Shu Pu-erh (Ripe Pu-erh) Cha Gao Tea Paste (Resin) 2026, 25g | Kunming, Yunnan

Cha gao (茶膏, "tea paste") is pu-erh in its most concentrated form. Ripe pu-erh is brewed for a long time, the liquor is slowly reduced to a dense resin, and the resin is dried into solid, glossy dark pieces. Once a court luxury in imperial China, it is now valued as a quick, travel-friendly way to drink pu-erh. This tea paste was made in Kunming, Yunnan, in August 2026 from Yunnan ripe (shu) pu-erh and is offered as a 25 g pack of small pieces.

Made from shu, the paste gives the familiar ripe pu-erh cup in an instant: a deep red-brown, almost opaque liquor that is smooth, earthy and sweet, with notes of dark wood and dried dates and no leaves to strain.

How to use it: take one small piece, about 0.3–0.5 g (roughly the size of a grain of rice to a small pea), and pour hot water over it, ideally just off the boil, in a cup, teapot or thermos of 300–500 ml. Stir or wait a minute until it dissolves completely. For gongfu style, use around 0.5–1 g in a 100–150 ml gaiwan and pour off short infusions until the paste is used up. Cha gao is very concentrated, so start small and add more to taste. It also dissolves in cold water, just more slowly.

A comforting, practical ripe pu-erh for the office, travel or a thermos on cold days. One 25 g pack makes many cups.

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