Also known as pu'er, puerh, sheng / shou or dark tea, pu-erh tea is a unique type of tea grown in Yunnan, China. It dates back centuries and has a long history of consumption and tea culture in Tibet, Nepal, Yunnan and Guangdong. More recently, it has become a staple drink in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

There are several main ways of categorizing pu-erh teas, which can lead to much confusion amongst those new to the centuries old drink. For example, pu-erh can be classified by the many different shapes in which it can be made, including bing or cakes (which are larger discs), tuo cha (which are like little birds' nests) and uncompressed, or loose-leaf, tea. It can also be classified as aged, green or cooked, or by its mountain(s) or origin, or whether ir not is organic, or which factory it comes from. You can see how this could get confusing!

But for those looking for some basics on pu-erh tea, I've written a straightforward guide to pu-erh tea, which outlines its flavors, health benefits, origins / history, processing, shapes and brewing methods. It gets into some detail, but not so much that it's overwhelming for newbies or daunting to wade through. It s my hope that this guide will be a solid introduction to pu-erh and that you will further your exploration of this incredible drink after reading it!

Photo (c) Lindsey Goodwin

Many people think of health as the main reason to drink organic tea. And while there has been a growing body of research on the health benefits of organic tea and detriments of conventionally grown tea, there are plenty more (and, arguably, better) reasons to opt for organic tea. Here are the top five reasons to choose organic tea over conventional (or "inorganic") tea. Check them out and feel free to leave your personal reasons for buying organic tea in the comments below. Happy drinking!

Photo (c) Lindsey Goodwin
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I recently had the chance to review a few more bottled teas. One is another in a series of GT's kombucha reviews, GT's Organic Raw Multi-Green Kombucha. The other is a collection of several Honest Tea reviews. And, as always, you can read more reviews in the bottled drink reviews section of the site. Enjoy!

Photo (c) Lindsey Goodwin
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Interested in learning more about tea? Sign up for the free, easy Tea 101 e-course.

Soy milk is commonly used as a dairy alternative and a coffee and tea additive. There are many health claims and warnings surrounding soy milk, some of which are valid and some of which are questionable. Find out the truth about soy milk's health benefits and detriments with Is Soy Milk Really Healthy? before your next soy latte or soy chai.

Photo (c) Lindsey Goodwin
Do you tweet? Follow About Coffee/Tea on Twitter.
Are you on Facebook? "Like" About Coffee/Tea.
Interested in learning more about tea? Sign up for the free, easy Tea 101 e-course.