Tea. It is made in China. In its production, a unique technology for processing tea leaves is used. Thanks to artificial fermentation, the effect of aging is created, tea acquires a special "earthy" taste, wonderful aroma, and is endowed with unique properties.
Excursion to the past
The Chinese province of Yunnan is a traditional place for the production of pu-erh. There is a belief that at the birth of a son, parents prepared a slab of pu-erh, its natural fermentation took place until the moment when the young man grew up. By this time, the pu-erh was finally ripening, the money from the sale of the tiles was enough to cover the costs of the wedding ceremony.
Natural took a long time to shorten this time, China began to carry out accelerated artificial fermentation.
Types of pu-erh
There are two types of pu-erh, depending on the fermentation technology:
- undergoes natural fermentation, traditional, long, it turns out raw pu-erh, or raw.
- Shu Puer undergoes artificial fermentation, it is also called accelerated, or cooked.
In the case of long natural fermentation, tea leaves acquire a light brown hue. With accelerated fermentation, the color of the tea leaves becomes almost black, dark brown. Shu Puer appeared recently, its appearance was due to the high demand for this amazing drink. Shen pu-erh is distinguished by the ability to control the degree of fermentation, its speed. Tea is valued for the fact that long-term storage makes this tea even tastier.
How is the tea leaf processed?
Shu Puer production
For the preparation of pu-erh, the raw materials must be of exceptional quality, otherwise, after a few years, the result may be disappointing. To make Shu Per, aged by accelerated technology, the collected tea leaves are sent to the factory, where they are piled up. Tea leaves are moistened by sprinkling with water. Heaps are covered with a dense cloth, this allows you to start the fermentation process. Inside the piles of leaves, the temperature rises, reaches about 60 ° C, with which the tea stops.
Every day, the leaves are stirred to create ideal conditions for an even fermentation to proceed, then covered again. This process is delayed for 45 days. The leaves become dark in color. They are thoroughly dried, pressed into pancakes. Shu Pu-erh, which is stored for more than ten years, improves its taste, the effect of wet heaps disappears.
Shen Puer production
The production of Shen Pu-erh takes place in several stages. The collected leaves are first dried in the sun. Then they are fried in a cauldron, the leaves are curled. At this point, the cell walls are destroyed, tea juice appears. The raw material is again dried in the sun, only after that it enters the plant.
At the factory, the tea is sorted, the quality is checked. With strong steam jets, the leaves are pressed into pancakes under high pressure. The flattened tea is dried and packaged. At the same time, all technological requirements are observed. For several years, the leaves of shen pu-erh remain green, but then begin to change. Tea changes its properties, aroma and taste. The difference between a seven-year-old and a twenty-year-old pu-erh is too noticeable, even those who taste tea for the first time can notice it.
The older the tea gets, the better it tastes. The natural fermentation in a pressed pancake is slow. It becomes darker, in the years it acquires an exquisite taste with a peculiar bouquet, a noble aroma.
Pu-erh properties
The Chinese consider pu-erh a panacea for all diseases. There are many fans of this drink in the Celestial Empire, there are more and more of them, the real era of pu-erh is coming. Shu Pu-erh, made from high-quality raw materials, is distinguished by the aroma of nuts, caramel, chocolate, molasses, and a peculiar earthy aftertaste. French scientists recently conducted studies that showed that this type of pu-erh prevents an increase in blood cholesterol. It normalizes metabolism, cleanses the blood and liver. The properties of pu-erh do not allow plaques to form on the walls of blood vessels.
The effect of shu pu-erh
Regular use of Shu Pu-erh improves the condition of the whole organism, it is able to start the mechanism of removing harmful substances from it. Nutritionists recommend drinking this tea in the fight against extra pounds. This is due to the complex cleansing effect and improved bowel function. A cup of pu-erh, drunk in the morning, invigorates, improves tone, efficiency, maintains clarity of mind.
Brewed Shen Puer gives a light golden infusion with a delicate aroma of smoke, apples, dates, forest, dried fruits. The taste of this tea is spicy, fruity, herbal shades are felt in it. Shen helps to digest heavy food, helps with poisoning, quenches thirst, removes old toxins.
How to cook pu-erh
It is necessary to follow all the rules to retain all its useful properties.
The water for brewing Shu Pu-erh should be soft and clean. It is necessary to use earthenware or porcelain dishes. When using a 150 ml gaiwan or teapot, you need to take from 6 to 10 grams. The desired layer is cut off from the pressed tea with a special knife or a piece is broken off.
The dishes need to be warmed, for this the teapot or gaiwan is rinsed with boiling water.
The water should boil, then you should wait a bit, the water will cool down to 95 ° C during this time. Pour this water over the tea and immediately drain the water. This washes away the tea dust and helps the tea open up. The leaves are again filled with water. After 30 seconds, the tea will be ready. Re-brewing is allowed. It is necessary to increase the infusion time by 7, 10, 20 seconds with each brew. Pu-erh should not be infused for a long time, it is necessary to immediately pour it in order to feel its unusual taste and enjoy tea.
Contraindications to the use of pu-erh
Pu-erh has pronounced properties, so it has a number of contraindications. You need to be careful in the following cases:
- if there are kidney stones;
- in diseases with high temperature;
- with eye diseases;
- with insomnia;
- with hypertension;
- with diseases of the stomach.
You can not drink pu-erh for children under 10 years old, pregnant women. It is not recommended to drink pu-erh on an empty stomach and immediately after a meal.
How to store shu pu-erh
Tea leaves have very strong absorbent properties, so you can not store tea where it can absorb foreign odors. Keep tea away from spices so as not to lose its unique natural flavor.
Tea does not like airtight packaging, it must breathe. The air temperature should be average. Humidity is not more than 90%. Although the taste of tea only improves every year, tea art experts do not recommend storing shu pu-erh for more than ten years.
If the tea has a rotten smell, it means incomplete ripening. It is necessary to place the pu-erh for a year and a half in a well-ventilated room. It will ripen and delight with great taste and aroma.
The birthplace of this drink is Southwest China, Yunnan Province. A region with a unique microclimate and one of the most ancient stories of tea cultivation. Connoisseurs of tea culture consider this tea one of the most unusual types of this drink.
Shu-puer tea is an elite Chinese tea with a unique taste, a fairly young type of tea. He belongs to the category of Chinese blacks. This shu puer is a special product, also called post-fermented teas.
Shu-pu-erh production technology
For its production, brought to the state of green tea, the raw materials are subjected to wet stacking (vo-dui). The result is a high degree of fermentation.
The process can take up to three months. Until the main indicator of quality appears - a characteristic gloss.
Finally, the tea leaf is heated and treated with ultraviolet light. Then the finished tea is blended in loose form, then pressed into pancakes, sharpening and other forms.
What is Shu Puer
Finished raw materials are divided into types:
- Lao Cha Tou or "old tea heads". This tea is obtained from tea leaves stuck together during the wet stacking process. Lao Cha Tou has a pleasant taste, with a pronounced nuttiness. The aftertaste is always different, it is determined by the quality of the leaf, the conditions and method of preparation, fermentation, etc.
- Gong Ting or palace tea, small delicate leaf, slightly woody or vinous taste, deep and uniform color. Gunting is considered a high grade tea. It is now most often offered to guests in China.
- Jin Ya - golden kidneys. The drink of emperors and gods, premium tea, with a fruity aroma, sweet taste. It has a warming property, and a slight bitterness. Its price is usually higher than other pu-erhs.
Blended Shu Pu-erhs from different raw materials are popular. They have a bright, balanced taste.
Buy shu-pu-erh in the store "Tea House"
We offer you to buy Shu Pu-erh in Moscow in the online store "House of Tea". If you are a beginner and cannot decide which variety to start your acquaintance with pu-erh with, order the minimum packaging of the drinks you are interested in. Our range includes the best varieties delivered directly from China. The catalog also includes utensils for pu-erh. We are waiting for you daily from 12 to 21 hours, on Sunday by appointment. Delivery is carried out throughout Russia.
Discover the wonderful world of real pu-erh with the online store "House of Tea"!
There is a lot of competent and interesting information about Puer tea now, and even more myths, legends and misunderstandings. I am not a passionate fan of pu-erh, but my interaction with this tea is quite long and calm. Here I will tell you about what quality shu pu-erh should be, and what it should not be.
Pu-erh is one of the few Chinese teas that can and should be talked about very specifically. Pu-erh is always made by specific factories, has well-known and not so famous brands. The technology of its production is mathematically accurate, and the packaging contains maximum information. That is why talking about pu-erh without specifying the manufacturing plant, year of production and raw materials is pointless. It's like writing a review on "shampoo" in general, without indicating the manufacturer and name.
This review is dedicated to one of the famous products in the world of shu pu-erh - brick 7562 of the famous factory menhai(English) Menghai, whale. 勐海), brand Yes I(Da Yi, 大益). The Menghai plant is considered the main authority and competent producer in the world of shu pu-erh, therefore, on the one hand, its teas are guaranteed to be of high quality, and on the other hand, they are most often faked.
For the quality of shu pu-erh, it is important, firstly, raw material . Traditionally, pu-erh was made from mature large leaves, but for shu pu-erh, plantation raw materials from mature leaves to buds are often used. Someone likes the rougher and simpler tastes of mature leaves, someone likes the versatility of the aroma of higher raw materials, so pu-erhs are made with different proportions of buds and leaves. The leaves of dry tea are closer to black, the buds are golden. Raw materials are designated by numbers from 1 to 10: 10 - the roughest leaves, 1 - the most buds, but even higher - Gong Ting.
In our brick, the raw material is average - the number 6 (in the four-digit marking 7562, the third figure indicates the raw material). For comparison: on the left - 6, on the right - Gong Ting with a huge number of kidneys:
Secondly, technology . The main stage in the production of shu pu-erh is "wet stacking" - large heaps of prepared tea leaves are poured with water and left to sweat for several tens of days, ted from time to time. At this time, the biochemical process of post-fermentation takes place there, i.e. actually fermentation. This process must be controlled and stopped in time by an experienced technologist so that the sheet simply does not rot. By the way, does anyone else believe that pu-erh is buried in the ground? Now imagine what will happen to the organics in the earth. That's right, completely decomposed. So no one buries pu-erh, but produces it in factories with the participation of specialists and equipment.
Well, do you still want to drink shu pu-erh? Then let's start brewing. Using a special knife or awl, we break off a portion for brewing from the pressing, trying to damage the sheet as little as possible, put it in a teapot, cup or gaiwan.
Fill with boiling water and immediately drain - this is the preparation of tea leaves, this first water is not drunk. And then you can already brew with boiling water, as usual: in European insistence:
or in Chinese with short straits, so it can be brewed 5-10 times, but not large cups, but small bowls:
I will not describe in detail the methods, otherwise a completely unreadable review will come out, but for the curious there is a lot of information on this topic on the net.
Shu pu-erh gives a black-black infusion, almost like coffee. But, if you look at the light, a reddish tint is visible in the depths.
Aroma Specifically, this representative in dry form is thick, woody, slightly smoky and moist. It seems to be simple, easy to remember, but it is completely impossible to convey in words (as, indeed, with all teas), you have to try it. Wet/damp tones in shu pu-erh deserve a separate discussion - this is an integral legacy of wet stacking. Therefore, after production, shu pu-erh needs to lie down for six months or a year so that the moist smell fades, giving way to more pleasant shades, which are many in high-quality pu-erh.
When brewed, its aroma transforms into a sweetish, again woody and slightly creamy, reminiscent of the aromas of stale foliage and dense forest. The smell of dampness is no longer felt. Taste enveloping, not tart, pu-erh powerful and slightly creamy.
Shu pu-erh is a specific tea, powerful, rich, warming, but not at all like the tea we are used to. Surprisingly, he fell in love with many of our compatriots. It also has certain health benefits, like all teas, a little more on that below.
Where could I buy. I bought this brick a year and a half ago at Yunnan Sourcing (a competent English-speaking tea shop in China). Now they have in stock 7562 from 2009 for $22 and 7562 from 2011 for $15.80. My brick is from 2010. The products of the Menghai and other pu-erh factories are most widely represented, of course, on Chinese sites, for example, Taobao, Aliexpress, but there is a high risk of running into a fake. You can find this tea in competent Russian stores, if you are ready to overpay 5 times higher than its real cost.
Myths about pu-erh (rather, such facts that take place under certain circumstances, but are illiterately and unfairly attributed to pu-erh as such)
Myth 1. "Puer pins / sticks / inserts"
If you have experience of being in prisons and the habit of cooking "chifir", then any tea will "pin" you, for this it is not necessary to chase "the most-pin-Chinese-pu-erh". But keep in mind that the dose of alkaloids released from such a barbaric method of preparation has a devastating effect on the central nervous system. Traditionally brewed tea in moderation (3 g / 1 tsp per person) has a positive harmonizing effect on the human body and psyche, invigorates many people, but will not have the effect of hyperstimulation and drug intoxication. Otherwise, you are preparing yourself a POISON! After all, as you know, any medicine in excessive concentration becomes a poison.
Myth 2. "Thirty-year-old pu-erh"
You need to start with the fact that pu-erh is divided into 2 large groups - Sheng (green) and SHU (black).
The issue of aging only applies to sheng pu-erh, they really do change over time. Many of us are ready to both give out and accept shu pu-erh as a "long-term" one. And for him, age does not play a decisive role, because. the fermentation process is complete. Yes, it’s good for shu pu-erh to lie down for half a year or a year after production, and then you have to drink it, time will not add anything radically new to it. Although it can be stored for a very long time. Sheng aging is a completely different big topic, and collectors deal with it.
If you look at the pu-erh market directly in China, sellers are even more inventive when it comes to the issue of "old age". There is not enough only a legend about age, you still need to somehow give the tea the look of old age. Pu-erhs are stored in warehouses with high humidity or even moistened and dried so that the tea “gets old” faster, wrapped in aged paper and sold at high (or not so) prices. Moreover, the amount of such tea on the market is incredibly large, which is in no way compatible with the concept of antiques. Usually such manipulations are performed with shengs. But there are also “20-year-old” shu pu-erhs: I don’t know exactly what they do with them, but I don’t trust those manufacturers and sellers who rely on a wrapper and a legend in order to sell more. Where is the quality of their tea?
Typical examples of "old tea cheap", contrary to all logic:
For $10-15 you can get decent fresh shu pu-erh, but not old, aged tea. I will not support unscrupulous sellers with statements like "it doesn't matter what is written, the main thing is that the tea is tasty." Those who are seriously involved in tea culture (and tea is first of all a culture, and only secondly - gastronomy) understand that the quality of information about tea is as important as the quality of the tea itself.
And this is not only my personal opinion about the "old" pu-erhs: prooflink 1, prooflink 2.
Myth 3. Pu-erh for weight loss and health
Yes, shu pu-erh has useful properties: it normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, the cardiovascular system, and promotes metabolism. But this does not mean that anyone who drinks it will automatically begin to lose kilograms. It depends on the diet, physical activity and individual predispositions. By itself, tea does not work miracles, it will only help direct the work of the body in a harmonious direction. By the way, my faithful is a devoted lover of shu pu-erh with many years of drinking experience, and he has not lost a single extra kilogram during this time, but only gained it. But shu pu-erh helps him with indigestion, food poisoning. And a couple of times shu pu-erh helped me get rid of a headache.
The main rule: in order for tea to help heal some bodily ailments, it is necessary to fully accept its taste and aroma, appreciate it, enjoy it, open up to it, because tea is not a pill, drinking it holding your nose, "like medicine" is of little use. Tea is a lifestyle and a way of thinking. In general, everything is individual.
Myth 4. Mini-dot, aka "tablets"
Many people start their acquaintance with shu pu-erh with small 4-5-gram pressed tochas, popularly known as "pills", and consider them an excellent example of this tea, or vice versa, they are disappointed from the first sip.
Mini-tocha are not probes, they are a kind of "tea bags" in the world of pu-erh, they contain scrap and crumbs of tea leaves left after sifting. That is, a mini-tocha is a deliberately low-quality raw material with low flavor and aroma properties. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule, but they are very rare. Most often, pu-erh is produced in the form of large compacts: pancakes, bricks, sharpening, etc., less often - in loose form.
Myth 5. "Pu-erh smells like earth/fish/socks"
This is true only for low-quality shu pu-erh. High-quality pu-erhs, made from good raw materials by competent technologists, have more pleasant notes in the aroma - they are compared with nuts, chocolate, dried fruits, wood, and so on. Choose a good pu-erh and you won't have to drink "damp earth"
Comparative photography included:
Mengku Mu Ye Chun Gong Ting shu pu-erh
Yongde man fei sheng pu-erh
Noname mini dot
Shu pu-erh tea, which means "ready", was originally an attempt to create a precocious version of "long-playing" sheng pu-erh. Over time, he proved his right to life, turned into an independent species and was divided into many exquisite varieties and collectible brands.
It has a special, easily recognizable, woody taste with earthy notes. The drink has a powerful healing effect due to the high content of vitamins and antioxidants.
The birthplace of shu pu-erh is the fertile land, the tea kingdom of Yunnan province. The plants in this area are saturated with the softness of warm waters and the powerful power of the sacred Himalayan mountains.
For shu pu-erh, the main raw materials are harvested on flat bush plantations by a mechanized method. Only a small part of the harvest is taken from valuable varietal mountain trees. The low quality of raw materials favorably reduces the cost of the finished product. And the technologies worked out to the subtleties, verified recipes and the high art of the craftsmen make it possible to create a drink worthy of attention even from such material.
Depending on the proportion of low-grade and high-grade raw materials, shu pu-erh recipes are divided into two conditional subtypes:
- Bud varieties, in which the main green mass accounts for at least 25% of tea buds. Fragile, unopened leaves give the drink softness and tenderness.
- Non-bud, containing a large proportion of woody pieces and thick rough leaves, have a more brutal, pronounced taste.
In the process of artificial fermentation, the taste of any greens clearly changes, so the quality of raw materials for the production of shu pu-erh is not critical. After ripening, the green mass is a uniform mixture of small leaves and various fragments. For the external attractiveness of the finished product, when pressing tea into molds, beautiful golden buds are placed on the front side.
Classification
The raw material for shu pu-erh obtained after fermentation is sorted by mechanical sieving. Sometimes all the resulting mass goes under the press as is. But more often, groups of raw materials are isolated from it: leaves, buds, wood and other fragments, which are then classified. Thus, the highest grades of shu pu-erh made up the Imperial Class, those that were lower included in the Special and Gift, and the rest are indicated by numbers from 1 to 10.
High quality shu pu-erh contains a lot of buds. The lower the class, the more rough material it contains. It practically does not affect the quality of the finished drink. Different parts of the plant can change the intensity of individual components: body of taste, aftertaste or aroma. Only according to these main parameters, preference is given to one or another variety of shu pu-erh.
But since tea lovers traditionally first of all evaluate its appearance, this trend formed the basis for the classification of shu pu-erh. In reality, the variety or class is not a confirmation of the high or low quality of the drink, but only its taste.
Production technology
Shu pu-erh is a very young tea. The idea of its creation arose at the end of the 20th century, when an alternative technology for rapid artificial aging was developed. Now, in a very short time, it is possible to obtain tea that resembles shen of many years of aging. The preparation of shu pu-erh takes place in several stages.
- Collection of raw materials and drying. Greens are harvested from terraced bushes. The main raw materials are sprouts with 2-3 leaves. It goes through the usual stages of production, and the output is "maocha". And from that moment on, the processing of raw materials for shu and shen pu-erh is different.
- Fermentation. This stage is an imitation of long-term natural aging. To speed up the process, the raw materials are placed in artificially created conditions with temperature, light and humidity control.
For 1 to 3 months, the leaves are regularly moistened, heated and turned over. At this time, microorganisms develop in them, which accelerate fermentation due to the release of organic acids.
The process of wet stacking is called "in dui". It is at this stage that shu pu-erh acquires its peculiar taste. The duration depends on the recipe. Properly adjusted fermentation makes the taste characteristics softer and more versatile, and overaging or underexposure can produce a primitive product.
- Drying and sorting. Then the resulting material is sorted - by mechanical sieving, followed by manual selection of leaves that managed to avoid fermentation.
- Pressing. The sorted tea is moistened with steam and molded in hydraulic presses. Ready shu pu-erh leaves the production in pressed or loose form. To stabilize the fermentation process, many recipes provide for aging the finished tea in a dry place for a certain period, but not less than 3 months. During this time, the tea gets rid of the taste of dampness and excessive earthiness.
Loose shu pu-erh
During the production process, not all pu-erh is pressed. Some of the harvest remains in loose form and after fermentation is placed in huge ceramic vessels or boxes covered with air-permeable lids.
As a result, varieties of loose unpressed shu pu-erh are obtained:
- ordinary shu of various categories, made from bush material;
- from small bush buds (Guntin);
- shu pu-erh from small bush buds, but covered with pile (Jin Ya);
- tea from large buds covered with golden hair (Da Jin Ya or Da Jin Hao);
- tea from lumps of stuck together fine fraction (Cha Tou).
Loose shu pu-erh has many advantages over pressed teas:
- they are more convenient to measure and brew;
- the strength of the drink and the speed of brewing are easier to regulate;
- it is easier to determine the quality of tea, since each tea leaf is in plain sight;
- they quickly gain a mature taste;
- win in terms of economy;
- give a wide field for creativity in blends.
The negative points include not as rich taste as pressed teas, and a short shelf life. Ripe loose during long-term storage will change the characteristics for the worse.
Shu for collectibles
Depending on the duration of fermentation, the raw material will either go through it in full to the state of mature, ready-to-drink tea, or later, during storage, it will gradually ripen (post-ferment) and acquire new amazing characteristics. Therefore, not all shu pu-erhs are suitable for aging and collectibles.
- Most are fermented for 1.5-2 months. The result is a not too fermented product that has a bitter taste and fermentation smell. It will take about 3 years for such tea to acquire a balanced taste and accumulate a full composition of useful substances. But after 18 months, he will acquire many wonderful qualities. Then he is able to improve for another 15 years. Naturally, this process will not be as rapid as at the beginning, but changes over time will be very noticeable. This is the perfect collectible tea.
- Another large group of shu pu-erhs undergoes a high degree of fermentation for 3-4 months. After such a long fermentation, tea acquires softness and sweetness of taste. It will only take a few months to mature. During this time, the residual notes of dampness will go away and the taste of tea will stabilize. Such shu is considered ready to eat and will not change its chemical composition and taste in the future. Collecting such tea does not make sense, you can just buy it.
- A very small group of teas undergo rapid fermentation from 10 to 18 days. According to its degree, the resulting tea does not quite correspond to shu pu-erh, is practically not popular, and requires about 10 years for proper aging and aging.
Collectible varieties of tea need a special approach during storage: light, humidity, packaging, ambient temperature, lack of persistent aromas nearby. Even the material of the container matters. Only under the right conditions can you get an exclusive product.
How shu pu-erh "ages"
The process of aging or "growing up" shu pu-erh is clearly manifested by the example of those that undergo an average, 45-60-day fermentation. During the first year of aging, tea loses excessive bitterness and dampness.
Up to 3 years, its taste becomes richer. It gets rid of residual bitterness, abrupt transitions. Then comes a period of relative rest, which lasts up to about 5 years. At this time, the flavor notes are thinned out, sweetness is added. The aroma becomes multifaceted. The effect of the drink becomes softer, it no longer excites and stimulates as much as young tea.
From the age of 6, full maturation begins, which sometimes lasts up to 12 years, depending on the type of raw material and aging conditions. At this age, shu completely reverses its properties. Its taste becomes envelopingly sweet, very pleasant, with hundreds of flavor overflows. The drink has a relaxing effect, balances the mind and body, awakens the desire to live and create.
Appearance, taste, aroma of dry pu-erh and infusion
Dry shu leaves are dark in color, mostly coffee brown to black. There are pu-erh with a reddish tint to golden.
If the tea is slightly aged, it retains a pronounced woody and earthy aroma and taste. With age, they smooth out and are replaced by notes of nutty or gingerbread flavor, sometimes prunes, chocolate, cinnamon. Subsequently, the taste of the drink is thick, rich, but soft and sweet.
Classic brewing method
Shu pu-erh is a strong tea. It withstands up to 5-10 brews, while remaining a full-fledged drink both in appearance and taste. Due to its strength and richness, it should be washed before cooking.
For shu, 95-100-degree boiling water is ideal. from this temperature are not lost.
The drink is brewed in a teapot or gaiwan. It is enough to take about 3 g of dry tea leaves (1.5 teaspoons) for 250 ml of water. The first times are kept from 30 seconds to 1-3 minutes (depending on taste preferences), and the following straits are increased.
In addition to the classic, there are non-standard ways.
For storage, a dry, dark place is selected where foreign odors will not penetrate into it. The exception is other teas shu, the neighborhood with which will only benefit.
Shu Puer is a bright, memorable and strong tea. The effect of the drink on the body is so individual that everyone who has experienced it on himself will describe the state in his own way. But the fact remains undoubted that shu pu-erh is able to tone up and cheer up, balance the psyche and awaken creativity.
The classification of tea adopted in China is somewhat different from the European one we are used to. The tea, which we call black, is considered red by the Chinese, and aged Shu Puer is classified as black. Among the pu-erhs, this variety is the most saturated and bright. And if Shen Puer is more popular with green tea lovers, Puer Shu is preferred by connoisseurs of red teas.
What is Shu Puerh
Black tea Shu Puer or, as it is also called, "earth tea", is made from the leaves of tea trees that grow in the ecologically clean Chinese province of Yunnan. A feature of the production technology of this variety is the accelerated aging of the tea leaf.
If the stage of natural fermentation of green Shen Pu-erh takes many years and even decades, then in the production of Shu, a technology is used that allows you to speed up this stage and overcome it in a much shorter time.
The special technology of processing tea leaves in the production of Shu Puer affects the taste of this tea: it becomes thick and pronounced, with earthy notes that disappear during long-term storage. The dry leaf has a dark brown hue, almost black, and gives a dark saturated color infusion.
Shu Puer has many varieties or subspecies, here are just a few of them:
- "Golden Peacock". This tea has a mild, smooth taste with nutty notes.
- "Cold Island". It has a rich earthy taste with a sweet aftertaste.
- "Palace". This tea has an "earthy" taste with a hint of wood and notes of prunes.
- "Old tea heads". Its taste can be described as velvety, with hints of nuts and dried fruits.
- "Black Dragon Pearl" Portion tea with a soft spicy-woody bouquet, nutty, bready and berry notes.
- "Soft power". It has a thick taste with woody undertones and hints of nuts, spices and autumn foliage.
There are so many varieties of Shu Pu-erh that it is impossible to list all varieties of this tea or even approximately count their number. However, they are all different. Differences in taste and aroma depend both on the quality of tea raw materials and on compliance with the technology.
Each of the tea factories has its own unique recipe and special storage conditions. In addition, the quality of the finished product is affected by many small nuances and its own production secrets that are not customary to disclose.
Production features
If the history of Shen Pu-erh green tea dates back several centuries, then the processing technology used in the production of black Shu Pu-erh was developed not so long ago, only 40 years ago. It allows you to repeatedly accelerate the process of natural fermentation of tea.
Thus, in a short time, you can get aged pu-erh tea, while retaining its taste originality and useful properties. Consider the features of this technology, which is also called the "wet stacking" method. After assembling the tea leaf, Pu-erh black undergoes several stages of processing:
- drying;
- twisting;
- fermentation;
- drying;
- pressing;
- ripening.
The peculiarity of the production of Shu Puer black tea is the accelerated fermentation process. To do this, the tea leaves that have passed the preliminary stages of processing are piled up and filled with water. The process of debate that began inside the tea heap is called “artificial aging”. Under its influence, the tea leaf changes its taste and aroma.
A few words about pressing tea. The most common forms of Shu Pu-erh pressing are:
- pancake, which is also called a flatbread or disc;
- tocha (bowl or nest);
- brick;
- twisted shape or mushroom;
- square;
- and the shape of a pumpkin.
Each of these forms of pressed Pu-erh comes in different weight classes, from a few grams to several kilograms.
Connoisseurs of Chinese tea, of course, will support the largest format and will only be happy with a weighty tea "pancake" of their favorite variety, and more than one. In this case, you need to take care of the proper storage of Shu Puer. Since this tea easily absorbs foreign aromas, the place where it is stored should be free from foods and objects with a strong smell.
However, hermetically sealed packaging is not suitable for it, this tea definitely needs to “breathe”. Humidity should not be higher than 90%, and the temperature should be moderate. Both too low and too high a temperature will negatively affect the taste of tea.
Brewed Shu Pu-erh in a bowl
But what if you have never tried tea, just want to get acquainted with it, and are not sure that you will like it? For such cases, it is produced in a very convenient packaging format, which is called "mini tocha". Each serving weighs 4 to 8 grams. This one-time format is very convenient not only for getting to know a new variety, but also when traveling when there is no time and conditions for a tea ceremony.
Beneficial features
Shu Puer is inferior to Shen Puer in its antioxidant qualities, but this tea also benefits the body, being a natural biostimulant:
- improves digestion;
- breaks down fats;
- tones and reduces drowsiness;
- has an invigorating effect;
- stimulates metabolism;
- increases efficiency;
- fills the body with energy;
- improves concentration.
Despite the benefits, with high blood pressure, this tea can be harmful. For this reason, hypertension is one of the contraindications, along with urolithiasis, stomach diseases, insomnia and pregnancy. It is also not recommended to drink this tea on an empty stomach and give it to children under 10 years of age.
How to brew Shu Pu-erh
Shu Pu-erh, like any other highly fermented tea, can be brewed with almost boiling water. For this you need:
- Take dishes made of glass, ceramics, porcelain or Yixing clay.
- Use soft purified water having a temperature of 95-100 degrees.
- Preheat the teapot by rinsing it with hot water.
- Take 5-7 grams of tea leaves per 200 ml of water.
- Crumble pressed pu-erh into a bowl and pour boiling water over it.
- Drain the first water immediately to wash the tea leaf from dust and dirt.
- Pour hot water over the tea leaves for the second time and insist for several minutes.
- Pour tea into cups and start drinking tea.
The tea leaf can be brewed several times in a row, each time slightly increasing the infusion time. High-quality black Pu-erh can withstand 5-8 brews. This drink is especially good on autumn and winter evenings. It pleasantly warms and invigorates, drives away sad thoughts and helps to focus on what is most important.
