It's All About Tea — pu-erh

Most commonly, chen pi (citrus peel) is associated with pu-erh or aged white teas. It is no wonder why particularly post-fermented and aged teas go best with the dried citrus peel. Aside from tea, its use is widespread in Chinese medicine. Many people choose to drink chen pi tea precisely because of the benefits it brings, according to Chinese medicine. (Read more)

In China, fermentation is a vital part of the food culture. Sauces and condiments, tofu, pickles, wine, and even nuts. You will find at least one fermented ingredient on every dinner table in China. It is no wonder that fermentation made its way into China's extensive and well-developed tea culture. (Read more)

Many tea enthusiasts wouldn't consider pu-erh which is not grown and produced in Yunnan, China, to actually be pu-erh tea. We could argue that this topic requires more examination. After taking into account the geographical location of Yunnan and neighboring countries, as well as political discrepancies, we can consider the pu-erh from Guo Gan, Myanmar, to actually be called pu-erh tea. If nothing else, it is a truly aromatic, floral, and sweet tea worth the time of any pu-erh lover! (Read more)

Cha Gao literally translated means tea paste. However, the substance is not at all pasty and is more like a solidified rock, which dissolves in hot water. Although it is a form of instant pu-erh, it is not a low quality product. In the Qing Dynasty Cha Gao was produced only for the elite class. Although the production methods were mostly abandoned after the Qing Dynasty, it is slowly being revived. Drinking Cha Gao provides you with a concentrated amount of all the usual pu-erh tea benefits. (Read more)

Today we are exploring a popular topic of debate: Pu-erh tea caffeine content. Pu-erh is one of the most controversial tea categories out there. Many people believe that Pu-erh is particularly high on caffeine. And among those many, some assume that the darker the tea, the more caffeine it contains. Perhaps it is because darker brews of tea resemble the highly caffeinated culprit coffee? Though we know that the freshest, youngest green teas often have higher caffeine content. While it's true that Pu-erh is an excellent energizing tea, is it that high in caffeine? And does the color of the brew matter? (Read more)