Everything You Need To Know To Find The Best PU Antioxidant

Pu-erh tea is a very unique type of tea that's fermented and made in the Yunnan Province of China. It's considered a delicate specialty, and it's crafted from the leaves of the Chinese 'wild old tree.' This is also known as ripe pu-erh.

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Pu-erh is different from other types of fermented teas in that its leaves are processed. Other fermented teas like kombucha usually ferment the brewed tea instead.

Raw pu-erh on the other hand isn't fermented. After it's rolled, it's dried and aged naturally then compressed. This results in a different flavor profile and moist leaves.

Pu Erh tea contains caffeine, but the amount can vary depending on factors such as the type of Pu-erh tea and how it is brewed.

Many people enjoy pu-erh tea (ripe or raw) because it has many health benefits:

• Weight-loss support
• Lower cholesterol
• Cancer prevention
• Liver health support
• Increased energy
• Heart health support
• Bone health support
• Immune system support
  

So let's jump into the rich world of pu-erh tea to learn more about its flavor profiles and benefits.

*We want you to know that we take our suggestions seriously. And we only ever recommend the best when it comes to Pu-erh. This means we put a lot of time and effort into researching Pu-erh teas with the best reviews, ratings, and sales. 

The best raw Pu-erh tea

Pu-erh tea comes in two major varieties: ripe and raw. Most Pu-erh lovers and newcomers opt for ripened leaves. But raw is just as enjoyable for different reasons.

Raw Pu-erh is actually non-fermented. It doesn't go through the piling process. Instead, it's rolled and compressed, then stored and aged naturally. This gives it a very fresh smell, a slightly more bitter taste, and a sweeter flavor profile. Raw Pu-erh is also known for its dark green and brown appearance.

If you're interested in trying raw Pu-erh, we recommend these brews to start:

This tea is 100% raw pu-erh with no additives or additional ingredients. It's imported from the Yunnan Province of China and carefully packaged in the United States. This pu-erh is certified organic and non-GMO certified. And it's available in individual tea bags for brewing on the go.

For compressed bricks of raw pu-erh, we recommend this ethically-sourced option. It's rich, it's organic, and it has a delightfully malty taste. Numi offers a bold and earthy raw pu-erh blend that's sure to satisfy all your senses.

FullChea offers a delicate compressed cake of loose-leaf raw pu-erh tea leaves. It's delicious and dried with a pure and strong aroma. Enjoy its bright yellow appearance and its subtle cherry blossom undertones. Notice its floral and sweet flavor profile blossom as it brews.

The best ripe pu-erh teas

Ripe pu-erh is what most people think of when it comes to pu-erh tea. Like raw pu-erh, it's rolled and dried. But before it's compressed, it goes through a piling process and it's fermented. This gives ripe pu-erh a bolder, earthier flavor. Fermentation also gives ripe pu-erh a reddish-brownish appearance.

It's traditionally served as a cake, tuo cha, brick, or san cha. It also has a fragrant, deep, and complex aroma. Start enjoying this delicious brew with one of these recommended brands:

This 100% natural and high-grade pu-erh tea is perfect for newcomers and experts alike. It has a rich and exceptionally smooth flavor that's been aged over 20 years. Enjoy its rich, bold, and earthy flavor as you benefit from its health properties.

These pure pu-erh leaves are compressed into delightfully small mini cakes. After you steep them, each cup is packed with flavor and a rich, deep red and brown color. Enjoy it on its own, or add milk, honey, and lemon for even more flavor.

This is yet another pu-erh tea originating from the Yunnan Province in China. It's packed into mini cakes and stored in bamboo tubes for stable temperature and humidity. The tea cakes absorb some of the bamboo aromas and flavors as well. This results in an even richer and more complex experience.

What does pu-erh taste like?

Pu-erh tea's taste is as unique as the way it's processed. Because the tea is somewhat fermented, it has a distinct flavor profile. Most pu-erh lovers describe this delicacy as:

• Woodsy
• Earthy
• Smooth
• Rich
• Distinct
• Acquired
• Smokey
• Mushroomy

Most of these notes come from the way pu-erh is processed. For example, earthiness comes from tea leaves. The mushroomy tastes come from the fermentation process. And the smoothness comes from the way it's aged.

These flavors seem intimidating to new pu-erh drinkers at first. But once you take the plunge, you're rewarded with a complex blend of unique flavors.

How to choose the best pu-erh tea

The best way to choose quality pu-erh tea is to think about what you want from each cup. Some drinkers prefer the mushroomy notes. Others drink it just for the smokey and woodsy flavors, or the caffeine.

When you're ready to dive into the rich world of pu-erh, it's tough to know which part you'll love most. This is why we recommend trying a few different brands and brews to start. The goal is to find a balance of flavors that your palate enjoys. So here are some ways to narrow down what you want from your pu-erh tea experience.

Pu-erh taste profile

Although pu-erh tea has a signature taste, not all of them are exactly the same. Some are earthier, others are smokier, and so on. Start by reviewing the pu-erh teas outlined in this guide. This will help you learn more about the flavor profiles of each brand. Then, give some of them a try and compare.

Pu-erh caffeine levels

You can find out the caffeine content in each pu-erh tea either on the label or with a quick Google search. The more caffeine in each cup, the more energy you get. And the less caffeine, the less zing you'll feel. So think about when you're most likely to enjoy a cup of pu-erh and gauge caffeine levels accordingly.

Pu-erh tea bags vs. loose leaves vs. 'cakes'

Some pu-erh teas are available in tea bags, and others in loose leaves. It's also available as a compressed batch of tea leaves ' also known as a cake.

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If you prefer to drink tea on the go or at the office, tea bags might be your best bet. But if you prefer to drink it at home or during special occasions, loose leaves and cakes deliver a better experience.

The benefits of pu-erh tea

Pu-erh is a delicious delicacy for many tea drinkers. And as an added bonus, it has tons of health benefits:

• Increased energy
• Heart health support
• Antioxidants
• Cancer prevention
• Bone health support
• Weight loss
• Stress reduction
• Immune system support
• Vitamins

Pu-erh tea may also aid in skin, cognitive, and blood sugar support. Some pu-erh lovers enjoy the brew because it helps ease upset stomachs. And others love it for its gamma-aminobutyric acid. This property may help alleviate symptoms of anxiety.

The caffeine consistency of pu-erh tea

Pu-erh tea does have caffeine in each cup and it varies based on the brand. For example, the average caffeine strength ranges between 30 mg and 100 mg per 8 oz cup. To put this in perspective, the average cup of coffee has about 95 mg per 8 oz.

Find out how much your pu-erh tea has by checking its label or giving it a quick search on Google. And keep in mind that if it's too high, you may experience side effects like insomnia and dehydration.

Final thoughts and top picks

 Pu-erh tea is a delicacy that countless tea lovers around the world enjoy. It's delicious, unique, and packed with tons of health benefits. So without further ado, here are our top picks for pu-erh tea that we're sure you'll love. Check out all the Pu erh teas here.

Imagine that your interest in pu erh is piqued. You're now browsing a selection and trying to figure out what to purchase. How do you make up your mind? 

Should you just experiment, take a chance, purchase one, and hope for the best? That's certainly one option, but it may not be the most economical or yield a good outcome. Fortunately, there are some telltale signs of quality to keep in mind, signs that can help ensure that you get the most for your purchase. So now that we've talked a little about how pu erh is supposed to taste and how you're supposed to store it, it's time to look at those qualities that make for a good pu erh tea!

1. Size Matters

Large leaves are not always desirable when it comes to selecting your teas. It really comes down to the plucking standard.

For many white teas, for instance, the tea bud is most desirable, and for many spring harvest greens, the bud is plucked along with the first or second leaf. These are the newest, freshest parts of the plant, and so tend to yield more floral flavors in the cup. If you were to find a white or green tea made from larger leaves, it is usually a sign that the oldest leaves have been plucked and is indicative of a lower grade tea.

When it comes to oolongs, however, hardier and more resilient leaves are desired, and these are the older, thicker tea leaves. Since the crafting of many oolongs requires kneading, bruising, and shaping, the tea leaves have to be able to withstand this labor-intensive process. Older leaves are ideal, and they also have the added benefit of making for a more robust, complex cup of tea (precisely what you want in a good oolong!).

As one might expect, when it comes to pu erh, it's a little tricky because a good pu erh has both qualities, the freshest and largest leaves. 

How is this possible?

The plucking standard for a good pu erh is one bud to two or three leaves. When purchasing a pu erh, then, you want to make sure that it does in fact contain some buds. If you find very few buds and you even find a lot of stems, it might be a sign of a lower quality pu erh. However, this is a little more complicated than just standard buds and leaves, it also depends on the types of tree, and the traditional plucking styles in different regions.  

Still, good quality pu erh should also feature larger leaves. This is made possible by picking buds and leaves during the right season and from the right kind of tree!

2. Tis the Season

Pu erh tea leaves can be plucked in the spring, summer, or fall, but this doesn't mean that all seasons are equal. The best pu erh leaves are harvested during the spring season as the tea trees begin sprouting new leaves and growing rapidly, if everything else is equal. Fall harvest can yield a great tea if it has the good leaf, process, and storage. One good example of fall harvest is called Gu Hua pu-erh tea. Gu Hua means grain blooms and start to ripe for harvest in the fall around late September and October. Gu Hua pu'-rh refers to the puerh tea that produced in this time window. 

When leaves are harvested in the fall in a good environment, for instance, you'll begin to notice more fragrant and fruitier notes, like dried or roasted plums or dates. Our Confidant Arbor Tree Raw Pu Erh, sold in the form of mini-cakes, is a fall-harvested tea that showcases notes of nutmeg, almond, vanilla, and passion fruit! 

Understanding how the harvest-time affects flavors can help you narrow down the right pu erh for your taste buds, and all of the pu erhs we carry mostly are spring harvest with several fall harvests. 

3. Call of the Wild

Perhaps the most important quality when it comes to picking out a good pu erh is the source of the tea. Did it come from a bush or a tree? Was it on a farm or was it feral? Be wary of the marketing gimmicks that prey on the less informed!

Pu erh tea will generally come from one of three places: a plantation, a former plantation, or a higher-elevation, wild environment. 

When grown on a plantation, the tea is farmed at a much lower altitude and is pruned to be no larger than a bush in an effort to try to maximize leaf yields. It is sometimes marketed with more pleasant sounding or exotic names, like guan mu cha, 'farmed,' or 'cultivated.' It is not uncommon for farmers of plantations to use pesticides and chemical fertilizers on these teas.

We don't source any of our pu erh tea from plantations unless it meets stringent requirements. It has to use ecological and sustainable farming practices; it has to grow at a high altitude; the tea has to come from trees (not bushes); and it has to be ecologically grown, using no pesticides or synthetic chemicals.

Much more highly desired are wild arbor pu erh teas. These are grown on former plantations that have been abandoned and allowed to grow with very little human intervention. Sometimes known as yefang or yesheng ('wild grown' or 'wild tree'), the pu erh from these trees are not truly wild but still produce a very good cup of tea. 

The best prized of all pu erhs, however, is the gushu or qiao mu sheng ('ancient' or 'old tea tree'). Grown only at the high altitudes and in the most pristine of environments, these tea trees are often 100 or more years in age, some even reaching close to 800! They are totally and truly wild, free from human intervention, showcasing the most floral and complex flavors. One study even suggests that true gushu pu erh has the highest levels of antioxidants!

Now that you know what to look for, we hope that you find shopping for pu erh a little less confusing, making it easier to find what you want.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of PU Antioxidant. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.