Organic Positively Tea Company Pu-Erh Tea

Pu-erh is a post-fermented tea from Yunnan Province in southwest China, made from the large-leaf Camellia sinensis var. assamica plant. Unlike green or black teas, it is defined by its capacity for ongoing microbial fermentation — the leaf continues to chemically evolve for years or decades after processing. It exists in two forms: raw (sheng), which ages slowly through natural oxidation and microbial activity, and ripe (shou), which is rapidly fermented in piles to mimic decades of aging in about 45–60 days.

Because pu-erh is high in caffeine, people sensitive to stimulants, those with cardiac arrhythmia, and pregnant individuals should moderate intake or favor later steeps that extract less caffeine. Immunocompromised drinkers — transplant recipients, those on immunosuppressants, severe asthmatics — should avoid handling visibly moldy compressed cakes, since species like Aspergillus fumigatus that occur in pu-erh can be opportunistic pathogens, although the brewed tea itself is generally low-risk. Drinkers who are highly tannin-sensitive may find young raw pu-erh harsh on an empty stomach.

Gushu refers to tea harvested from trees typically over 100 years old (often hundreds), growing semi-wild in biodiverse forests with deep taproots reaching mineral subsoils. Taidi (terrace or plantation) tea comes from densely planted young bushes — usually under 50 years, often cloned for uniformity — with shallow surface roots. Gushu leaves grow slowly under shade, concentrating sugars, minerals, and aromatic compounds, which translates to a heavier mouthfeel, deeper throat-sweetness (hui gan), and slower-developing bitterness. Plantation tea is sharper, thinner-bodied, and shows immediate bitterness that may not resolve as gracefully.