Shou pu'er tea cake organic

Pu'Er cakes: pressed tea from Yunnan with a rich history

Pu'Er goes way back in history. The so-called "cake" is nothing but tea that was compressed into shapes of round cakes. This is an event originating in ancient China for several reasons. For example, the cake was convenient to transport for barter. Later, it was even used as currency or as a gift.

Even today, pu'Er cake tea is still popular. You break off small pieces to make tea.

Genuine pu'Er with protected trade name and origin

Pu'er belongs to the category of post-fermented tea. pu'er refers to a village in China's Yunnan province, where this tea originates from.

This means that tea should only have the name pu'er if it actually comes from Yunnan. Tea from Yunnan tends to be of particularly high quality.

Need-to-knows about the shou pu'er tea cake

Where does the shou pu'er come from?

In the 1970s, people started looking for a process to mature the pu'er cake faster. The intent of this was to mimic the special flavor of a vintage pu'er cake, but soon the "shou or cooked pu'er" grew into a stand-alone tea category that also carries its own unique flavor profile. The infusions are generally quite dark and the tea is also referred to as "black pu'er.

How is maocha produced?

After the tea leaves are picked, they are briefly placed in the sun to dry and wither for several hours. Next, the leaves are heated in a wok to prevent oxidation. The leaves are then rolled to be further air-dried. At the end of this drying process, you get a "maocha," which means "raw or unfinished tea.

And what about the production process of shou?

The maocha is spread open in a fermentation chamber to first ferment for several weeks to activate the necessary bacteria. During these weeks, the tea is regularly sprayed and shaken to distribute the moisture evenly. After several weeks, the tea is transferred to a second fermentation chamber where the tea is dried and shaken regularly. This allows the desired yeasts to act on the tea, releasing their unique flavor profile. During this process, a variety of enzymes are activated that support digestion.

Finally, the tea is pressed into cakes for easy transportation and storage.

Our shou pu'er was harvested in 2017 and processed in 2018 and can easily be stored for years. Our post-fermented tea is organically grown and therefore without the use of pesticide, herbicide or fertilizer.

The ideal way to use pu'er

In China, making tea is a real ritual. Yet this cake is very simple to use. You break off pieces of the tea when you want to brew it. Wrap the rest of the cake again in the original paper and put it back in the box for better storage.

Chinese brewing method

• Break off about 4 to 5 grams of the tea.

• Work with a gaiwan (or 80 to 120 ml cup).

• Warm the cup first with boiling water and rinse.

• Put the broken pieces of tea into the warm cup.

• Pour on with water of a temperature above 95°C.

• Since you are working with a pressed cake, it is advisable to pour water on first and pour away immediately, allowing the tea leaves to "wake up" and open up to release their aroma.

• Then pour water on a second time. Let steep for 15 to 20 seconds and pour off. Enjoy your delicious cup of tea.

You can re-pour the same leaves at least 10 times. For these infusions, extend the infusion time to 20 - 25 seconds.

What aroma can you expect?

Our shou pu'er has a distinct character and will be a dark infusion. In the nose you can expect a rich, moist moss with notes of leather, resin and maple syrup, fresh tobacco and a pronounced sweetness. On the palate, you get a surprisingly smooth tea with a nice balance of sweetness and umami. A tea for any lover!

Ingredients

Yunnan Shou Pu'er tea from organic certified agriculture

Allergens

This product contains no allergens

This product is packaged and/or stored in a facility that also processes products containing nuts, peanuts, mustard, celery, gluten, sesame, soy and sulphite. Despite all precautions, this product may contain traces of these allergens.