Shu Pu Erh Menghai Chocolate, 100 g., AA, 2025

A classic Menghai-style ripe Pu Erh, crafted from a blend of leaves from various tea tree varieties. The raw material is from 2024, and it was pressed in 2025.

Large leaves and a generous amount of buds are pressed into a 100-gram cake. For ease of brewing, the cake is segmented into 7–8 gram squares. The dry tea has a calm, mellow aroma—woody and nutty, with hints of dark chocolate.

The infusion is thick and oily, dark in color, with notes of chocolate, nuts, and spices. The flavor is balanced, juicy, and textured, featuring nuances of chocolate, dry wood, hazelnut, and berries. The aftertaste is substantial, long-lasting, and velvety, with a subtle, pleasant bitterness.

An ideal everyday Pu Erh in a convenient format. It is undemanding to brew and works well both for multiple short infusions (gongfu style) and for steeping in a thermos. It provides an energy boost, brings harmony to the mind and body, offers a warming effect, and helps one get into a productive, focused state of mind.

How to brew

Brewing in a gaiwan or clay teapot

• Water: 90-95°C
  
• Amount of tea: 7-10 g per 120-150 ml
  

Place the tea in a well-warmed gaiwan or teapot and let it warm up for 10 seconds.

First infusion: 10 seconds

Subsequent infusions: gradually increase the steeping time by 10+ seconds

Steeping in a thermos

• Water: 85-90°C
  
• Amount of tea: 5 g per 400-500 ml of water
  

Use slightly less than you'd like to avoid over-steeping the tea, especially if you plan to keep it in the thermos for several hours.

Brewing over a stove

• Amount of tea: 10-15 g per 800-1000 ml of water
  

Bring the water to a near boil and turn off the heat. Let it steep for a while to obtain a soft, pleasant infusion.