What is Chinese Pu er tea and what is its classification?

The history of Pu-erh tea can be traced back to the East Han Dynasty, originally produced in Xishuangbanna and Simao area,Yunnan province. Pu-erh tea produced from the six famous tea mountains (Mansa,Yiwu,Manzhuan,Yibang,Gedeng and Youle) are the most famous. Pu-erh tea is created from the green Maocha broad-leaf tea variety and compressed into different specifications. The tea was discovered in Puer and thus named Pu-erh tea. After hundreds of years of changes and development, Pu-erh has reached its current popularity today.The tea picking season is from late February to November, but the tea picked in the spring is the best.

Pu-erh tea has more than one tea types,but normally is classified into raw tea and ripened tea according to the processing technique.

Raw Pu-erh tea

Green Maocha made from the large-leaf variety, is in either loose form or compressed form of different shapes.

Ripened Pu-erh Tea

The raw tea stored and fermented naturally can be stored for more than 15 years. Pu-erh tea, after fermentation according to the traditional process, becomes milder. In the 1970s, the artificial pile fermentation technique was introduced, enabling Pu-erh tea reach the desired quality in a short time. This kind of Pu-erh is called ripened tea, i.e. Pu-erh with artificial fermentation, or Pu-erh with modern processing. This kind of ripened tea, after being stored for a time, sometimes several months, can be distributed in the market. The high-quality ripened tea is maroon or dark maroon. The liquid is dark red, clear and tastes mellow, smooth and sweet, without any musty odor.

Appreciate the ripened tea, enjoy the result. To enjoy the aging flavor of Pu-erh tea, you will have to choose the high-quality ripened Pu-erh, which is red and clear, with minor changes in color and flavor after multiple brewings. It has a strong aging flavor without foreign odors.

Raw Pu-erh tea must be preserved for a long time, normally more than ten years or even longer. But the result is worthy of the expectation.