The king of tea is puerh

The formation of the modern tea community in Russia began in the 2000s. Most of the country's residents drink tea of not very high quality. Basically, their choice is limited to Ceylon and Indian plantation teas. The rest of the Russians buy tea that has undergone a process of chemical aromatization.

Asian tea culture has much in common with European winemaking. We wrote about this in a separate article "Tea and Wine"

The first time people in European Russia heard about Chinese puer was in the 18th century. At that time, you could hear names like "pu-er-cha" and "pur-cha". At that time, they sold naturally ripened tea, which is now called sheng puer. You can also come across the name "green puer". In the English-speaking world, it is called "Raw puer".

Shu puer is a fast-maturing tea. Its appearance in the 70s of the last century was a landmark event. The raw materials for tea production ripen at an accelerated pace artificially. This method of cultivation is called "wet stacking". In modern Russia, this tea is called "black puer" or in the English manner - "Ripe puer".

After the 1750s, other methods of artificial aging began to be widely used in China. After a few years, some of these methods died out, and those that remained were used in the process of making hei cha and lao cha. At present, these teas are mostly artificially aged, but you can also find varieties that have been aged for many years.

So, at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, the inhabitants of Russia did not even know about the existence of shu pu-erh. Only its analogues were imported to the country. Now you can find pu-erh in the form of bricks, or even pancakes, on the market. In those distant times, there were many more variations of pressing.

"Lumpy" puer was very popular. But it was not the same product that was obtained by wet stacking. At that time, these were real pressed lumps. The raw material for their production was taken from tea trees. The main consumers of "lump" puer were travelers and the military.

But what do tea lovers find in puer? The first experience of drinking sheng puer, as a rule, causes disappointment. Its tart "non-standard" taste is difficult for most people to understand at first. You need to grow up to this, having gone through many more "simple" and "delicious" teas.

However, puer is not only attractive for its taste. Another of its advantages is the play of aftertaste, as well as “cold” and “hot” aromas. It is also possible to highlight the powerful physiological effect. In some cases, drinking sheng puer can lead to mild intoxication, but without a hangover. Certain sheng puer promotes an influx of energy, causes euphoria and a feeling when it seems that everything is possible. Simply put, puer is a legal stimulant that makes people line up in long lines, like for a chef who knows how to cook fugu fish.

To feel the effect you need to drink 200-300 grams of quality pu-erh.

Shu puer also has a number of positive effects, including an influx of energy and warming of the entire body. When drinking accelerated fermentation teas, concentration increases and a positive effect on the stomach is exerted.

The cost of puer is influenced by a number of factors. For example, the overwhelming majority of tea trees are located deep in the jungle at a considerable distance from economic activity and industrial enterprises. In other words, this tea is "ecologically friendly", which is very important for modern consumers.

But puer lovers often face the problem of the absence of a truly high-quality product on the market. Most of those who want to experience the effects of "elite puer" are forced to buy mediocre quality tea with a taste of "fish", "wet hemp" or "damp earth".

The best raw material is considered to be that collected from trees that are over 300 years old. Tea from such raw materials is present on the Russian market, but in limited quantities. Often, thousand-year-old trees are even given names. Thanks to the developed root system, the tea leaf is more abundantly saturated with the necessary substances.

The manufacturer can change the price of a particular tea even within short time periods. This is due to the fact that tea grown in a particular region is consumed faster than others.

In addition, high-quality raw materials have the property of maturing. Over time, the effect and taste change, but the price remains the same. Such varieties are transferred to the category of "tea antiques". Sometimes they are considered collectibles, and the price is set by the owner.

Based on materials by: Ivan Sokolov