends on which type of pu-erh tea is being made;  
either sheng pu-erh, the traditional aged pu-erh that is compressed
into cakes, or shou pu-erh, (called Wo Dui), the quick aging version
made to meet the ever growing demand for this tasty, healthy tea.
This is the step that determines which tea it will become.

Sheng, or raw pu-erh is fired nearly completely to stop all enzyme activity and also stop oxidation
from occurring.  The trick is to not eliminate all internal moisture, which would completely stop all
fermentation from taking place.  Because the leaves are larger and harvested from Yunnan's
large, older plants, there remains plenty of natural bacteria on the leaf surface to begin the
chemical transformation necessary for pu-erh tea to properly develop.

                                The next step is similar to that of black tea, where the leaf is gathered, put    
                                 on the floor on mats, and carefully supervised while being turned regularly,    
                                 allowing it to ferment.  For all the leaf to evenly ferment, the pile must be       
                                 turned at regular intervals, giving all the leaves a chance to be in the             
                                 middle (warmest) part of the pile.  This allows the heat generated by the       
                                 fermentation process to be dispersed evenly throughout the pile so the         
                                 leaf remains raw.

                                At this state the leaf is called Mao Cha or "young green".  The next step in     
                                 the manufacture of sheng pu-erh is to pack the Mao Cha into either
traditional round-shaped cakes, called beeng cha, or the more modern compressed shapes, such
as cubes, spheres, bricks, or pyramids.

The goal is to get the raw pu-erh to ferment internally, to reduce the moisture content to a very
low level, and limit its exposure to fresh oxygen.  In its compressed form the Mao Cha will remain,
while it undergoes post fermentation, or aging for the next ten years.

There it will remain in climate controlled storage, with a humidity level of less than 80%, and
where good air circulation is maintained at all times.

The paper wrapped disks are marked with the date and place of
manufacture and noted with any important storage information.

After remaining in storage for approximately six years, the balance
of moisture and bacteria slows the post fermentation process, and
from then on the tea becomes a dry-storage, naturally aged sheng
pu-erh, and is ready for taste testing.
To do the taste testing, a few leaves are carefully removed from the back side of the compressed disk and brewed
(this step is similar to wine testing).  When the tea is aged to the owner's satisfaction it is ready for sale.

There's no hurry to drink your sheng pu-erh tea before it expires, because it will not change, but rather continue to
age gracefully.

When buying pu-erh tea, it's best to talk to the merchant and ask about it, and if possible even ask for a sample
amount to try first.

If that's not possible, or they can't answer your questions, I always recommend buying a small amount of tea in the
beginning to see if you like it (I recommend this when buying any tea).  And, if you like it, buy as much of the lot as
you can afford at one time, because like wine harvests, every tea harvest is slightly different, and you'll never
duplicate this exact tea or flavor ever again.  So if it's a tea you love, snatch it up.  Enjoy.
For more information or to learn more about tea, visit our other pages:

Oolong tea-nature and a careful manufacturing process makes the difference.
Nature provides the perfect growing conditions, while a long, careful manufacturing process gives oolong
teas a wide spectrum of flavor, some light and sweet, others robust and hearty.  Find your favorite!

How is green tea made?
Learn about the unique manufacturing process for green tea, keeping it in its near natural state, and
preserving the flavor, vitamins, minerals, and important antioxidants, making it one of the healthiest teas.

What makes yellow tea so unique?
Find out what extra step is taken during processing that sets yellow tea apart and make it unique, while
still sharing any attributes of both white and green tea.

How is white tea made?
White tea receives the least amount of processing, leaving it in its near natural state.  Learn how this
healthy tea is made, and why it's only available in limited quantities.

A quick lesson on how teas are named and graded.
Are you confused by all the different names, letters, and symbols surrounding tea?  We'll take the
mystery out by giving you a quick lesson on what it all means, giving you one more tool to use in
learning all about this mystical plant.

How do I choose the right tea for me?
Buying loose leaf tea for the first time can be confusing.  But we've taken the work out of it for you.  
With lots of helpful tips and information, we've turned confusing into confident.
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