I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by **needaTEAcher** » Jul 18th, '12, 18:03

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by needaTEAcher » Jul 18th, '12, 18:03

Sorry for the photo quality. I am working with a pretty low-end point and shoot. Thanks for your help on this one everyone!

by **shah82** » Jul 18th, '12, 19:49

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by shah82 » Jul 18th, '12, 19:49

The brew color is reflective of something that has been very dry-stored.

by **needaTEAcher** » Jul 18th, '12, 23:56

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by needaTEAcher » Jul 18th, '12, 23:56

I agree, though when the pitcher was full, it was a bit more orangish. Actually, it was a little surprising. In my experience, yellower, younger sheng tends to hold a darker yellow (even greenish) hue when there is more of it, or even yellowish with a touch of orange, but this one, when the pitcher was full, looked too orange. Confusing! I'll see if I can find a picture of it.

by **JakubT** » Jul 19th, '12, 02:38

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by JakubT » Jul 19th, '12, 02:38

Seems quite dry stored indeed.

Another slightly suspicious thing is how much sense makes the certificate - they usually are way more obscure

by **needaTEAcher** » Jul 19th, '12, 02:51

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by needaTEAcher » Jul 19th, '12, 02:51

JakubT wrote:Another slightly suspicious thing is how much sense makes the certificate - they usually are way more obscure

So true! I never even thought of that. Hmmmmm. Nice thought.

Last edited by needaTEAcher on Jul 19th, '12, 02:52, edited 1 time in total.

by **MarshalN** » Jul 19th, '12, 02:51

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by MarshalN » Jul 19th, '12, 02:51

How much tea did you use? Can we get some shots with natural sunlight instead of flash?

by **needaTEAcher** » Jul 19th, '12, 02:55

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by needaTEAcher » Jul 19th, '12, 02:55

We used something like 1gram per 20 cc, though he eyeballed it (that is the usual ratio, if I remember correctly). These shots are under fluorescent lights. The shot with the flash is the one I remember looking more orangish. I don't have any shots under sunlight. If I can get a brew together in the next week or two I will, but right now the bing is in storage on the other side of Seoul....

by **needaTEAcher** » Jul 26th, '12, 04:00

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by needaTEAcher » Jul 26th, '12, 04:00

Interestingly enough, I just found this site:

http://www.tearoma.us/

Which has a 1999 7542 for $65?! Sold out of course.

You have to click "Products" and then find it (it wouldn't copy over the exact page).

They have a few other teas selling for ridiculously low prices, like a 1999 8582 for $54. Seems too cheap to be true! They are linked from the "Art of Tea" website, so I am inclined to trust them, but all these prices seem WAAAAAAY to low. Anyone know what's up here?

by **JakubT** » Jul 26th, '12, 04:50

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by JakubT » Jul 26th, '12, 04:50

You might read read notes on their teas at Half Dipper, it seems that these teas are either young and fake or very dry stored.

If they are too dry stored, it would be a very nice price, although the tea would be hardly too good. I bought some overly dry stored cakes from 2003-4 and after a single year of storage here (relative humidity 70-80, about 25°C), in a company of more reasonably stored tea, they became quite good - way better than they used to be the year ago. The point is - overly dry stored tea may be often saved.

by **MarshalN** » Jul 26th, '12, 05:04

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by MarshalN » Jul 26th, '12, 05:04

JakubT wrote:You might read read notes on their teas at Half Dipper, it seems that these teas are either young and fake or very dry stored.

If they are too dry stored, it would be a very nice price, although the tea would be hardly too good. I bought some overly dry stored cakes from 2003-4 and after a single year of storage here (relative humidity 70-80, about 25°C), in a company of more reasonably stored tea, they became quite good - way better than they used to be the year ago. The point is - overly dry stored tea may be often saved.

That depends on the cake. If it's already somewhat aged, and then blasted dry, that can hurt the tea. If it's been really dry all along and thus didn't age much, then indeed a better storage environment will help.

by **apache** » Jul 26th, '12, 05:11

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by apache » Jul 26th, '12, 05:11

JakubT wrote:You might read read notes on their teas at Half Dipper, it seems that these teas are either young and fake or very dry stored.

If they are too dry stored, it would be a very nice price, although the tea would be hardly too good. I bought some overly dry stored cakes from 2003-4 and after a single year of storage here (relative humidity 70-80, about 25°C), in a company of more reasonably stored tea, they became quite good - way better than they used to be the year ago. The point is - overly dry stored tea may be often saved.

I was given some samples of their offering, I don't know whether it is fake or just bad storage, but all I can say is you get what you pay for, and there is no bargain in it.

by **needaTEAcher** » Jul 26th, '12, 08:54

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by needaTEAcher » Jul 26th, '12, 08:54

I would have thought that Art of Tea would link a more trustworthy source then. Alas, my naivety is creeping back in. I m always shocked when tea people aren't 100% dedicated to bringing wonderful products to the masses.

Wasn't gonna buy it anyways. C'est la vie!

by **apache** » Jul 26th, '12, 09:38

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by apache » Jul 26th, '12, 09:38

I think I should take more care of what I said. I didn't try all their products, only a subset. I would take each individual cake or tea as its own merit, be it is handcraft single mountain wild old tree, or from a big factory made of plantation leaves or from any vendors. Not becuase any tea trader is a crook and trying to cron my money, but because puerh tea is a complex and interesting subject, no one can knew everything about it and mistake is very easy to make when you source your stocks.

by **wyardley** » Jul 26th, '12, 11:17

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by wyardley » Jul 26th, '12, 11:17

I have tried some of their stuff. I don't think it's what it's supposed to be, but even if it is, it's priced where it is for a reason.

by **iovetea** » Jul 26th, '12, 13:01

Re: I need fast help on a 1999 Menghai 7542 Identification

by iovetea » Jul 26th, '12, 13:01

needaTEAcher wrote:I would have thought that Art of Tea would link a more trustworthy source then. Alas, my naivety is creeping back in. I m always shocked when tea people aren't 100% dedicated to bringing wonderful products to the masses.

Wasn't gonna buy it anyways. C'est la vie!

i wouldn't call it naive, if you want drink tea and know no trustworthy people you just have to take such gambles and risk money to one day get great tea.

well i once even bought fake gyokuro in a real store i. so there is no real safe place and you always just have to take gambles i think.