Sheng Pu'er Tea is made from Yunnan large-Leaf sun-dried Green Tea, which undergoes steaming, pressing, and aging. In contrast, Shou (Ripe) Pu'er tea is made by adding water and undergoing a pile fermentation process on the basis of sun-dried green tea. The color of Sheng Pu'er tea is dark green, while that of Shou Pu'er tea is brown. The infusion of Sheng Pu'er tea presents a yellowish-green hue, whereas the infusion of Shou Pu'er tea is reddish-brown. Sheng Pu'er tea has a strong flavor with a slightly astringent taste, while Shou Pu'er tea has a milder flavor with a long-lasting sweet aftertaste.

Sheng Pu'er tea is somewhat cold in nature and can be considered similar to green tea. However, if stored for a long time and well-aged, it becomes more gentle. On the other hand, Shou Pu'er tea is warm in nature and is effective for warming the stomach and reducing greasy foods.

Differences in Processing Techniques Between Sheng and Shou Teas

The difference in processing techniques is the most fundamental distinction between Sheng and Shou Pu'er teas. To put it simply, Sheng Pu'er refers to tea made from Yunnan large-leaf sun-dried green tea that undergoes natural aging, followed by processing, organizing, decorating, shaping, and other steps to produce Pu'er tea. Shou Pu'er, however, requires additional artificial fermentation and pile fermentation processes based on the processing of Sheng Pu'er. This results in significant differences in appearance between Shou and Sheng Pu'er teas. Sheng Pu'er tea appears greenish with relatively bright colors, while Shou Pu'er tea is a liver color or brown, appearing quite dull. Most people can intuitively distinguish between Shou and Sheng Pu'er teas by the color of the tea cakes.

Core Processes of Sheng and Shou Pu'er Teas

The core process of Sheng Pu'er tea is fixation, while the core process of Shou Pu'er tea is pile fermentation.

Fixation: Fixation involves placing fresh leaves in a pot to cook them until they are fully cooked, allowing as much moisture as possible to evaporate. Afterward, the effective components within the fresh leaves are decomposed and restructured.

Pile Fermentation: Pile fermentation involves stacking sun-dried green tea to a certain height, sprinkling water over it, covering it with hemp cloth, and promoting enzymatic activity. The tea then ferments under moist heat conditions for about 24 hours until it reaches a certain degree of transformation, after which it is spread out to dry.