Puer Tea Production
The steps taken in Puer Tea processing is incredibly labor extensive and time consuming. The slightest miscalculation will mean an entire batch of tea is ruined resulting not only in the loss of capital, but of a wonderful treasure. Puer Tea ages like a fine wine and it all begins with this processing.
Two main forms of Puer Tea:
There are two basic forms of Puer; Sheng Puer and Shu Puer. Shu Puer is often referred to as Green or Raw Puer, whereas Shu Puer is often referred to as Ripe or Cooked Puer. Their production techniques are very different. Originally, all Puer was Sheng Puer. As it ages it flavors mellow and become richer. It takes around 13 years for Puer to age to its peak. Tea producers worked to replicate this aging in a much shorter time span. This was accomplished in 1972 with the introduction of Shu Puer. Mass production of Shu Puer began in 1975. The tea is fermented to attempt to replicate aged Sheng Puer. The tea is smoother and many people feel it is more palatable than new Sheng Puer.
Note :The term cooked is a mistranslation. The word Chinese word “Shu” can be translated as either cooked, or ripened.
Sheng Puer Production:
1. After being picked, the leaves are handled very carefully to ensure that they aren’t bruised which can cause unwanted oxidation. The leaves are then spread out in the sun to wilt/soften, and dry a bit. If it is raining, the leaves are brought inside to a well ventilated room, where lights will be used to wilt and dry the tea.
2. The leaves are then pan fried in a large wok in a process called Shaqing (kill green). This step stops enzyme activity to prevent further oxidation.
3. The leaves are then rolled and shaped until they resemble strands. The result is then called Maocha.
4. The leaves are then dried and inspected for quality.
5. The leaves are then sent to the factory to be compressed into a shape or fermented to make Shu Puer.
Shu Puer Production
Shu Puer’s processing techniques’ beginning is the same as that for Sheng Puer.
6. After the leaves have been inspected, they are then placed in piles to ferment the Puer Tea. The leaves are periodically wetted and mixed to ensure an even fermentation. This step has to be undertaken by an expert to ensure high quality. Poor fermentation can result in Puer Tea that smells like compost. The fermentation can take anywhere from 6 months to a year, so that leaves were actually picked up to one year before they were finished.
Compression of Puer Tea
Both Sheng Puer and Shu Puer leaves must be prepared before being compressed. Puer Bings (cakes) are the most common shape and will be used as the example here.
7. The leaves are weighed out and put into cans with holes in the bottom. The can is then steamed to soften it and to help it stick together instead of crumbling after it dries.
8. The steamed leaves are then put into a cloth bag. Along with a paper ticket called a “Neifei”.
9. The bag is wrung to remove excess moisture and the top of the bag is twisted and the twisted top of the bag is coiled around itself.
10. The cake is then pressed either by a hydraulic press, or a stone weight, which is the traditional way. Hydraulic presses are most commonly used because they are much quicker. Some of the presses have designs or Chinese characters to mold a design into the Puer Bing. For some Puer Teas, the bag is not used and the leaves are compressed directly in the can at high pressure. These cakes are called “Tiebing” which translates as “Iron Cake”. Stone weights are labor intensive and usually used now only for higher quality or special Puer Teas.
11. The tea is then removed from the cloth bag and placed on bamboo racks to air dry. The drying can take from several weeks, up to months.
12. The Puer Bings are then wrapped by hand and packaged.
The majority of Puer is compressed into shapes although loose leaf can be found. There are many different shapes that Puer is compressed into, some being quite novel. Some leaves are compressed into shapes, or into three dimensional pictures. They are pressed under high pressure and glue, or blood is used to glue the leaves together. The tea is not of high quality and is only intended to be used as decoration and not actually consumed.
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