Four years of aging

by **Drax** » Mar 17th, '13, 14:39

Four years of aging

by Drax » Mar 17th, '13, 14:39

I was inspired by Cloud's recent post that showed great comparison shots of a couple of cakes over ten years of aging.

I didn't think I had taken a lot of pictures where I could do comparisons like it, but I went back into my archives and I did manage to find some decent enough pictures.

In any case, I've been drinking pu'erh for a much shorter period of time, so my picture only shows 4 years of aging, but here is a comparison:

: A comparison of just over 4 years of aging.; comparison.jpg (45.75 KiB) Viewed 532 times

It's a 2008 tea, but I've decided not to name the tea for now, because I think it was (is?) a sort of controversial tea at the time. So rather than focus on that, I'd rather focus on the appearance.

I had to brighten the left image a bit because it was dark, but the coloring is pretty accurate (a vendor still sells this cake, and the pictures look quite green).

I'm enjoying a session with the tea right now. The first steep was quite smooth, a vague hint of wood on the edges, but also a hint of "black tea" in the aftertaste. The second and third cups have marked astringency and roughness. It's still has a lot of youth in it, which is not too surprising.

Time to go make the 4th cup. I'll see if I can get some good lighting to take a picture of the steep. I think I have a picture of the steep back in 2009, too...

by **Drax** » Mar 17th, '13, 14:55

Re: Four years of aging

by Drax » Mar 17th, '13, 14:55

Okay, here's a comparison of the steeps.

I can't remember what number the steep was back in 2009 (left side); I used a flash for that photo, too. The steep for 2013 (right side) is number four; ambient daylight, photo sharpened.

: 2009 on left (not sure # steep), 2013 on right (4th steep); steep_comparison.jpg (21.69 KiB) Viewed 525 times

by **futurebird** » Mar 17th, '13, 15:00

Re: Four years of aging

by futurebird » Mar 17th, '13, 15:00

How did you store this one?

by **Drax** » Mar 17th, '13, 15:04

Re: Four years of aging

by Drax » Mar 17th, '13, 15:04

Oh right, I've got a "pumidor," or a dedicated pu cabinet. I keep the humidity at 65-72% RH and the temperature ranges with the seasons (usually 70F to 90F).

by **TomVerlain** » Mar 17th, '13, 15:36

Re: Four years of aging

by TomVerlain » Mar 17th, '13, 15:36

the pumidor is doing the job for you - looks good.

by **Drax** » Mar 21st, '13, 09:18

Re: Four years of aging

by Drax » Mar 21st, '13, 09:18

Thanks! When I get time, I will do comparisons with other beengs of which I took early pictures.

I don't think that I really have any 'control' beengs -- that is, I don't have a beeng that I've kept in the cabinet and one that I've kept out of the cabinet for all four years (I actually have done that with some tuos that I have, but only within the last 2 years; and tuos are notoriously slow to age anyway).

In any case, I'm definitely optimistic. Things "seem" to be on the right trajectory. The ten-year point will probably provide the best comparison point to understand how all those new teas did over a decade. So I'll mark 2018-2019 on my calendar right now...

by **Tead Off** » Mar 21st, '13, 09:23

Re: Four years of aging

by Tead Off » Mar 21st, '13, 09:23

Drax wrote:Thanks! When I get time, I will do comparisons with other beengs of which I took early pictures.

I don't think that I really have any 'control' beengs -- that is, I don't have a beeng that I've kept in the cabinet and one that I've kept out of the cabinet for all four years (I actually have done that with some tuos that I have, but only within the last 2 years; and tuos are notoriously slow to age anyway).

In any case, I'm definitely optimistic. Things "seem" to be on the right trajectory. The ten-year point will probably provide the best comparison point to understand how all those new teas did over a decade. So I'll mark 2018-2019 on my calendar right now...

Why don't you try wrapping one of your cakes in a food grade plastic bag and sealing it and leave it in your pumidor to compare with the others? Could prove interesting.

by **Drax** » Mar 21st, '13, 21:33

Re: Four years of aging

by Drax » Mar 21st, '13, 21:33

It's a little late, but still easy enough to try. I picked a cake that I have a tong of as well as a few extras, and I put on of them in a plastic bag and left it piled with the others.

Check back in 6-10 years!

by **Tead Off** » Mar 21st, '13, 23:25

Re: Four years of aging

by Tead Off » Mar 21st, '13, 23:25

+1

by **Drax** » Mar 23rd, '13, 15:55

Re: Four years of aging

by Drax » Mar 23rd, '13, 15:55

Here's some comparisons of a claimed 2003 CNNP Yellow Mark that I picked up from Skip4Tea about 4 years ago (June of '09).

: Front comparison.; CNNP_2003_YM_front.jpg (42.52 KiB) Viewed 207 times

: Back comparison.; CNNP_2003_YM_back.jpg (43.34 KiB) Viewed 207 times

: Steep comparison (2013 is 1st steep; don't remember 2009 ones).; CNNP_2003_YM_steeps.jpg (33.88 KiB) Viewed 207 times

As for the tea itself, my notes of the tea in 2009 say give it straw and other young sheng marks along with hints of the browner/carmely tones of ages. I also note 'tea,' which for me, means it has some qualities that remind me of a black tea.

My current session with this tea (I am also brewing it ~1.7x stronger than I did back then), it is very active and full. Not so much on the straw qualities anymore, but it still has a great strength and roughness to it. I get the occasional hint that reminds me of black tea. It's not overall spectacular, but, not terrible.