Would you drink 20 years old tea? If you love strong tea, or want a cup of calming, digestive tea, the vintage Pu-erh is for you. What is Pu-erh?

Pu-erh, aka Puerh, Pu eh, Pu er, Po Lei, is a unique tea category on its own. Pu-erh, comparing to black tea which is fully fermented and green or white tea which is slightly or not fermented, is “post-fermented”.

What that means is after its full journey to become “tea”, these tea leaves are stored for an extended period of time so it can be aged. Just like vintage wine, a good vintage Pu-erh comes with a handsome price tag. You may even find some as old or young as you are!

Watch out – 20 years old Pu-erh will cost you a small fortune (4 figure price is not unheard of)!

What does Pu-erh tastes like? Pu-erh has a unique earthy taste. Although the brew colour is dark red/black, it is actually quite mellow and not bitter at all. In fact, you may have already tried it in a Chinese eatery as it is the most commonly served tea next to Jasmine Green tea.

What is Pu-erh good for? Pu-erh is reputed for efficacies such as lowering cholesterol, warming stomach and slimming. Some drink it to warm up their toes and fingertips an hour before bed. It is also low in tannin and researches suggest that Pu-erh that is over 15 years old does not contain caffeine as the caffeine has broken down through the long storage process. (Younger Pu-erh has similar caffeine content to black tea)

How to prepare Pu-erh tea? Brewing is pretty effortless. Kettle on, pour the water in when it’s bubbling hot. Enjoy. (Pu-erh can be re-brewed a few good rounds continuously) If you have a Pu-erh that is quite old (say a few years old and up), yes, go and give your tea a quick rinse, before brewing it properly for enjoyment.

Want to know more about Pu-erh? There is a lot more to Pu-erh, such as production method, varietals – as in tree, vs shrub etc.

We bring in different Puerh from time to time, from cake to loose leaf, ripe to raw, young to old! 

Click here for our current Pu-erh selection.