Ripe Puer Dragon Pearls

Ripe Puer Dragon Pearls is a high-quality Ripe Puer tea. It is rolled into small balls, which making it ideal and very convenient to use while traveling or even at home. 
Just take one ball, put it in a cup and brew.
The taste is rich and deep. 

Characteristics:

- Origin: Ripe Puer tea, like Raw Puer, originates from Yunnan Province in southwestern China. It was developed in the 1970s as a way to mimic the aging process of Raw Puer tea but in a much shorter timeframe.
- Leaf Appearance: The leaves are typically large and coarse, often compressed into cakes (bings), bricks, or loose leaf forms. They can have a dark, almost black appearance due to the fermentation process.
- Processing Style: The leaves undergo a specific fermentation process known as "wo dui" or wet piling. This involves piling the leaves in a controlled environment where they are kept warm and moist. This encourages microbial fermentation, which transforms the flavor and appearance of the tea.

Flavor and Aroma:

- Flavor: Ripe Puer tea is known for its smooth, mellow, and earthy flavor profile. It lacks the astringency often found in young Raw Puer tea and has a richer, deeper taste. Common flavor notes include earth, wood, mushrooms, and sometimes hints of dark chocolate or ripe fruits.
- Aroma: The aroma of Ripe Puer is deep, earthy, and sometimes reminiscent of damp earth or a forest floor after rain. It can also have sweet, woody undertones.

Tasting Notes:

- First Infusion: Smooth and earthy, with a gentle sweetness and a lingering aftertaste.
- Subsequent Infusions: Develop a richer, more complex flavor profile with deeper earthy notes and a velvety mouthfeel.

Processing:

- Plucking: Similar to Raw Puer, the leaves are harvested from tea trees, often from older trees to enhance complexity.
- Fermentation: After withering and firing, the leaves are piled and kept warm and moist for several weeks to undergo fermentation. This process enhances the tea’s flavor and promotes the development of its characteristic dark color.
- Drying: The leaves are then dried to remove excess moisture and stabilize the fermentation process.

Cultivation and Harvest:

- Ripe Puer tea is grown in the same regions of Yunnan Province as Raw Puer, benefiting from the area’s climate, altitude, and fertile soil.
- The leaves may be harvested from both cultivated tea gardens and wild-growing ancient tea trees, contributing to the tea’s diversity in flavor and quality.

Appearance:
- Dry Ripe Puer tea leaves are typically tightly compressed into cakes or bricks. The color ranges from dark brown to black, with golden or reddish-brown tips visible on some leaves.
- When brewed, Ripe Puer tea infuses into a dark reddish-brown liquor, often opaque and glossy in appearance.

Health Benefits:

- Ripe Puer tea shares similar health benefits with Raw Puer and other teas, such as antioxidant properties from catechins and polyphenols, which may support overall health and well-being.
- It contains caffeine, providing a gentle stimulant effect.

Brewing Tips:

Chinese Gongfu Method (5oz / 150ml):

1. Tea Leaf-to-Water Ratio: Use approximately 5-7 grams of Ripe Puer Tea for 150 ml (5 oz) of water. This ratio allows for a higher concentration suitable for Gongfu brewing.

2. Water Temperature: Heat water to around 95-100°C (203-212°F). Using water just off the boil helps to extract the rich flavors and aromas from the compressed leaves of Ripe Puer.

3. Brewing Time:
   - First Infusion: Steep for about 10-20 seconds initially. Ripe Puer Tea is often compressed tightly, so this short steeping time allows the leaves to start unfolding and releasing their flavors without over-extraction.
   - Subsequent Infusions: Increase the steeping time slightly for each subsequent infusion. For example, steep for 20-30 seconds for the second infusion, then adjust based on taste preference. Ripe Puer Tea can typically be steeped multiple times (3-5 infusions or more) using Gongfu brewing, with each infusion revealing different layers of flavor as the leaves open up.

Cup Method (8.8oz / 250ml):

1. Tea Leaf-to-Water Ratio: Adjust based on personal preference for tea strength. 

2. Water Temperature: Use water at around 95-100°C (203-212°F), similar to Gongfu brewing.

3. Brewing Time:
   - Steep Time: Steep Ripe Puer Tea for 3-4 minutes. This longer steeping time allows the flavors to fully develop in the larger volume of water, resulting in a smooth and mellow infusion with a rich, dark liquor.

Cultural Significance:

- Ripe Puer tea has gained popularity globally for its unique fermentation process and distinctive flavor profile.
- It is often valued for its smoothness, depth, and the potential for long-term aging, which can further enhance its flavor and complexity.
- Ripe Puer tea is enjoyed both as a daily beverage and as a collector's item, with aged vintages commanding high prices among tea enthusiasts and collectors.

In summary, Ripe Puer tea stands out for its deep, earthy flavor, smooth mouthfeel, and unique fermentation process. It represents a blend of tradition, craftsmanship, and cultural heritage from the tea-rich region of Yunnan Province, making it a cherished tea variety among aficionados worldwide.

• Collected: 2010
• Origin: Menghai, Yunnan 
• Taste: The fragrance is rich, smooth, earthy and woody.