Organic Japan Pu Erh Tea
This award-winning organic tea is Japan’s version of the famous fermented tea from China. Pu-erh (also spelled pu’er or pu’erh), a city located in the Yunnan Province of China, is the namesake of pu-erh tea, the most famous subset of Chinese heicha (dark tea). While not from Pu-erh, this Organic Japan Pu-erh Tea boasts one of the most innovative tea production techniques on the market, borrowing manufacturing methods from both pu-erh production and Japanese sake brewing. It begins with unoxidized green tea that is fermented using traditional sake kuro-koji bacteria. After four days of fermentation, the dried tea leaves turn dark brown and take on an aroma of toasted bread, dried fruit, and dark chocolate.
This one-of-a-kind loose leaf tea makes a brew that reminds us of a toasty Japanese Hojicha mixed with a medium bodied Chinese pu-erh, offering little astringency and a lighter version of the musty aroma traditionally associated with pu-erh tea. The smooth, dry cup has prominent notes of toasted grains, backed with stone fruit and baked apple. It is as delicious, as it is unique!
PS - Though this organic tea is made using a sake-style fermentation, it does not contain alcohol.
Ingredients: organic Japanese fermented tea
Origin: Osada Seicha, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Located in central Japan, Shizuoka is known as the capital of Japanese green tea production. Though it is not the oldest producer of tea, it is the largest; this prefecture alone accounts for 40 percent of all green tea production in Japan. Mori Machi is located in an area of Shizuoka that is referred to as “organic tea’s home.” Osada Seicha, the manufacturer and tea garden, has been both growing and manufacturing tea since 1947 and has received numerous international and national awards including a Frontier Prize at the 2010 World Green Tea Contest for their Japan Pu-Erh Tea. For those concerned with the implications of the Fukushima-Daiichi disaster, we continue to have our organic teas from Japan independently tested for radiation.
Steeping Instructions
At Arbor Teas, we believe tea should be brewed to suit your personal taste. We’re happy to make recommendations to get you started, but don’t hesitate to experiment! When brewing your tea, your main considerations are tea quantity, water temperature, and steeping time. We recommend pu-erh teas to be steeped for 5 to 10 minutes in water heated to a full, rolling boil. For the best flavor, use fresh water whenever possible, and avoid overboiling. Try not to steep your tea longer than necessary, as you’ll extract undesirable bitterness from the leaves.If you want a stronger brew, don’t steep longer, just use more tea. And don’t forget to re-steep your tea leaves to get the most out of your leaf!
Looking for more info? Check out our How-To Guides and Eco-Brewing Tips!
Staff Perspectives
- Chelsea
"This is a great pu-erh if you are looking for a dark tea with less of a musty flavor. This reminds me of toast and dried fruit, I love how non-astringent it is!"
- Jeremy
"I had the great honor of visiting Osada’s state-of-the-art production facility in Shizuoka, and was impressed by the painstaking process this tea receives during production. A truly novel tea!"
- Aubrey
"Don’t judge this tea by its stemmy, broken leaves, its appearance belies a precise, high quality production technique."
Health Benefits
Like all true tea, pu erh tea offers many potential health benefits. Research has found that tea (Camellia sinensis) can have many positive effects on human health, including improved cardiovascular function, cancer risk reduction, improved immune function, improved oral health, and help with weight management. Tea is also full of polyphenols, which are a class of antioxidant that help your body maintain homeostasis and balance your stress levels. Pu-Erh specifically has been used in Chinese medicine to support gut health, weight loss, and lower cholesterol.
For more information about the health benefits of pu erh and other types of tea, and for direct sources of the above information, check out our Tea Health Benefits page!
Please note: the information above is for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.