Sheng vs shou pu-erh: what is the difference?
Pu-erh is a fermented and aged tea from Yunnan in China. It comes in two kinds, sheng (raw) and shou (ripe), and the difference is in how the leaf is processed after picking.
How they are made
Sheng pu-erh is pressed and left to age slowly over the years. Shou pu-erh goes through a controlled fermentation of a few weeks, called wodui, which does in weeks what ageing does in decades.
How they taste
- Young sheng: fresh, floral, a little bitter and astringent, close to a green tea
- Aged sheng: deeper, sweet, with notes of dried fruit, honey and wood
- Shou: dark, smooth and earthy, with notes of cocoa, wet wood and sweet soil
Which one should you start with?
Shou is easier: it is forgiving, rich and rarely bitter. Sheng is more complex and changes a lot from steep to steep, but it needs more care with the temperature and the time.
How to brew them
Both kinds give 8 to 15 steeps. See the guide on gongfu brewing for the full method.
- Sheng (young): 5 g per 100 ml, 90 to 95°C, rinse 5 seconds, then 10 to 15 second steeps that grow longer
- Sheng (aged): 6 g per 100 ml, 95 to 100°C, rinse 5 seconds, then 10 to 15 second steeps
- Shou: 5 g per 100 ml, 95 to 100°C, rinse 5 seconds (twice if it smells strongly), then 10 to 20 second steeps
Storing pu-erh
Keep pu-erh dry, away from strong smells and from direct sun, with some fresh air. Sheng changes slowly with the years. Shou is ready to drink at once and changes much less.