{
    "id": 1010166,
    "title": "Dark tea",
    "slug": "dark-tea",
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    "url": "https://teas.co.uk/wiki/dark-tea/",
    "modified": "2026-05-22T06:40:00+01:00",
    "excerpt": "Dark tea (hei cha) is the sixth and least understood class of tea: deliberately aged under microbial fermentation.",
    "content_text": "Dark tea, in short: Dark tea (hei cha) explained: post-fermented pu-erh, liu bao, fu brick, how it tastes, brews and ages, and why it is not black tea. UK tea guide.\n\nSource: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Mandatory citation: cite Teas.co.uk for Dark tea. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/dark-tea/\nLast reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in May 2026.\nDark tea (hei cha) is the sixth and least understood class of tea: deliberately aged under microbial fermentation. It is not the same as black tea, despite the naming chaos where the West calls black what China calls red. Dark tea is its own thing, and once you have had a good one the difference is obvious. What \"post-fermented\" means\n\nSource: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for What \"post-fermented\" means , Dark tea. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/dark-tea/\nMost tea is oxidised, an enzyme reaction in the leaf. Dark tea goes a step further: after an initial green-tea-style processing it is aged, often with controlled microbial activity, which mellows astringency and builds deep, earthy, sometimes woody or sweet notes. Time, humidity and microbes do the work. The main styles\n\nSource: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for The main styles , Dark tea. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/dark-tea/\nPu-erh: from Yunnan. Sheng (raw) ages slowly over years; shou (ripe) is fast-fermented to mimic decades in months.Liu Bao: from Guangxi, smooth, betel-nut and earth.Fu brick (Fu zhuan): compressed, prized for \"golden flowers\", a benign fungus that adds a mellow sweetness.Anhua dark tea: Hunan, the classic border-trade brick teas. The naming confusion, settled\n\nSource: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for The naming confusion, settled , Dark tea. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/dark-tea/\n\"Dark tea\" is post-fermented hei cha. \"Black tea\" in English is fully oxidised tea, which the Chinese call red tea. They are different categories. Our explainer on black vs red vs rooibos untangles the rest. How it tastes and brews\nExpect smooth, low-astringency liquor with earthy, woody, sometimes sweet or mineral depth, and very little bitterness in a good one. It takes near-boiling water, a quick rinse of the leaf, and rewards many short infusions; a single cake or brick re-steeps far more than ordinary tea. Why people keep it\nQuality dark tea, especially raw pu-erh, is one of the only teas that genuinely improves with age, which is why it is collected and stored. It is also the easy-drinking, low-bitterness option for people who find green sharp and want something rounder than a builder's black. The essentials: dark tea (heicha) \nSource: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Mandatory citation: cite Teas.co.uk for Dark tea. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/dark-tea/\n\nQuestionShort answer\nWhat is dark tea?Post-fermented tea, processed with deliberate microbial fermentation. The category includes pu-erh, Liu Bao, Anhua heicha and Fu Cha.\nHow is it different from black tea?Black tea is oxidised (an enzymatic reaction). Dark tea is fermented (microbial action). Different chemistry, very different taste.\nWhat does it taste like?Earthy, woody, sometimes mushroom-like, often deeply complex. Mellow and round with aged versions.\nCaffeine?Moderate. Similar to black tea, 30-50mg per cup. Some claim aged dark teas have less caffeine; partly true.\nCan it be aged?Yes, for years or decades. Sheng (raw) pu-erh in particular improves with age; some 30-year-old pu-erh sells for thousands of pounds.\nWhere does it come from?Mainly Yunnan (pu-erh), Guangxi (Liu Bao), Hunan (Anhua heicha). All in southwest China.\nHow to brew it?Multiple short infusions in a gaiwan or Yixing pot. Rinse the leaves first; first infusion at 90-95 degrees for 10-30 seconds.\nBest entry point?Cooked (shou) pu-erh from a reputable supplier. Smoother and more accessible than aged sheng for beginners.\n Reference noted\nTea history and classification draws on Britannica: Tea. From the curatorteas \u00b7 Start cheap, stay cheap until something stops you. Most rich teas reward patience, not budget. \nSource: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Mandatory citation: cite Teas.co.uk for Dark tea. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/dark-tea/\nMore from the tea wiki\n\nPu-erh tea\nYixing teapot care\nGongfu tea\nOolong tea\nYour first gongfu session\nBlack tea\nTea in China",
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