2019 Shu Pu-Erh

This is a shou, or “ripe,” Pu-Erh from Xishuangbanna in Yunnan Province, the region in China where the first tea plants were found. Shou Pu-Erh is set apart from sheng, or raw, Pu-Erh by its fermentation: the Chinese pile the leaves in warm, moist rooms in a method called “wo dui,” which accelerates an aging process that would otherwise take years. This one comes from Brown Mountain, where ancient tea plants yield leaves prized for pressing into flat cakes, or bings. We break those large cakes into more manageable chunks. Being a young tea, it carries plenty of vigor, with the depth and body that give Pu-Erh its reputation. It stands up to repeated infusions. For each additional brew, steep an extra 15 to 30 seconds.