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How to Choose Pu Erh Tea: Find the Right One for You
How to choose Pu erh tea has no definitive answer. The best choice depends on personal preference, tea characteristics, and individual health conditions. This guide will help you navigate these aspects to find the perfect Pu’erh tea for you.
1. Personal Preference
Everyone experiences aroma and mouthfeel differently. How to choose pu erh tea based on these sensory preferences can enhance your tea-drinking experience.
To learn what is pu erh and the difference between raw and ripe pu erh:What are the differences between ripe and raw Puerh Tea?
1.1 Aroma
Aroma is a crucial aspect of how to choose Pu erh tea, categorized into tea soup aroma, cup-holding aroma, and wet leaf aroma. Each person perceives fragrance uniquely, so choose based on what appeals to you.
High-quality raw Pu erh may have floral, fruity, or grassy notes.
High-quality ripe Pu erh may exhibit floral, jujube, woody, or glutinous rice aromas.
Example: Pa Aileng Ancient Arbor Raw Pu erh boasts a delightful orchid fragrance.
Example: Princess Qi Ancient Arbor Ripe Pu erh has a rich woody aroma.
Example: Tea Spirit Ancient Arbor Ripe Pu erh features an orchid fragrance.
If you detect a fishy or moldy smell, the tea may be of poor quality and should be avoided.
1.2 Taste
A good Pu erh tea offers a complex, layered taste and is resistant to multiple infusions. The good Pu erh tea should not taste flat and should develop over several brews.
High-quality raw Pu erh may taste slightly bitter (but quickly transforms), with returning sweetness, freshness, and a full-bodied texture.
High-quality ripe Pu erh often presents earthy, mellow, rich, soft, chocolate, and hazelnut-like flavors.
If you enjoy sweetness with lingering aftertaste, consider Bee King Old Arbor Raw Pu erh or Pa Aileng Ancient Arbor Raw Pu erh.
If you prefer full-bodied floral notes, Tea Spirit Ancient Arbor Ripe Pu erh is a great choice.
2. Tea Characteristics
The inherent properties of Pu erh tea significantly influence the drinking experience. Understanding these factors can help you understand how to choose Pu erh tea.
2.1 Brew Resilience
The ability to endure multiple infusions is a sign of high-quality tea. Unlike tea bags that lose flavor quickly, good Pu erh tea maintains its taste more than 10 brews.
When choosing Pu’erh tea, be patient. Pu erh tea develops its best taste after a few infusions. A high-quality Pu erh reaches its peak around the third steep and maintains its complexity for many more brews.
2.2 Tea Leaves (Wet Leaves)
The wet leaves can clearly reflect the quality and appearance of the tea. After steeping, observe the leaves to see if they are intact and whether they exhibit elasticity when stretched. Leaves with good elasticity indicate that the tea is of decent quality.
2.3 Harvesting Season
Tea leaves taste completely different in different seasons! Let’s explore how to choose pu erh tea from spring, autumn, and summer.
Spring is the best season for tea in terms of quality and flavor. After a period of dormancy during winter, spring tea is rich in high-quality polyphenols and other nutrients, resulting in a sweeter and more fragrant taste. The proportion of buds is high, and the buds are plump.
Autumn comes next. Autumn tea has a relatively lower water content, and the proportion of buds is lower compared to spring tea. The flavor is also slightly more bitter. However, autumn tea has its own unique, deep flavor that many people enjoy. It is also more affordable. Sometimes, autumn tea can be identified by its darker color.
Summer tea is less commonly harvested, as many tea farmers avoid picking it to ensure the quality of autumn tea. Summer tea tends to have a more bitter taste.
2.4 Tree Age
Tee tree age is one of the factor for you to consider about how to choose pu erh tea. Pu erh tea trees range in age from young bushes to ancient trees over 1,000+ years old. The tree’s age influences the tea’s taste and quality.
Ancient Trees (100+ years): Deep root systems absorb rich nutrients, resulting in sweeter, more complex flavors. These trees coexist with forests and require no pesticides or fertilizers.
Big Trees (40-100 years): A balance of quality and affordability, big tree Pu’erh meets the daily drinking needs of most tea lovers.
Plantation Tea (1-40 years): High-yield but susceptible to pests, often requiring pesticides. More affordable, but less complex in taste.
To know more about the difference of tree age, you can check out:From Roots to Leaves: Differences Between Ancient, Old and Terrace Tea Tree
2.5 Tea Growing Regions
Pu erh tea is primarily grown in Yunnan, China, with distinct regional flavors. Did you know that factors like region, mountain range, altitude, and soil can significantly influence the taste of the tea you drink? This is why the growing regions of tea plays a crucial role in how to choose pu erh tea.
Pu er – Includes Jingmai, Jinggu,Bangwei moutains etc.
Xishuangbanna – Includes Yiwu, Yibang, Bulang, and Pasha mountains etc.
Lincang – Includes Mengku, Fengqing, and Bangdong mountains etc.
Each mountain imparts subtle yet distinct characteristics to its Pu erh tea. Like Jingmai mountian is known for its unique orchid aroma. These three places are all having their special pu erh tea. To know how to choose pu erh tea from different city, mountain or village, you need to taste and feel it by yourself.
2.6 Tea Aging
Pu erh tea develops richer flavors over time, making proper storage essential. The tea aging time helps to know how to choose pu erh tea.
Aged Raw Pu erh: Becomes smoother and acquires woody and nutty aromas.
Young Raw Pu erh: Retains vibrant floral and grassy notes.
For eco-friendly storage methods, check out our guide on 5 Eco-Friendly Methods for Storing Tea.
3. Personal Health Considerations
When considering how to choose Pu erh tea, one should consider their personal health condition; otherwise, it may lead to a series of problems.
3.1 Caffeine Sensitivity
Raw Pu erh contains varying caffeine levels, which decrease over time.
Young Raw Pu erh: Higher caffeine content, providing an energizing boost.
Ripe Pu erh: Fully fermented, resulting in lower caffeine levels.
If you need a caffeine kick, raw Pu’erh is ideal. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, ripe Pu’erh is a gentler option.
For more information on caffeine levels in different teas, read our Discover the 6 Types of Chinese Tea: A Complete Guide.
3.2 Best Times to Drink Pu erh
When you have a tea drinking habbit at a perticular time of the day, you can consider about how to choose pu erh tea in another way:
Avoid drinking strong tea on an empty stomach, regardless of type.
After a heavy meal, ripe Pu erh aids digestion and helps break down fats.
Before bedtime, avoid high-caffeine raw Pu erh, but a mild ripe Pu’erh can be relaxing.
3.3 Digestive Health
Raw Pu erh may irritate sensitive stomachs. If you have digestive concerns, opt for ripe Pu erh, which is known for being gentle and stomach-friendly.
3.4 Who Should Drink Raw Pu erh?
Ripe Pu erh is generally suitable for everyone. However, raw Pu erh is ideal for those with strong digestion, looking to cleanse their system, lower cholesterol, or aid weight loss.
4. About You
Your tea journey is unique. How to choose Pu erh tea is about discovering what resonates with your taste, health, and lifestyle. Explore different types, experiment with aging, and enjoy the endless complexity that Pu’erh tea offers.
If you still don’t know how to choose pu erh tea, why don’t you try to take a quiz—- Which tea is for you?
For read more about choosing tea: Yin Yang Approach to Align Your Tea with Your Body
