Pu-Erh
 Let's
talk about Pu-erh tea - a category of it's own. I often have
sworn coffee drinkers try Pu-erh, it has a strong flavor and
is something that they can appreciate. Then they get addicted
and there you go – one more tea drinker!
Like
White, Green or Black tea, Pu-erh is also made from the leaves
of the Camellia sinensis plant. It is a large leaf varietal
that is indigenous to the area, Yunnan Province. This is the
region from where the tea plant is thought to originate. Yunnan
is in the extreme southern part of China, known for its lush
jungles and varied ethnic groups. It borders Burma and Laos
and so shares many ethnically diverse hill tribe populations.
The traditions of tea in this region are many. Tea is drunk
fresh, aged, buried and also eaten depending on where you
are.
Pu-erh
is different than all other teas as it is post-fermented and
then aged. It starts as a green or black tea which undergoes
a change that alters the character of the tea greatly. This
process makes the flavor intense, usually with an earthy component
and mellowness in the higher quality teas. The tea has been
praised for its health benefits for generations. Studies in
France found that it raised good (HDL) cholesterol and lowered
bad (LDL) cholesterol which if confirmed is great news.
 Pu-erh
was compressed into circular bricks that made them perfect
to transport, they were used as money along the silk routes.
It was something that worked well for barter, as it was dense
and kept well. This is also the tea which is used as the base
for Tibetan Yak Butter tea. Salt is added as well to make
a rejuvenating beverage for those living in harsh conditions
at a high elevation.
The
tea is made as a loose leaf as well as into compressed bricks.
Before the tea is aged they pressed into many different shapes.
They may be packed in bamboo or pressed into metal molds. 
We have a spectacular silver needle Beencha – very rare
and striking as it's made up of only young leaf buds. Click
the link to see some examples. Click to see our selection.
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