Pu'er vs Pu'er

Pu'er tea was named after Pu'er, a historical tea trading town in Yunnan Province, China, and its production could be traced back to many centuries ago.  Pu'er, a fermented tea, requires aging to achieve its supreme flavor.  Conversely, oxidized teas, such as black and oolong, are best when they are fresh.  Oxidation occurs when oxygen interacts with substances, whereas fermentation is the result of microbial activities.  Browning of apple slices is oxidation and wines are fermented grapes.

The Devil's Dictionary defines patience as "a minor form of despair, disguised as a virtue."  Who has the virtue to wait five to 10 years for Pu'er to mature when the demand for it is high?  During the 1970's, Chinese tea industry developed a process that facilitates rapid fermentation and aging of Pu'er, and thus created two types of Pu'er. 

1. Sheng (raw) Pu'er teas are manufactured by the traditional/natural fermentation method.   They require 5 - 10 years aging.  They get better and their values also increase over time.  Many prized 50-year old cakes fetched handsome amounts during the Pu'er Bubble a few years ago.  
2. Shou (ripe or cooked) Pu'er teas are manufactured by the accelerated fermentation process.  They are meant to be consumed right away and their flavors only improve slightly with aging.   

Pu'er is considered a 'dark' tea in China.  Dark teas are also produced in other provinces in China, but only dark teas from Yunnan can be called Pu'er.  In fact, the Pu'er appellation stipulates that Pu'er must be manufactured according to a defined process, and from Da Ye (big leaf) tea varietals that grow in 11 designated areas of Yunnan.  

Pu'er comes in many shapes: cake, brick, cube, mushroom, nest, loose leaf, etc.   Some are flavored: jasmine scented,  wrapped inside an orange or stuffed in a bamboo tube.   One of the latest modern tea conveniences is instant Pu'er essence granules.   Sprinkle instant Pu'er over yogurt?  Double healthiness!

Pu'er varieties

Instant Pu'er, Mini Tuo Cha, Orange Pu'er, Pu'er Cake, Jasmine flavored and Loose leaf.  

Sheng Pu'er 2007 Vintage