Pu'er Tea Knowledge

2026/09/14

Is Pu'er a Moldy Tea?

Many people think pu'er is a "moldy tea." In fact, raw tea transforms slowly over time, and ripe tea relies on controlled microbial fermentation in the wodui pile; both are different from mold growing on tea stored in damp conditions. How pile fermentation differs from mold, and whether raw tea is fermented, explained in one article.

2026/09/14

Tasting Pu'er: From Dry Leaf, Liquor Color, and Aroma to Flavor and Spent Leaves

How do you taste what makes a tea good? Follow the five criteria of tea evaluation, appearance, liquor color, aroma, flavor, and spent leaves, to get to know your pu'er step by step.

2026/09/14

Does Pu'er Tea Have a Shelf Life? Can It Expire?

Pu'er is famous for its long keeping, yet packaged tea sold in Taiwan always carries an expiration date. Does pu'er expire, how should you read the dates on the package, can you drink ripe tea that's been kept 10 years, and what does it look like when tea has really gone bad? All explained here.

2026/09/13

A Pocket Glossary of Pu'er Tasting Terms

Huigan, mouthwatering, throat feel, cha qi, texture, cup-bottom aroma, bitterness turning sweet... What do all these pu'er terms actually mean? Learn them and you'll find it easier to describe what you taste.

2026/09/13

Tea Trays, Pot Stands, Dry Brewing, and Setting a Tea Table

A tea tray catches water, a pot stand cushions the pot, a tea towel wipes things down, and dry brewing keeps the table simple and clean. Can you brew without a tea tray? What is a tea setting, how should the teaware be arranged, and can you add flowers or incense? From a practical brewing workflow to the aesthetics of the tea table.

2026/09/13

Tea Canisters, Tea Jars, and Awakening Jars

Where should pried-open pu'er go? What tea canisters, clay jars, and awakening jars are each for, how to choose between glazed and unglazed, and whether one jar can hold several teas. From breathability, light, and moisture to keeping raw and ripe apart, how to use containers for storing tea.

2026/09/12

Tea-Boiling Ware and Fireside Tea Gatherings

What pot and stove should you use to simmer pu'er? What is weilu zhucha, the fireside tea gathering? How do tea steamers differ from tea boilers, and can you simmer tea on an infrared ceramic stove? From choosing equipment and hosting a fireside gathering at home to indoor safety, everything you need to know to simmer a pot of pu'er in winter.

2026/09/12

Kettles: Electric, Cast Iron, Silver, and Clay

Your kettle determines the temperature and feel of your brewing water. Electric kettles, temperature-controlled kettles, cast iron, silver, and clay kettles each have their character. Does cast iron really make water taste better? Do you need temperature control? Here's how to choose a kettle from both practical and flavor perspectives.

2026/09/11

Glass, Porcelain, and Pottery: Comparing Teaware Materials

Glass, white porcelain, zisha, stoneware, and metal teaware each have strengths and weaknesses for pu'er. Heat retention, breathability, whether they absorb odors, and whether you can see the liquor color, compared in one table, then matched to young raw, ripe, and aged pu'er.

2026/09/11

How to Read Pu'er Packaging: Wrappers, Neifei, Neipiao, and Recipe Numbers

A pu'er tea cake carries a lot of information: the cotton-paper wrapper, the neifei pressed into the tea, the neipiao, the tong label, and a four-digit recipe number. Learn to read them and shop with more confidence.

2026/09/11

Fairness Pitchers, Strainers, and Tasting Cups

A fairness pitcher keeps every cup the same strength, a strainer keeps fine bits out of your cup, and tasting cups shape how aroma and liquor color are perceived. What each of these small tools is for, whether you really need them, how to choose them, and whether cup material affects the taste.

2026/09/10

Jianshui Purple Pottery: Yunnan's Own Teaware

Jianshui purple pottery comes from Jianshui County in Yunnan's Honghe Prefecture. Known for its unglazed, hand-polished surface and carved-and-inlaid decoration, it was listed as national intangible cultural heritage in 2008. How it differs from Yixing zisha, whether it's good for pu'er, and how to care for it day to day.