Collection: Stink

Pu'er or pu-erh is a variety of fermented tea traditionally produced in Yunnan province, China. In the context of traditional Chinese tea production terminology, fermentation refers to microbial fermentation (called "wet stacking") and is usually applied after the tea leaves have been sufficiently dried and rolled. As the tea undergoes controlled microbial fermentation, it also continues to oxidize, also controlled, until the desired flavors are achieved. This process produces tea known as hēichá (黑茶, lit. "black tea") (which is different from the English-language black tea called hóngchá (红茶, lit. "Red tea") in Chinese). Pu'er belongs to a broader category of fermented teas commonly translated as black teas. There are two main styles of pu'er production: a traditional, longer production process known as shēng (raw) pu' er ; and a modern, accelerated production process known as shóu (ripe) pu'er. Pu'er traditionally begins as a raw product called "raw" (máo) chá (毛茶, lit. fuzzy/hairy tea) and may be sold in this form or pressed into a number of forms and sold as "shēng chá (生茶, lit. Raw tea). These two forms then undergo the complex process of gradual fermentation and maturation over time. The wòduī (渥堆) fermentation process developed in 1973 by the Kunming Tea Factory created a new type of pu'er tea. This process involves accelerated fermentation into shóu (or shú) chá (熟茶, lit. ripe tea) which is then stored in bulk or pressed in various forms. The fermentation process was adopted at Menghai Tea Factory shortly. After and technically developed there. The legitimacy of shóu chá is disputed by some traditionalists compared to traditionally more aged teas, such as shēng chá. Pu'er can be stored and allowed to age, like wine, in non-airtight containers before consumption. This is why it has long been common practice to label all types of pu'er with the year and region of production.