The puzzling language of Pu'er

Pu'er gift from 2009

The Internet and google translate have transformed how we overcome language barriers and amass a huge 'wealth' of information about teas over time. Sifting through data and distilling knowledge from the right sources can prove to be a challenge. Finally with first hand experience accumulated over time, handling tea samples, brewing and tasting, we translate knowledge into tea wisdom, worth its weight in gold ;-)

Working my way through this cake since 2010

Based on Stephane's latest entry in French here, the language of pu'er is expressed in numbers XXXX. From the little bit I read the first two numbers represent the year of recipe creation, followed by leaf grade and finally manufacturer's code number. To add to the complexity of this pu'er conundrum at hand, no where on my packaging can I locate such a code, save for the year of manufacture being 2002 and expiry date that falls on March next year. The expiration date is of course just a food safety and health requirement which I believe is created to indemnify the distributor. 

From the little bit that I gathered, this is a cooked pu'er cake. The leaves seem to have undergone mould fermentation and have an orange appearance overall. Also, I believe the character for tea 茶 found on the paper packaging is coloured red in the case of cooked pu'er. The packaging said nothing about this cake being raw or cooked pu'er (not very helpful). All that is mentioned are health benefits, differences in astringency levels between a green (raw) and a dark (cooked) cake. There is also a standard piece of text advising consumers to store this piece of cake in a cool and dry place, away from humidity which makes no sense at all if the whole concept of aging pu'er thrives on humidity! How can one help for feeling disgruntled?

Peeling off whole leaves is effortless with this cake

Now moving on to taste, this is one of two pieces of cooked pu'er pieces I own. Both were gifted in elaborate packaging, something quite popular in this part of the world. My preference is for this one because of its initial complexity that is followed by a smooth and soothing texture that extends all the way into my stomach. Certainly this is not the best and be forewarned that the search for an excellent piece of cake, especially that of a cooked pu'er, can be expected to be the most expensive and arduous journey that a tea connoisseur embarks on.

Editorial note:  Before 2006 China National Native Produce (CNNP) cakes bear no such informative code. To be entirely sure of what you own is of the right origin and year, one must rely on a trusting relationship with the tea seller and have actual same year/batch samples at hand to verify the authenticity of newly bought cakes. Such is the dedication in the ultimate pursuit of pu'er knowledge.

In need of pu'er

After two days of sumptuous hotpot meals, my body is in need of some warm comfort. Medical studies have shown that Pu'er has stabilising effects on the digestive system and cuts oil (triglycerides in this instance) and sugar absorption from the intestines, hence helping the detox process. I am a believer of this and am feeling better now after a few sips of this this 10 year old cooked pu'er tea... Life is a pleasure ;)

Raw Pu'er resurrected

The freezing winter months meant that tea storage conditions turned overly dry for my 2007 raw Pu'er cake from Lin Cang, Yunnan, China. The result? An oddly dark infusion with a heavy tobacco-like taste followed by a parched aftertaste, enough to send the most sensitive of throats into a coughing fit.

As this was a hard to come by piece of Pu'er cake that turned bad as a result of my oversight, I tried resting some of the flaked tea leaves in my trusty old seed jar in an attempt to do some damage control. I also noticed that the cake has turned so hard that regular flaking with my bare hands just wouldn't do.

The optimist in me was curious to find out for myself if any bit of accelerated tea refinement took place over night. This morning I prepared some rested tea leaves and the results spoke for themselves. I am happy to have my raw Pu'er back!

Brewing a good cup of pu'er tea

Storing pu'er after some time will most likely increase its worth, but more importantly, how do we get the best brew out of your pu'er tea collection? Choosing the right tea leaves is a matter of your own judgement. However, let me share a few tips with you to get the best brew from your pot.

1. Flaking the pu'er tea cake and getting the right quantity. Make a small horizontal incision on the side of your cake. Tear the tea cake apart slowly and allow some parts to flake off. As much as possible, do not break individual leaves. This is also why I recommend flaking by hand and avoiding sharp tools.

2. The teapot should be wide enough to accomodate your tea leaves and their expansion during infusion. A pot with a narrow base will only intensify and accumulate bitterness of the tea at the bottom of the pot.

3. Pu'er is best enjoyed in big cups, those that roughly fit the size of our palms. Unglazed ceramic cups are more befitting for this tea and certainly add to the taste, flavour and ambience of your brewing experience.

Article adapted from Teaparker.