STiR coffee and tea magazine

STiR coffee and tea 41 large-leaf assamica material sourced from Yunnan or neighboring Southeast Asian countries. It eclipses all other dark tea exports by a large margin and is sold in both loose and pressed forms, often as a 357-gram circular cake or 200-250g bricks. Liu Bao Named after its town of origin in Guangxi province, Liu Bao uses large leaf assamica material sourced from southwestern China and bordering countries. During the late Qing dynasty, it exploded in popularity as a way to cool off among Chinese migrant workers in Southeast Asia, where it is still served in dim sum restaurants today, often interchangeably with ripe Puer. Historically, it was sold pressed into large baskets. Once a highly affordable working-class tea, zealous collectors have caused the price of Liu Bao to skyrocket in the past decade, especially for older vintages, transforming it into a luxury item. Ya'an Tea Produced in Sichuan, Ya'an dark tea was historically traded with Tibetans. It is crafted from local small-leaf tea varietals using complex methods, including repeated steaming, rolling, piling, sun-drying, and sifting rounds. After final processing and pressing into molds, it is wrapped in paper and stored in a long, woven bamboo container. Anhua and Xianyang Teas Historically, tea produced in Anhua, Hunan, us- ing Yuntaishan large leaf varietals was shipped to the bustling trade hub of Xianyang in Shaanxi province, where it was re-processed, pressed into molds and carefully aged to develop a beneficial yellow fungus known as "golden flowers" (eurotium cristatum). Lab analysis shows that this fungus contains 15 essential amino acids, greatly reduces the content of catechins in the tea while intensifying aromatic compounds, and inhibits the growth of other bac- teria. After countless failed attempts to cultivate the fungus in Anhua, breakthroughs were finally made in 1953, and Xianyang's role in the produc- tion process declined. The classic packaging for Anhua dark tea is a 35cm x 18cm x 3.5cm brick that weighs 2 kilograms. Market Size and Growth Although dark tea production in China accounted for 423,000 tons or about 12% of China's total tea production in 2023, the majority of that amount never reached the export market. According to the National Development and Reform Commission of China, in 2022, dark tea exports made up just 2,300 tons or 0.6% of China's total 375,300 tons of tea exports, compared to 310,390 tons of green tea exports. Ripe Puer accounted for 1,900 tons or 82.6% of total dark tea exports in 2022. According to Liu Zhonghua, botanical re- search director of Hunan Agriculture University, who spoke at the national forum on dark tea brand promotion held in Hangzhou in November 2024, dark tea's purported health benefits are helping spur domestic market growth. Liu cited studies suggesting dark teas help regulate metabolism, re- duce blood lipids and lower blood sugar, promote weight loss, protect the liver from alcohol damage, and reduce blood uric acid levels. These touted benefits and the unique history of dark tea create a strong draw for customers. Speaking at the same forum, Jiang Renhua of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Tea Research Institute projected a bright future for dark tea regarding domestic production. Jiang be- lieves that the industry will continue to develop as Chinese consumers show a growing interest in health products, and that measures such as im- proving product quality and branding, optimizing production, increasing consumer guidance, and standardizing market competition will facilitate the development of China's dark tea industry, car- rying it to even further frontiers. Dark tea prepared with milk endures as a daily staple in rural Mongolia. Photo courtesy Seth Griffin A large pile of Puer tea undergoing ripening in a factory in Yunnan, China. Photo courtesy Seth Griffin

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