Teas and how they are procssed

Pu-erh tea harvesting is a traditional process that begins with selecting mature tea leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant, typically grown in Yunnan, China. Here’s a brief overview:

Picking: The leaves are hand-picked, often in spring or early summer, when they are tender and rich in nutrients. Harvesters usually select whole leaves and buds for quality.

Withering: Fresh leaves are spread out to reduce moisture and make them pliable for processing.

Fixing (Kill-Green): Leaves are pan-fried or steamed to stop oxidation, preserving their green color and preventing them from turning into black tea.

Rolling: The leaves are gently rolled to shape them and break down cell walls, which helps release flavor during fermentation.

Drying: Leaves are sun-dried or air-dried to remove most moisture, creating Maocha, the raw material for Pu-erh.

Fermentation & Aging: Maocha can be compressed into cakes and either aged naturally (raw Pu-erh) or undergo accelerated fermentation (ripe Pu-erh).