We recently enjoyed a tasting of one of our most unique teas – a 2012 red pu’er made by the head tea master of Liji Gu Zhuang in Yunnan Province, China. In fact, we’re the only tea specialists in America to have an artisan red pu’er.

What is “Red” Pu’er Tea?

In brief, pu’er is a fermented tea made from broad leaf tea leaves that grow in Yunnan, the southwestern most region of China. Our Liji loose leaf red pu’er is unique in that it’s a contemporary interpretation of an ancient tradition. It’s crafted to have the aroma and flavor of a fine black tea while maintaining the nourishing enzymes from the fermentation process. Additionally, it’s lower in caffeine than black tea and can be steeped 4-5 times over the course of a few hours. Achieving this intricate balance of softness and robustness requires a tremendous amount of experience, science, and specialized equipment. It demands a great deal of patience, too. In fact, it took Liji over a year to perfect this brew!

Before the leaves are meticulously processed, they’re hand plucked from large wild tea trees on Wiliang Shan Tea Mountain. You can learn more about the tea forest and our Liji collection by visiting this blog we shared a few months ago. (By the way – stay tuned, we might be leading an Arogya retreat to Yunnan Province in the near future!)

How to Brew Red Pu’er Tea

Brewing this rare red pu’er tea is simple: Measure 1 teaspoon of leaves for every cup of tea. Then, splash rinse the leaves. Add more boiling water and steep for 3 minutes. Check out this instructional blog for more detailed instructing for brewing raw, dark, and red pu’er tea.

Enjoy! You might notice that the first brew is earthier and smokier in flavor, the second has a slight sweetness, and the third is mellower yet not too weak. Brews four and five will get a little lighter but still taste wonderful.

Come by the shop to sample a cup of red pu’er! You can also find it on our website.