I just cleaned out my pot after steeping puerh teanuggetsl laochatao 9908 from haiwan. This might sound like a stupid question but has anyone else noticed the brewed leftovers. In my case when i threw out the contents in the sink i picked up spent tea nugget/leafs and broke them apart.
This might sound gross but each little nugget came apart with this slimy strings attached to it similar to pulling apart mozzarella when melted. I thought maybe it was string, which occasionally finds its way pu erh teas, it happened with each one, like some sort of adhesive held that loose tea dust together? This style of pu still taste good don't get me wrong, but the experience felt like an Alien episode.
Does anyone have similar experience, if not should any laochatao drinkers read this, can you try this out?
Oct 18th, '08, 23:49
Posts: 5151
Joined: Dec 20th, '06, 23:33
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Gainesville, Florida
I brewed up a pot just so I could get a look first hand. I guess I never tried pulling the nuggets apart. The strings are smaller than I imagined after reading your post.
I know nothing about chemistry, but I wonder if these little strings are actually proteins that have been developed in the tea "sludge" that the nuggets are made of. Through friction or pressure, together with drying and aging, I could imagine something like that developing in the juices that cling to machine parts, much like flour develops elastic gluten in response to kneading. I think a stringy texture in organic things, like mozzarella, usually indicates proteins. My tendency is to think that the strings are a natural development in this material and there is nothing added to make it stick together.
I know nothing about chemistry, but I wonder if these little strings are actually proteins that have been developed in the tea "sludge" that the nuggets are made of. Through friction or pressure, together with drying and aging, I could imagine something like that developing in the juices that cling to machine parts, much like flour develops elastic gluten in response to kneading. I think a stringy texture in organic things, like mozzarella, usually indicates proteins. My tendency is to think that the strings are a natural development in this material and there is nothing added to make it stick together.
Oct 19th, '08, 13:35
Posts: 921
Joined: Feb 6th, '08, 04:57
Location: enjoying a cup of Red Rose down in GA
Me either. I've tried breaking up the nuggets some beforehand (not easy) but once they steep well the first time, I don't fool with them again. I sure do love this type of tea, though...probably my favorite shu.Wesli wrote:Couldn't they just be the veins from the leaves? I've got the brick, but haven't inspected the "leftovers" to that degree.
EW
I thought that too, some sort of infestation. I tried the pulling apart with more than nuggets and was surprised each displayed the same result. I think it's the protein or cellulose in the stalks leafs after going through that 40 or more days of compost like fermentation . Personal deduction that is.
Oct 20th, '08, 12:53
Posts: 330
Joined: Feb 27th, '08, 11:03
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Portland, OR
Contact:
Dizzwave
Hehe.. I love natto. And the first time I ever found these "strings" in my spent leaves (actually it was in some Xiaguan tuocha from pu-shop that I first found this) it immediately reminded me of natto.TomVerlain wrote:anyone ever try Natto (Japanese sticky beans) ?
Anyway, I'm not worried about it... I drink 9908 almost every day and I'm still around.
