What is Puerh tea?
In terms of processing (and just about every other way, too), Puerh is a special case, not conforming to the methods outlined in the answer to question 2 above. Puerh, named for a trade city in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, is unique in undergoing a stage of genuine fermentation during manufacture. To achieve this, the tea leaves are heaped into dense piles. In a process similar to the microbiology of wine and beer making -which employ bacteria and yeast- Puerh tea is fermented with mold. When the desired color, aroma, and flavor have developed, the mold is carefully removed to prevent spoiling. “Green” (or “raw”) Puerh tea is not fermented. It is sun-dried and allowed to oxidize naturally over a long period (many years if possible). Puerh tea is known not only for its uniquely rich, earthy flavor, but also for its potent medicinal properties (generally related to the reduction of cholesterol and blood fats) and the fact that rather than becoming stale and tasteless as it ages,
