Big Red Mandarin and Chenpi Pu'er: The Citrus Pu'er Family
Xiao qing gan introduced many people to citrus pu'er, but there's more than one way to pair citrus peel with pu'er. Depending on when the fruit is picked and how it's processed, citrus pu'er comes in a whole family of styles.
What Is Citrus Pu'er?
Citrus pu'er (ganpu) combines the peel of a citrus fruit with pu'er, usually ripe pu'er. The most common method is to hollow out the fruit, fill it with ripe pu'er, and dry them together. Another method is to cut aged peel into strips or pieces and blend it with ripe pu'er.
The citrus used is mostly the "Chachi mandarin" (Citrus reticulata 'Chachi') from Xinhui in Jiangmen, Guangdong, which is also the raw material for Xinhui chenpi.
A Family Defined by Picking Time
From summer to winter, the Chachi mandarin's peel turns from green to red, and the trade divides the peel into roughly three stages:
| Stage | Approximate time | Peel | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green peel (qingpi) | Late summer to early autumn | Green, with a crisp, cool aroma | Xiao qing gan |
| Slightly red peel | Autumn | Yellow-green turning red | Some citrus pu'er and chenpi |
| Big red peel | Ripe in autumn and winter | Orange-red, with a sweet, ripe aroma | Big red mandarin, chenpi |
The exact picking time varies each year with the weather and growing area.
Big Red Mandarin vs. Xiao Qing Gan
| Xiao qing gan | Big red mandarin | |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit | Unripe green mandarins from July and August | Red mandarins ripened in autumn and winter |
| Size | Small, about one session per fruit | Large, one fruit can be shared or drunk over several sessions |
| Peel | Thin and firm | Thick, with large oil glands |
| Citrus aroma | Crisp and cool, with a green note | Sweet, ripe, and full, like the sweetness of orange peel |
| Amount of tea | Small | Large |
| Best for | One person, the office | Gatherings, boiling, breaking open and drinking over several sessions |
A big red mandarin holds more ripe pu'er, and it's common to break the peel into several pieces and brew it with the tea over several sessions, or to boil the whole fruit in a pot. For a full introduction to xiao qing gan, see Xiao Qing Gan: Ripe Pu'er in a Citrus Peel; for brewing, see How to Brew Xiao Qing Gan.
What Is Chenpi Pu'er?
Chenpi pu'er blends "chenpi" with pu'er. Chenpi is the peel of ripe citrus fruit, dried and then stored for many years; "chen" means aged. By local custom in Xinhui, peel has to be stored for a certain number of years (often said to be three or more) to count as chenpi, and the longer it's kept, the richer and mellower its aroma.
Common forms of chenpi pu'er:
- Shredded chenpi blended with ripe pu'er: chenpi is cut into strips and mixed into loose ripe pu'er in set proportions.
- Chenpi pressed into cakes: chenpi and ripe pu'er are steamed and pressed together into cakes or mini tuocha.
- Whole-peel citrus pu'er: a whole citrus shell aged for years is filled with ripe pu'er.
What Is Xinhui Chenpi?
Xinhui chenpi is chenpi made from the peel of Chachi mandarins grown in Xinhui, Jiangmen, Guangdong. The traditional Xinhui way of opening the fruit is to cut it from the top into three sections so the peel stays attached at the stem, then sun-dry it and store it to age. In 2006, Xinhui chenpi became a protected geographical indication product in China, with a clearly defined production area.
The aroma of Xinhui chenpi changes with age: new peel has a fresh fruity fragrance that turns sweet, mellow, and aged with storage. Many people look specifically for the words "Xinhui mandarin" when choosing citrus pu'er because they value this growing area.
How Long Can Citrus Pu'er Be Kept?
Citrus pu'er can be stored, but two things matter:
- Whether it's thoroughly dry: citrus peel contains oil and sugar, and if it isn't fully dry it easily absorbs moisture and molds. Full sun-drying, partial sun-drying, and oven-drying are compared in the article on xiao qing gan.
- The storage environment: dry, ventilated, dark, odor-free, and protected from damp during the plum rain season.
Well-dried citrus pu'er kept in good conditions can be stored for years. The peel's aroma slowly shifts from fresh fruitiness to an aged fragrance, and the ripe pu'er becomes mellower. But citrus aroma does "fade," so if you like a fresh citrus note, drink it within 1–2 years. If you like an aged aroma, put some away and let it rest.
A fine white frost on the peel is mostly crystals of citrus essential oil compounds. If it appears as spots, looks fuzzy, and smells musty, the tea has absorbed moisture and molded, and you shouldn't drink it.
How to Brew Citrus Pu'er
- Big red mandarin: break the shell into several pieces and put one piece of peel with an appropriate amount of ripe pu'er in a gaiwan or teapot. Rinse once with boiling water at 100°C and steep the first few infusions 15–20 seconds. You can also boil a whole fruit in a pot for 3–5 minutes.
- Loose chenpi pu'er: brew it like any loose ripe pu'er, 6–7 grams in a 110 ml gaiwan with boiling water.
- If the citrus is too strong: use less peel, or add the peel only for the last few infusions.
FAQ
What's the difference between big red mandarin and xiao qing gan? Xiao qing gan uses unripe green mandarins from July and August, with a crisp citrus note and one fruit per session; big red mandarin uses red mandarins ripened in autumn and winter, with a sweet, ripe citrus note and more tea, suited to sharing or boiling.
What is chenpi pu'er? Tea made by blending or pressing peel aged for years together with pu'er, usually ripe pu'er.
What is Xinhui chenpi? Aged peel made from Chachi mandarins grown in Xinhui, Guangdong, which became a protected geographical indication product in 2006.
How long can citrus pu'er be kept? Well-dried, well-stored citrus pu'er can keep for years, with the citrus aroma turning aged. If you like a fresh citrus note, drink it within 1–2 years.