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For avid tea drinkers who enjoy trying new drinks, give pu-erh tea a go! Different from common teas like green tea and black tea, pu-erh tea is fermented and has a rich taste with woodsy and earthy notes. It has many health benefits, too. Specifically, It can support your digestive health and reduce your cholesterol levels. However, there are many types of pu-erh tea, so how do you know which one fits your taste buds?
To help you with your search, we've combed through the Internet and found the 10 pu-erh teas that are highly recommended by reviewers. SanRan's Aged Pu-erh Tea was our favorite, as it's aged for 12 years and has a deep, smooth, and full-bodied flavor. For more options, keep reading our top 10 list! And if you need some help with finding the best pu-erh tea for yourself, take a look at our buying guide, which was checked by a tea expert, and is full of helpful advice.
Kate Hesser is a certified tea sommelier, tea taster, blogger, and brand collaborator. She provides event and restaurant menu consulting, and personalized tasting experiences for in-home gatherings and office retreats. She believes every tea is made with pride and has something unique to show us!
mybest US' editing team consists of experienced members who have backgrounds in writing, editing, translation, and more. We are dedicated to researching what makes a product or service the best to users in the US in order to create top-quality articles. From skincare, to kitchen appliances, and to DIY supplies, our mission is to find the best ones for you.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
Pu-erh tea is a type of fermented tea produced in the Chinese Yunnan province. The tea was first made during the Eastern Han Dynasty. It was the major tea for trading since it's fermented and could be stored for a long time. Nowadays, besides China, Asian countries such as Taiwan and Vietnam are also producing aged tea, but only tea grown in Yunnan can be called pu-erh tea.
Pu-erh tea is made from the leaves of the assamica variety of the Camellia sinensis tea plant. The harvested leaves are dry-roasted, sun-dried, often compressed into a cake shape, and left to mature to increase the flavor.
This tea is well-known for its rich taste with earthy and woodsy notes. However, keep in mind that pu-erh tea that isn't properly stored or fermented might develop a fishy smell.
There are many health benefits to this type of tea! Specifically, pu-erh tea is packed with polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that can aid gut health and improve your digestive system. It also contains a high amount of flavonoids, antioxidants that can help with weight loss. Pu-erh tea can also reduce cholesterol levels and boost your energy.
The flavor of pu-erh tea depends on many factors, including the area of production, the leaf source, and the type of tea. Read on to learn everything you need to know about pu-erh tea!
Pu-erh tea can be categorized into two main types: raw and ripened. Although they are both delicious, they have different flavor characteristics.
Raw pu-erh tea, also known as sheng cha, has a high amount of tannins and features a complex, full-bodied, and bold flavor. It has a color that's quite similar to green tea since it's technically made with green tea leaves that are dried in the sun.
There are also two types of raw pu-erh tea: young and aged. Young raw pu-erh tea is fermented less than 10 years and boasts a slightly sweet and bitter flavor with grassy notes. On the other hand, aged raw pu-erh tea has been aged for more than 12 years. It's rich and full-bodied with earthy and woodsy undertones.
A high-quality sheng pu'erh will create a cooling sensation in the throat and a pleasant, long-lasting finish in the mouth.
Ripened pu-erh tea, also known as shou cha, contains fewer tannins than the raw kind, thus producing a more mellow taste. It's also slightly sweet with woodsy and earthy undertones.
Its malty and rich taste is quite similar to black tea! And if you're a coffee drinker, you might prefer ripened pu-erh tea since it produces a rich, dark brew.
It is made through a more modern process of wet-piling the tea in large ovens, turning frequently. This speeds up the aging of the tea by creating a process not unlike a compost pile, resulting in a darker tea, with a thick, coffee-like liquor, that tastes of "forest floor."
When choosing a pu-erh tea, make sure to check its origin! Good pu-erh teas are usually grown at high altitudes in the Simao, Boshan, Lincang, or Xishuangbanna regions in Yunnan province, China.
Also, pu-erh tea leaves can be picked from old arbor tea trees (also known as ancient tea trees), wild trees, and plantation bushes. For the best flavor, look for tea made from old arbor trees. Their leaves have the most antioxidants compared to other kinds and are less likely to be treated with fertilizers or pesticides.
Leaves sourced from wild trees yield great flavor, too! Another plus point is that they are usually not sprayed with pesticides. On the other hand, tea leaves selected from plantation bushes might be grown using pesticides.
Go for teas grown at a high altitude as well. To be considered as high-altitude tea, the leaves must be grown at elevations of at least 1,000 meters (approximately 3,300 feet). At a high altitude, the temperature is lower, and there's less sunshine. As a result, the tea becomes less astringent and bitter, and it also gains a more complex flavor.
In general, the more stress put on a tea tree - higher altitude with thinner atmosphere, rocky soil, the more nuanced the flavor.
Pu-erh tea comes in three different forms: loose leaf tea, tea bags, and compressed cakes. In order to choose the best tea, it's important to understand the differences between them!
Since the aging process of aged raw and ripened pu-erh teas takes many years, farmers tend to compress the dried tea leaves into cakes or bricks for ease of transportation. It isn't difficult to brew compressed tea at all! Simply break a small piece off the cake and brew it, just like how you brew loose leaf tea.
But keep in mind that it takes longer to brew compressed tea than loose leaf tea. To know the specific brewing time, make sure to read the instructions!
Also, since the compressed leaves are not fully exposed to oxygen, their fermentation process occurs more slowly than loose leaf tea, which helps develop more flavor. Therefore, the flavor often becomes richer and more complex. So if you're a tea connoisseur looking for the best-tasting pu-erh tea, go for a compressed cake!
Rinse compressed tea quickly with the boiled water before starting your brew. This wakes up and relaxes the leaves, allowing them to steep properly.
Young raw pu-erh teas don't take a long time to age and usually come in the form of loose leaf tea. Although loose leaf tea isn't as strong and complex as compressed tea, it's still flavorful and has a clean taste that's great if you don't like a super strong or musky cup of tea.
Plus, loose leaf tea brews quicker than compressed tea! And loose leaf tea can produce better flavor than bagged tea.
While brewing loose leaf tea or compressed tea requires equipment, you only need a mug and some hot water to brew bagged tea. It only takes one to two minutes to steep, too! On the other hand, with loose leaf tea, you have to measure and rinse the leaves and steep them for more than two minutes.
Tea bags are usually individually wrapped and very convenient to bring with you. If you need a quick cup of pu-erh tea and don't have brewing equipment on hand, bagged tea is definitely the way to go!
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Price | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | SanRan Aged Pu-erh Tea | $9.99 Low Mid | Full-Bodied Tea Aged for 12 Years | ||
2 | Organic Positively Tea Company Pu-erh Tea | $22.95 High Mid | Great for Those Who Haven't Tried Pu-Erh Tea Before | ||
3 | Prince of Peace Premium Pu-erh Tea | $28.50 High Mid | Individually Wrapped to Preserve Freshness | ||
4 | Numi Chocolate Pu-erh | $6.81 Low | Indulge in Notes of Chocolate and Orange | ||
5 | Yunnan Longrun Pu-erh Tea Pu-erh Tea Cake | $20.99 High Mid | Aromatic and Smooth Flavor Without Any Bitterness | ||
6 | Kiss Me Organics Organic Pu-erh Tea | $14.99 Mid | Lab-Tested to Be Free From Harmful Chemicals | ||
7 | Jinglong Tea Factory Pu-erh Mini Tea Cakes | $10.98 Low Mid | Mini Cakes That Make Two Rich Cups of Tea | ||
8 | iMoZai Pu'erh Tea | $8.49 Low Mid | Smooth and Earthy Organic Tea | ||
9 | Jinglong Tea Factory Pu-erh Tea Original | $24.95 High Mid | A Strong Tea Cake From Menghai County in Yunnan | ||
10 | Tealyra Ripe Pu-erh Tea | $18.99 Mid | Smooth, Mellow, and Slightly Sweet Tea |
These tea leaves were harvested from ancient trees located at high altitudes in the Yunnan province in China and molded into a cake in 2009. Thanks to the long fermentation time, this tea has a robust, earthy, and smooth flavor that will give you that needed pick-me-up.
A few buyers are bothered by the tea's fishy smell, but others mention the smell quickly disappears and doesn't affect the flavor. Reviewers advise brewing the tea in a clay teapot and steep for about five minutes to get the right flavor. Overall, the majority are impressed with its slightly sweet, full-bodied taste with deep woodsy undertones.
This ripened pu-erh tea by Organic Positively Tea Company has a distinctive mellow flavor with earthy notes. It's also certified organic by the USDA and is packed in a resealable bag to preserve freshness. To brew this loose leaf tea, steep the leaves in water at 212 degrees Fahrenheit for about three minutes.
Although it isn't as robust as other aged pu-erh teas, reviewers say it's a great start for those who haven't tried this kind of tea before! They also praise its rich flavor and mellow aroma. Some reviewers love using this tea to make kombucha, too.
Prince of Peace's Premium Pu-erh Tea is made from pu-erh tea leaves fermented for a long time to produce a rich, earthy aroma and taste. Each tea bag is individually wrapped for convenience, too. To prepare it, put one bag in six ounces of water and steep for about three to five minutes.
Most users compliment the tea's rich, non-bitter, and smooth taste, but they note that it isn't as bold or earthy as other teas available on the market. Many find it delicious with some honey or a squeeze of lemon juice, too!
Straying from traditional pu-erh tea, Numi's tea blend combines the woody pu-erh tea leaves picked from old tea trees in Yunnan mountain with cocoa powder, sweet orange peel, and aromatic spices. The caffeine level in this tea is also high enough to wake you up. Plus, the tea is sourced ethically, and the tea bags are made with plant-based materials.
The majority of reviewers compliment this tea's hints of orange peel and sweet chocolate, saying it tastes indulgent. They further mention that the spices add a nice, subtle touch to the tea without overwhelming its flavor. Buyers also say that this tea has a slightly sweet flavor that's lovely with milk and sugar.
This ripened pu-erh tea is made with large tea leaves harvested in the Lancang River region in Yunnan, China. It was fermented in 2012 and has an aromatic, smooth, and slightly sweet flavor. With this tea cake, you will be able to make about 66 cups of tea.
Most reviewers are happy with this pu-erh tea's strong and earthy flavor without any bitter aftertaste. They also like that the packaging that keeps the tea safe. Before brewing the tea, buyers recommend washing it to get the best possible taste.
Kiss Me Organics' pu-erh tea features a strong flavor with earthy notes. It's lab-tested by a third party to make sure that there are no harmful chemicals in the tea. With this bagged tea, you can make cold brew, too! Just add two tea bags to one liter of cold water and leave it in the fridge for more than 12 hours.
A few buyers experienced tea bags getting stuck to the wrappers and ripping. Nonetheless, many buyers praise this tea's strong and earthy flavor and note that it can be re-brewed multiple times. They add that this tea also helped improve their digestive health.
This tea is selected and processed from tea leaves grown in the Menghai and Lincang gardens, which are located at high altitudes. It's then compressed into a small and convenient 0.16-ounce cake shape.
Some buyers are disappointed that this tea is made of broken tea leaves. Even so, the majority of buyers rave about this tea's smooth, rich, and earthy taste. They also confirm that it doesn't have any fishy taste or smell, unlike low-quality pu-erh teas. Reviewers add that one mini cake makes about two cups of tea.
The leaves of iMoZai's pu-erh tea were selected from wild trees in China's Yunnan province. They were then matured and fermented to develop a rich and earthy taste. Plus, this tea is certified organic by the USDA.
Some buyers complain that the string on the tea bag breaks off easily. Nevertheless, many reviewers complement the malty and smooth taste of this pu-erh tea. Some say it's great with honey, too!
This pu-erh tea comes from Menghai county in the Chinese Yunnan province. The tea leaves are carefully picked from very old tree trees, sun-dried, fermented, and compressed into the shape of a cake. This tea features a full-bodied taste with a woody aroma.
Even though some buyers notice a fishy smell coming from the tea, many still compliment its rich amber color and nice earthy flavor with a slight bitterness. Revers also report that this tea is pretty strong and can hold up to multiple infusions.
Having been aged for 20 years, Tealyra's Ripe Pu-erh Tea has a smooth, full-bodied, and slightly sweet flavor with a rich aroma. Plus, this loose leaf tea is packed in an airtight ziplock bag to preserve freshness.
A few buyers think the tea smells a bit fishy. However, those who usually drink pu-erh teas comment that although it isn't as strong as the compressed kind, it still has an enjoyable flavor. In fact, many reviewers find it earthy and non-bitter!
I recommend White 2 Tea Hypnotrain for its syrupy sweetness that endures long after the tea is gone.
There are two ways of brewing pu-erh tea. To get the most out of the tea, follow the Chinese method. You will need to have a Yixing teapot with a tea filter and teacups, or a gaiwan, which is a small porcelain cup with a lid. Yixing teapots are made of unglazed clay and absorb the flavor of brewed tea over time. Hence, they can enhance the taste of future brews.
First, rinse the teapot and teacups with hot water. Then place the desired amount of compressed or loose leaf tea into the infuser. Pour some hot water over the tea, swirl it for two to three seconds, and discard the first steep. If you're using ripened pu-erh tea, rinse the tea twice. But with raw pu-erh tea, you only need to rinse it once.
This rinsing step is crucial as it helps awaken the leaves, allowing you to achieve the most flavorful brew possible. Next, pour hot water that's about 195 degrees Fahrenheit over the tea and let it steep for about 10 to 20 seconds. The longer the steeping time, the darker the brew becomes. Then pour the tea into teacups.
However, you can follow the Western method if you don't own a Yixing teapot! You will need a tea infuser and teapot. The brewing steps are actually similar to those of the Chinese method. Just add the desired amount of tea into the tea infuser, rinse it with hot water, and discard the first steep.
Then, pour hot water into the teapot and leave it for about two minutes. If the flavor is too mild, steep it longer until you get the flavor you want.
Also, we recommend checking the brewing instructions for the suggested leaf-to-water ratio. If you're new to pu-erh tea, you might want to use three to four grams of pu-erh tea per eight ounces of water.
Rinsing shou pu'erh leaves is also important, as it washes away any dust or cobwebs that are part of the natural microbial environment. They are important to the process of developing the flavor, but you may not want them in your cup!
In order to brew the perfect tea, you need the right teaware. Check out our buying guides to learn more about essential tea brewing equipment!
This expert reviewed the contents of the buying guide for accuracy and provided factual corrections when necessary, as well as extra tips and advice. They did not participate in the product selection process, nor are they affiliated with any of our choices unless explicitly stated so.
No. 1: SanRan|Aged Pu-erh Tea
No. 2: Organic Positively Tea Company|Pu-erh Tea
No. 3: Prince of Peace|Premium Pu-erh Tea
No. 4: Numi|Chocolate Pu-erh
No. 5: Yunnan Longrun Pu-erh Tea|Pu-erh Tea Cake
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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