PuErh

poster yourself What is Pu Erh Pu Erh is a type of tea made from a large leaf variety of the tea plant Camellia sinensis and named after Pu'er county near Simao, Yunnan, China. Pu Erh comes in two basic types. Shu (dark) and Sheng (green, raw). Sheng Pu Erh is historically older. It is made form leaves of wild tea. Usually it is more expensive than Shu Pu Erh. The flavour is often raw, sometimes little smoked. Good Sheng Pu Erh has less of smoke and raw flavour and more flowers and fruits in it. This Pu Erh is better for experienced tea lovers, becaouse it may be difficuilt to prepare (the brew is very sensitive, you can easily spoil it) and if not prepared correctly, it can taste bitter. But if you have quality tea and know how to treat it, it is delicious. Shu Pu Erh is usually not from wild tea but and is fermented and dark. The more fermentation the better. Both Sheng and Shu Pu Erh are more valuable older. Usualy Pu Erh is prepared for consumption after two years of ripening. But the older the tea the better. It is not unusual to find Pu Erh 30 years old, but they are very expensive. If the tea meterial and fabrication is good, that 2 years old Pu Erh is good enough to be consumed. But I appreciate older tea. 5 years and more. Shu Pu Erh is easy to prepare, you can not spoil it, you can only make it weak or strong. People are often unsure about Shu Pu Erh. It is said that you either like it or not, there is nothing in between. I think a lot of tea drinkers that dont like Pu Erh actually tasted bad tea. In the last years there is a lot of poor quality production. It is because manufacturers want their tea to be ready to sell as soon as possible, but making a good Pu Erh takes time. It has to ripe. You also need high quality tea material to make good Pu Erh. If you tasted Pu Erh and it tasted "flat" tahn you probably didnt drik good tea. Good Shu Pu Erh has deep, earthy, nutty taste and smell. Shu Pu Erh helps to bring your body and mind to ballance. It releasses stress and calms you. It can also envoke good mood and happiness. Believe me I experienced this a lot! Some real good Pu Erh can make you feel very good, happy, calm. It can even help you sleep well (Shu Pu Erh only, fermented tea is good for your sleep while green tea stimulates you). It is also said that Pu Erh helps you loose weight. It helps to detox your body, helps with stomach problems as well. It will warm you up when you feel cold. It is ideal tea for evening drinking and also for good moments with friends. The taste is very tender, warm, nutty and earthy. Some people say that it smells like an old cellar or castle or monastery. I love this smell. Pu Erh is often compressed into a variety of shapes. Tuo Cha - shaped as a nest Beeng Cha - cake or disc Zhuna Cha - brick Fang Cha - square Jin Cha - mushroom shape Jin Gau - melon shape ... and more, for example coins Pu Erh is also ofted pressed into a bamboo sticks, this gives it typical bamboo Pu Erh flavour. It also comes in loose state, but I preffer compressed Pu Erh, because it ripes deffrently and has a specific taste.). Pu Erh is usually prepared using Gong Fu Cha style. Often prepared in such small and beautiful yixing pots :-) (this one is mine) read wikipwdia if you want to know more Both Sheng and Shu Pu Erh have very positive effect to your body and mind. Sheng Pu Erh has stimulating and healing effects (it wild tea, remember?). It has more helth positive effects than Shu Pu Erh, because it is more raw and natural. But may also taste raw (good and expensive Sheng Pu Erh are better).