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Puerh & Dark Teas
Fermented and compressed — the only teas that genuinely improve with age, and the only ones that forgive boiling water universally.
Ripe (Shou) Puerh
🍵Puerh accelerated through wet fermentation (shou): immediate dark-earth depth, smooth, and forgiving of any steep.
Water Temp: 100°C (212°F)
Steep Time: 20–30 s (gongfu) / 4 min (Western)
Leaf per 8 oz: 1 tbsp (6 g)
Resteeps: 6–8
Caffeine: Medium (~30 mg)
Complete Steeping Guide
Raw (Sheng) Puerh
🍵Sun-dried Yunnan leaf compressed into cakes: young sheng is bitter-bracing; aged sheng becomes honeyed and famous.
Water Temp: 95–100°C (203–212°F)
Steep Time: 15–25 s (gongfu)
Leaf per 8 oz: 1 tbsp (6 g)
Resteeps: 8+
Caffeine: High (~45 mg)
Complete Steeping Guide
Liu Bao
🍵Guangxi's post-fermented dark tea: betel nut, camphor, and a smooth red-amber cup that traditional tea drinkers swear by.
Water Temp: 100°C (212°F)
Steep Time: 30 s (gongfu) / 4 min (Western)
Leaf per 8 oz: 1 tbsp (6 g)
Resteeps: 5–6
Caffeine: Medium (~28 mg)
Complete Steeping Guide