Only Pure & Authentic Quality Tea

Category: Pu-Erh Page 1 of 2

Why love drinking Pu’erh tea?

Recently a Chinese Pu’erh expert, Mr. Lin Mo, concluded his thoughts of loving pu’erh tea in a pretty simple statement:

There are at least three simple reasons for pu’erh tea lovers: taste good, endured strength in taste and aftertaste.

So, what are my reasons for loving pu’erh tea? Actually I can conclude my reasons briefly as follow:

  • The definition of “good flavors and tastes” can be varied from person to person;
  • Being able to drink strong tea does not equivalent to knowing tea and know how to appreciate tea.
  • The post fermentation process of pure and fine processed quality in both raw pu’erh (Sheng Pu’erh)and ripped pu’erh (Shou Pu’erh)can surprise tea lovers by its varied multiple layers in flavors and tastes from different brewing.
  • Can tea lovers appreciate the changing in flavors and endured strength in tastes from what pu’erh tea can present, it subjects to how much tea lovers know how to distinguish and appreciate..

It does not matter what your preferences in flavors or tastes are, it doesn’t matter how are your physical and energy conditions in different seasons, you always can find one matching drink in pu’erh tea.

Purple Buds Sheng Pu’er

As usual I always give myself and my husband a treat with a pot of fine tea we love before we go to bed.

The choice tonight is Purple Buds Sheng Pu’erh of 2005 from JingMai shan, in the Laku self governing region in Lincang, there are more than 28,000 Mou of ancient tea growing region near the border of Myanmar.

The flavours and tastes are smooth, gentle, sweet and fine. No trace of astringency and bitterness. The flavours and tastes are intensified in the 2nd brewing and the taste is getting finer. I am surprised by its astonishing strength in the after taste.

What a beautiful and pleasant night tonight with the #purpletippy #shengpuerh of 2005 from #jinmaishan.

“Aging” vs “Musty”

Don’t remember when was the first time I drank Pu’erh in Taiwan, can’t even remember whether it was Sheng (Raw) or Shou (Ripped) Pu’erh, all I can remember is I disliked the ‘musty’, even somewhat urine-like flavor.

In the year of 1985 when I started to learn tea, we could only buy or taste Pu’erh imported from Hong Kong and I did not know the difference between Sheng vs. Shou Pu’erh, because at that time it was not possible directly from China so it was not possible to get the first hand knowledge about Pu’erh at that time. I only knew many years later that Hong Kong Chinese loved the “aging” flavors in Pu’erh. But the question about “Why experienced Pu’erh tea lovers in Hong Kong like to emphasis the ‘aging’ flaov and taste” hunted me for many years until I have the first opportunity to visit the MengHai Tea Manufacturing Factory in XiShuanBanNa in 2002 when I was amazed by the pleasant flaovrs and tastes from authhentic aged Pu’erh.

Post fermentation is very important to the aging quality of Pu’erh. There are big difference between appropriately aged ‘aging’ flavor vs. badly stored ‘musty’ flavor.

People who first taste the Pu’erh would probably experience as what I have by its unique flavors and tastes without able to tell the difference between ‘aging’ vs. ‘Heap’ vs. “Musty” in flavors and tastes.

“Aging” reflects the the quality of post-fermented flavors of time (min. 10 years and above) that appears in different flavors, such as Chinese herbal woody sweetness, ripped plums, musk, or agarwood, as if old wooden furnitures in 3-D exuding. The flavors and tastes are pure and pleasant.

Tea particular from Fushu Puerh has very rich chemical substances, can easily absorb the moisture and ordor in the air, with unappropriate storage it eventually causes musty. “Musty” actually is a bad smell due to the corruption of quality that represents in unpleasant or even loathe flavors, some even in tastes.

“Heap” often appears in newly pile of Pu’erh that are yet to get aged further.With appropriate storing conditions, the heap flavors would gradually weaken in 2-3 years.

Tea, regardless tea type, should be stored in clean, ventilated, dark, dry, odor-free, non-polluting environment.

The aging process in the post-fermentation is very important for Pu’erh. However, the first thing must know is the aging process won’t make a bad quality tea to become good, but carefully selection and investment plus appropriate storing conditions and care would indeed improve the appreciation of pu’erh tea to become a better investment.

Investment Appreciation in Tea

Having the right quality and store it appropriately for the aging process for dark tea, including Pu’erh (particular Raw Pu’erh), would influence how well the appreciation of your investment in the coming years.

The post-fermentation process won’t make bad quality tea become good, therefore, it is better to invest on better quality instead of shopping because the price is cheap.

If you could invest well, then can expect the annual growth of investment appreciation by 10% or even more. Of course, the storage conditions play a vital role to influence the quality to flavors and taste in the aging post fermentation process.

#darktea #agingprocess #agedpuerh #ageddarkteaBelgium Chinese Tea Arts Centre Cha Dao – The Way of Tea.Pure Quality Tea Belgium Tea Shop Tea Culture Rendez-vous

Flavors of Post Fermentation

A post in the Gongfu Cha group on Facebook about having hair on tea cake caught a lot of interesting discussion since last night. Some people suggested that growing hair on tea cake means better quality. This reminded me why I disliked Pu’erh since I started to learn tea in 1985, because Pu’erh tea cake that I could find at that time in Taiwan were smuggling from Hong Kong, and I was totally not attracted by very strong dammed housing even urine-like flavors. However, the first visit to the Menghai Tea Factory in 2002, the natural and pleasant flavors and taste from Pu’erh, especially aged Pu’erh, were so attracted that turned my mind around completely.

Therefore, my first learning about Pu’erh started from distinguish the flavors changes in Sheng Pu’erh and Shou Pu’erh with different storaging conditions and the change in post fermentation.

Even many Chinese people can’t distinguish the difference between Chen Wei 陳味 (aging flavors) and Mei Wei 霉味 vs. . “stacking” flavors (Dui Wei 堆味)

For pu’erh or dark tea lover, especially to tea sommeliers, I do think we should not mess up with the “stacking” flavors (Dui Wei 堆味) vs. musty flavors (Mei Wei 霉味) vs. aging flavors (Chen Wei 陳味), because these three post fermented flavors have totally different presentations in terms of appearance – under appropriate storaging,

Image may contain: nature
Left:
Coronaria appears in greyish white (from natural aging fermentation
Right:
Scutellaria appears in white hair on tea cake (inappropriate dammed warehousing or bad storaging)

  • Color – With appropriate storage, actually the color of Pu’erh appears healthy and shinny. However, it is possible for some Sheng Pu’erh started to develop greyish white, it is the appearance of Coronaria which is not same as the structure of Scutellaria due to inappropriate storaging. The later would potentiallly have negative effects to health
  • flavors – the moldy in tea cake would develop very strong unpleasant flavors which are not same as appropriately aged flavors and tastes.
  • tastes – The black color mildew has an adverse effect on tea, often make the taste unpleasant because of “hemp, hanging throat, throat”.

Suggestions:

  • Avoid to purchase tea cake/brick/toucha that have 2 or more musty characters , because your health matters
  • Pay attention to the entire storaging environment but not just single storaging condition – air flow, bad odor-free, avoid light
  • Avoid to put Sheng Pu’erh with Shou Pu’erh together for aging process
  • Avoid to follow the sales marketing slogan blindly, learn to listen own body


Aged Pu’erh reached a record high price in Hong Kong Autumn auction

How crazy rich Chinese Pu’erh collectors can be?  Well, this latest news perhaps can give you an idea.
Auction in Hong Kong just finished, after five hours, Lot No. 387 Pu’erh tea cake (Sheng Pu’erh #8582) from the late 80’s has received the highest bid, five million seven hundred fifty thousand HKG dollars, the price is higher than the price in the Spring auction.
There are 42 pcs in this lot according to this photo, the unit price per tea cake is 3,750,000HKG Dollars (+/- abt. EUR500K per cake).
Another Lot No. 229 Pu’erh from Yang Pin Hao (楊聘號) ended with 2 million eighty eight thousand HKG dollars.
As you could imagine such rocky sky high priced Pu’erh are only for few rich Chinese; even though these look very attractive, but such luxury is not affordable by most people.
We support pure and authentic quality of tea, but not willing or able to support such high price bidding, because we aim to serve vase tea lovers but not just few tea collectors. Money can buy such priceless aged Pu’erh, but money can not buy time. No matter what, one thing is clear that such aged Pu’erh are limited in the world, every cup they drink, then a piece of it is gone.

Is Pu’erh Black Tea or Dark Tea?

In the Doucha (鬥茶) of a tea sample that girl friend from Ivo’s colleague brought who hoped I can give his girl friend a feed back about the quality, therefore the Doucha last night  did not mean to compete but simply tried to understand the unique characters of each tea.

The word of “Vintage Pu’erh” caught my attention, but quickly noticed an error on the package, because the British tea company put the tea type as “Black Tea ” (Hong Cha 紅茶in Chinese), as matter of fact, Pu’erh, particular Shou Pu (Ripped Pu’erh) should be in the “Dark Tea” (Hei Cha 黑茶 in Chinese) tea type.

Pu'erh is Dark Tea but not Black Tea in English

Pu’erh is Dark Tea but not Black Tea in English

The Heap Fermentation process has long history, it meant to produce water and temperature through the respiration of the added strain, to destroy the chlorophll in tea

Shou Pu 熟普 was not exist before 1973.  Before that they called the aged Pu’erh as Chen Cha 陳茶.  The production process for Pu’erh was very simple before the 70’s, Withering-> Solar Drying -> Steaming -> Compressing -> Drying.  The heap fermentation with cold water process actually was invented in 1958 by Liu Bao Cha 六堡茶 from Wuzhou, Guangxi.  But the heap fermentation of these two dark tea are different starting from the beginning:

  • The heap fermentation for Liubao tea is piling tea up during the production process
  • The heap fermentation for Shou Pu’erh is also using the piling up method after the production of Sheng Pu’erh

There are two types of Pu’erh, Sheng Pu 生普 and Shou Pu 熟普, because only Shou Pu uses the heap fermentation process, therefore, perhaps only Shou Pu really meets with Dark Tea.

According to the sticker, the original packed weight was 2,5gm, but actual weight I received is 1,5gm, therefore it means Ivo’s colleague only used 1,0gm to make tea in +/- 320ml tea pot.  That explains the infusion time of 3-5 minutes.

last night performed #doucha 鬥茶 – small-leaf ripped pu’erh vintage grade。

Vintage Pu’erh tea sample of Nxxxy
Flavor: obvious wet warehousing stinky aroma
Shape: tips are small, many broken leaves
Color: redish brown, problem with clarity
Taste: soft sweet but flat
After taste: not sufficient, weak Qi
Nxxxy mistaken the tea type as “Black Tea”, actually tea type for ripped Pu’erh is Dark Tea in English

2006 #puerhchahuang #普洱茶皇
Flavors: dried aging, woody with ripped fluity flavors
Shape: fatty tips, broken leaves are much less
Color: Rich Amber, good clarity
Taste: gentle sweet, full mouth of taste notes
After taste: rather faste, sufficient after tastes, feel warm quickly with Qi

Each person has his or her unique preference in flavours and tastes, it is a matter of definning the meaning for what define vintage quality and how individual choice differ from each others. So what is your choice?

 

Pu’erh – My cup of tea

Tasting you

What a joyful reunion of two old friends

even though it wasn’t long ago

but each time it’s like two old friends who met after a long time

Each reunion is such wonderful moment with joyful tear and heart full emotion

Such passion that can neither be described with words nor be melted even with ice from the North Pole.

Tasting you

It is like listening to the charm that hangs on the horse neck

It guides me to the ancient tea route with the sound of clink, clink, clink

Every step we move forwards, a new path is opened before us that has no end.

Old friend

even though you are far from the South, at the edge of cloud,

and yet you are so close to my heart

Silently you emerge with the beautiful harmony in Nature

Silently you enrich the healthy living, bring us joy

and guard us through the wisdom of Confucian, Taoism and Buddhism

It doesn’t matter which comes first, tea or people, just because you are already here.

Old friend,

With you, there are so many amazing stories and secrets of ancient tribes to tell

With you, we taste the harmony melody of heaven, earth and human, we realize the virtue of keeping head down

Time passed by without a trace

you have turned, turned, turned around for  thousands of year

and yet are still turning

You have been through many storms and changes

You have witnessed many turmoil and chaos

You stand straight quietly, do your best to survive and hope we can listen

You shed so many tear for human errors, your voice has not been heard and yet we fail to listen

Puerh Tea

One ancient Chinese name

It brings the gentle breeze and the whisper from the Nature

One big leaf that has many legends and surprises

One big leaf that has varied flavor and taste that transformed in time

My heart is touched by the natural wisdom

Every cup opens a door for a new journey

A true friend that enlightens my day in the darkness, warms up my heart in the coldness

Its warmth frees my mind and its wisdom whispers to my soul

It’s my cup of tea

It’s Pu’erh

2008 Bu Lang Sheng Pu’erh

Under the greyish sky, it’s time to enjoy the calm and ease energy.  After a bowl of noddle, I said to myself that I need to have a cup of tea to stimulate the digestion. The fine image of Bada mountain and ZhangLang cottages that mentioned in the earlier blog still hanging in my memory.  So my mind was set for Pu’erh.

Instead of young Sheng Pu’erh, it’s time for old tea; instead of opening another dialogue page in mind, I chose the Sheng Pu’erh from ZhangLang made by Bu Lang tribe of 2008.

2008 Bu Lang Sheng Pu’erh

After so many years,can easily divide leaves from the cake.

It’s hard to describe that joyful feeling when smelling that mixture of refreshing fruity, betel nuts, mos and grassy notes; the only thought was “Yes, Yes, Yes”.

What I love about Sheng Pu’erh from Zhanglang made by Bu Lang tribe is when you first drink it, the taste was soft and smooth, but the mouth is quickly full with the astringent after taste and the after taste last long.

When brewing this 8 years old Sheng Pu’erh made from >100 years old tea tree with wood-fired ceramic tea ware, it’s like enjoying a dialogue that combine wisdom of five elements between two zen monks. The dialogue without speaking, simply enjoy peace and tranquillity in a moment of silence.

 

 

2017 Pu’erh (Sheng)

2017 Pu’erh tea is available. The market for Pu’erh this spring again is tricky, because the quantity is less due to the insufficient rain and frost. Luckily the weather showed her mercy before, during and after leaves were picked.
 
Expecting the price marks high this year, but I believe the quality is  interesting that worth for collection.
 
A no-so-good quality Pu’erh won’t become good-to-better quality pu’erh by the aging process through years of storage. It’s better to invest on good-to-better quality to have a reasonable stone to make a snow ball in the future.
 
Growing old together Pu’erh is fun and inspiring.

BaDa/ZhangLang Sheng Pu’erh

Region:

Tea cake is made from tea leaves from Zhanglang cottage and BaDa mountain region.  The average age of tea tree: >100 years old.  

BaDa Mountain is one of the most
concentrated areas of ancient tea tree resources in Xishuangbanna, and there are more than 6,000 mu of original ancient tea tree.  Zhanglang is the largest family stockade of BuLang tribe.  The altitude is about 1750meters where have not only very rich resource for Puerh tea production, but also the cultural heritage is also obsessed by many people who appreciate tea and nature. 

Flavour & Taste

BuLang Pu’er tea is known for its steady atmosphere, delicated flavor from the tea liquid. The taste is somewhat watery soft and smooth with slight bitter astringent taste; the after taste comes slowly in mouth but full of stamina that chants in your mind with its memorable flavor and taste.

Picking date: around 29/3/2017

Net weight: 200grams

In general, this year the region has ess rain after the Chinese New Year and the frost afterwards caused drops of fresh young leaves.  The quantity has drops about 40% but the demands are increased therefore the whole sales price increases more than double than last year. Even though the price is slightly higher this year, but the quality is worth for collection.

Please contact me for more information.

Email: info@teasommelier.be

Tel: +32-494506899

 

Page 1 of 2

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén