• HOME >
  • Types of Tea

Calling shu pu-erh tea as cooked pu-erh tea is inappropriate

[2016.01.21] Posted By

ripe pu-erh tea

We often came across customers called the Shu Pu-erh tea as “cooked pu-erh” instead of ripe pu-erh tea. Many people thought that the ripe pu-erh tea is made by cooking tea with direct heating. In fact, it is incorrect.

Shu has a few different meanings

The word in Chinese and also in Japanese used for ripe pu-erh is 熟茶. It is pronounced as “Shu” in Chinese. The word Shu carries a few different meanings as follow.

  1. Aging or Maturation
  2. Cooking/well done
  3. Processed
  4. Fermentation
  5. Get used to the things
  6. Sufficiently

In the case of ripe pu-erh tea, Shu is meant for process or fermentation. The word Shu 熟 is derived from traditional Chinese medicine. It’s often used to indicate processed herbs versus the raw material. For pu-erh tea, it is named from the process of ripe pu-erh tea which involved the fermentation of raw pu-erh tealeaf. The process of ripe pu-erh consists of two stages.

Neither cooking process nor heating process is involved

In making ripe pu-erh tea, the raw pu-erh tea is used as the material. Raw pu-erh tea is piled and soaked with moisture in order to initiate the fermentation of bacterial. In this stage, bacteria such as actinomycetes involve in fermentation. After this stage, tea is spread over on the floor in order to reduce moisture and initiate the secondary fermentation which takes place by yeast and mold. The entire fermentation process of ripe pu-erh tea takes around two months.

ripe pu-erh tea

The first fermentation

Secondary Fermentation

As you can see in the above process, there is no cooking process involved. The reason why some people call ripe pu-erh as cooked puerh is due to the misreading of the meaning of the word Shu (熟). No doubt that Shu also means cooked. But this meaning is inappropriate to be used for Shu pu-erh. In my own opinion, “ripe pu-erh” is also not really a good name to describe Shu pu-erh tea. I guess matured pu-erh tea or fermented pu-erh tea sounds more appropriate if we follow the way of process.

Related Articles

How to get the latest update on HOJO Tea?

1. Follow Twitter, 2. Click "Like" on Facebook, and 3. Subscribe in newsletter. You can have the latest tea news from HOJO Tea.

Subscribe the Newsletter to enjoy the privileges
You may receive a free sample upon purchase, or you may have the priority to purchase special products. So please remember to subscribe our newsletter as well as the social network.
HOJO TEA Malaysia online Shop

HOJO TEA Online Shop NEWSlist

New Release of Anxi Traditional Oolong
Anxi, located in Fujian province, China, is celebrated for its Tie Guan Yin tea. However, the Traditional Anxi Oolong from this region boasts a unique fruity aroma, distinguishing it from Tie Guan Yin. Anxi: A Renowned Hub for Oolong Tea Production in China Fujian Province, renowned for its rich tea heritage, boasts several prominent tea-producing …
New Release of Lan Yun Tie Guan Yin from Anxi
Lan Yun Tie Guan Yin from Anxi, is not just an ordinary Tie Guan Yin. It has a strikingly delightful flavor reminiscent of orchid flowers with silky-soft drinking sensation. Anxi, renowned as one of the three major Oolong tea production regions in China. Anxi is recognized as one of the three major Oolong tea-producing regions …

NEW ARTICLES

New Release of Anxi Traditional Oolong
Anxi, located in Fujian province, China, is celebrated for its Tie Guan Yin tea. However, the Traditional Anxi Oolong from this region boasts a unique fruity aroma, distinguishing it from Tie Guan Yin. Anxi: A Renowned Hub for Oolong Tea Production in China Fujian Province, renowned for its rich tea heritage, boasts several prominent tea-producing …
Yunnan 2024 Spring Tea Sourcing
Yunnan Province is globally renowned for the exceptional quality of its tea leaves. However, lax production management often presents challenges in achieving the desired tea quality when relying solely on pre-made teas. To address this issue, we have committed to remaining on-site throughout the spring season to closely monitor tea production. We are meticulously inspecting …
The Relationship Between Greenness of Tea Leaves and Fertilizer
For both tea and vegetables, there’s a common misconception that a deeper green colour indicates better quality and greater health benefits. However, this isn’t always the case. Natural plants often have a yellowish-green hue rather than a vibrant green. If you observe wild plants in grasslands or along roadsides during spring, you’ll notice that they …
Creating Muscatel Black Tea Using a Unique Blending Method
I would like to introduce the unique creation of black tea with a distinctive muscatel flavor profile. Acquiring Exceptional Mi Xiang Black Tea Have you ever heard of a unique black tea called “Mi Xiang Black Tea” or “Muscatel Black Tea”? This tea is crafted from leaves that have been delicately nibbled by leafhoppers, resulting …
New Release of Lan Yun Tie Guan Yin from Anxi
Lan Yun Tie Guan Yin from Anxi, is not just an ordinary Tie Guan Yin. It has a strikingly delightful flavor reminiscent of orchid flowers with silky-soft drinking sensation. Anxi, renowned as one of the three major Oolong tea production regions in China. Anxi is recognized as one of the three major Oolong tea-producing regions …
The Difference Between Fermentation in Tea and Fermented Foods
Black tea and oolong tea are often categorized as “fermented teas,” but the extent to which they undergo fermentation raises questions about whether they truly qualify as fermented foods. In this article, I endeavour to offer a thorough exploration of the distinctions between tea and traditional fermented foods, shedding light on the nuances of their …
Easy Way to Prepare Flavorful and Warm Tea at the Workplace
Have you ever experienced the transformation of tea stored in a thermos or water bottle at work, turning into a brown hue and acquiring a bitter, astringent taste? As this has piqued the interest of many, I would like to offer a more in-depth explanation for a solution. Tea stored in a thermos undergoes oxidation …
The new release of Bao Dao Shan Da Cha Tou Brick 2017, exclusively crafted from Da Cha Tou leaves
Bao Dao Shan Cha Tou Zhuan 2017 is a ripe pu-erh tea crafted into brick form. Bao Dao Shan is the name of the mountain situated in the southwestern part of Yunnan. “Cha Tou” denotes a distinctive type of ripe pu-erh tea. In the course of fermenting spring tea, certain tea clumps naturally develop, known …
We released Lapsang Suchong Qi Zhong Classic: Premium Lapsang Souchong
Lapsang Souchong is one of the earliest known black teas distinguished by a unique production method and flavour profile. Its origins are often linked to the Wuyi Mountains in China’s Fujian province, where Lapsang Souchong is traditionally crafted. Black tea production in the Wuyi region has a history dating back several centuries. Lapsang Souchong tea …
Regular Consumption of Umami Seasoning Can Influence Taste Preferences
Excessive consumption of artificial condiments, such as umami seasonings, is believed to influence one’s taste and preferences. I’d like to share my own view to explore how an overabundance of condiments can indeed influence one’s palate. Umami Seasonings Are Prevalent in Asian Countries I spend half of the year living abroad, particularly in China and …

PAGETOP