Introduction: A 'Cooked Style' Puer, made at one of the few certified organic tea gradens in Central Yunnan. The history of Puer tea originates from the small town of Puer in Yunnan. Teas shipped along the Silk Roads to Tibet, India and beyond, gained a characteristic earthy, musky aroma and smooth, sweet slightly smoky taste due to the humid environment and long journey. A special tea processing techinque emerged to allow the leaves to continue to 'ferment' over time, and so that the mature taste would develop at the end of the long caravan journey. Tea scholars have also contributed that there is an inherent special characteristic in the tea plant varietal (Dayeh, Big Leaf Varietal of Camellia Assamica). This varietal is abundant across the entire Yunnan Province, parts of Burma, Assam in India and Northern Thailand. Whereas, classic Puers are made from old growth tea plants (several hundred years old, and wildgrown), 'Cooked style' Puers are mostly made from newly propogated plants that are cultivated every season. The leaf processing imitates the effects of the long journeys, and humid environments.
Brewing Suggestions
Dark, cooked pu-er are characterized by their rich, earthy smoothness and require higher temperature water to infuse. Their unique lack of astringency keep them from over-steeping and make them ideal for long, low-maintenance infusions and steeping Chinese style in a cup or pot.
We recommend one teaspoon of leaf per 8 ounce cup (two teaspoons for large, loose leaf), rinse the tea briefly with hot water then steep with 190 to 200 F water for 2 to 3 minutes. This should provide at least 3 to 4 good infusions, although some pu-er will give many more.
To enjoy the tea “Chinese style”, merely place a few leaves at the bottom of a cup or teapot, add hot water, and cover. After a couple minutes or so the leaf will infuse and sink to the bottom of the vessel allowing you to drink or pour from the top. When the water is down to just over the leaves, simply add more water. This style provides many infusions for a small amount of leaf.
